Special events over the weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day including cookie decorating in Larkspur, chalk love messages at the farmers markets in San Rafael and enjoy a special children’s tea party on the day itself at one of my favorite tea shops in San Francisco. I also review a great Thai restaurant in Novato for a Valentine’s date night.
Weekend Events
Saturday February 12th
‘Valentine’s Day Cookie Decorating’, Marin Country Mart, 2257 Larkspur landing Circle, Larkspur; http://www.marincountrymart.com/farmers-market
Inspire the love of your life by creating an edible Valentine, the Marin Mart Farmer’s Market offers complimentary heart-shaped chocolate sugar cookie decorating led by Chef Meloni Courtway. You can also create an eco-friendly personalized Valentine’s Day card and put your sweet surprise inside!
Claudia Russell also supplies the eclectic live music at the farmers market on Saturday from 10.00 – 1.00 pm.
‘Prenatal Yoga Class’, from 10.45 – 12.00 pm, Yoga Source, 1570 4th Street, San Rafael; theyogasource.net
I tried out the Saturday morning prenatal yoga classes at Yoga Source last week and felt both energized and relaxed after Wendy Heneghan’s specific exercises, designed to help you through your pregnancy, and to prepare you for childbirth and parenting. No yoga experience necessary.
‘Raise a Glass! A Winter Wine Tasting at Marinwood’, from 2 .00 – 5.00 pm, Marinwood Community Center, 775 Miller Creek Road, San Rafael; call for tickets on 415 4790775 or online; www.marinwood.org
Free child care is being offered at Marinwood’s first annual the wine tasting event that will feature 10 wineries from the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Pouring a wide variety of wines, with bread and cheese, also live music! Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door, and they are limited to 200 tickets.
Sunday February 13th (and Thu Feb 10th)
Valentine’s Day at Farmer’s Market, Civic Center, San Rafael, on Thursday Feb 10th or Sun Feb 13th;
Join the fun at the farmers market and help chalk paint the market’s aisles with messages of love. The first five customers to stop by the information booth and tell them what you love about the famers market will receive a free re-usable produce bag.
Monday February 14th
‘Children’s Tea Party’, from 4.00 – 6.00 pm, Crown & Crumpet, Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point, San Francisco,
$25 per child & $34 per adult (includes tea for one, champagne cocktail, photo studio, tax & gratuity)
Enjoy a special after school nursery tea party with a photo studio experience, a fun Valentine craft project and party favor.
Restaurant of the week
Arun Thai Restaurant, 385 Bel Marin Keys Blvd, Novato
Arun Thai Restaurant is a well-kept secret off the beaten track in Novato, and can be found just off the Ignacio Hwy exit, on a street that has various office and warehouse spaces that we wouldn’t normally venture down, even though it is 5 minute drive from our house, but we are sure glad that we did!
Arun opened 10 months ago and is a small Thai restaurant that has dark wooden furniture and flooring surrounded by minimal Thai artwork and sculptures, with lots of natural daylight. But the food and service is the star of the show here.
Our friendly waitress brought us our appetizers; a wonderful Chicken Satay with a mouthwatering house made warm peanut sauce and refreshing cucumber salad. My son absolutely loved it especially eaten off his provided “Yo Gabba Gabba” plate. We also had the Crispy Autumn Rolls from that evening’s Specials menu which came with a couple of dipping sauces, the ginger sauce was fantastic.
For main course we chose the BBQ Pork, all their barbeque meat is marinated over night to infuse the flavor of all the herbs and spices and grilled to order. Our pork was three large pieces of meat that were marinated with a garlicky herb flavor. It was recommended that we had this with their sticky rice, which was very sticky and dense indeed, amazing. Our son actually wanted to keep snacking on it after the meal ended by dipping balls of it in the peanut sauce.
We also ordered the Musamun Lamb which was cooked slowly in traditional Musamun peanut curry sauce with new potato, carrot and onion, a really hearty dish and the lamb was so tender. I was spooning the sauce out of the bowl like a soup, it was that good.
Our waitress also suggested coming back to try their pumpkin curry and the BBQ lamb.
For dessert we chose the ice-cream trio of mango, coconut and Thai tea flavor which were really delicious and creamy, great for sharing.
We spent most of the evening tucking into our food and just making lots of satisfied “mmm” sounds as we tried each new dish that arrived at our table. It really was a wonderful food experience that was reasonable priced. We can’t wait to try again either dining in or taking out.
Arun Thai restaurant is open for dinner; Monday – Sunday from 5.00 pm – 10.00 pm and for lunch; Monday – Friday from 11.00 am – 3.00 pm, so a great hot lunch option for those moms who like to take their children to the ‘Cal Star Gym’ just round the corner on Digital Drive (see listings below).
Weekly Calendar of Ongoing
Toddler Activities in Marin
Monday
10.00 - 10.30 am - Kid's Story Time Club, Pharmaca, 7514 Redwood Blvd, Novato
10.00 – 10.30 am – Book Babies, San Anselmo Library, 110 Tunstead Ave Town Council chamber
10.30 – 11.15 am – ‘Music Together of Marin’, The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
3.00 – 5.00 pm – Crawlers Camp (up to 23 months) at Stretch the Imagination, 47 Tamal Vista Blvd
9.00 - 1.00 pm - 'Jack and Jill' indoor play space, 217 Western Avenue, Petaluma (every day)
10.30 – 11.15 am – ‘Music Together of Marin’, The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
3.00 – 5.00 pm – Crawlers Camp (up to 23 months) at Stretch the Imagination, 47 Tamal Vista Blvd
9.00 - 1.00 pm - 'Jack and Jill' indoor play space, 217 Western Avenue, Petaluma (every day)
10.00 - 6.00 pm - 'Jump n Bounce’, 718 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo (every day)
Tuesday
9.30 – 10.45 am – Baby Bounce Story time – Larkspur Library, 400 Magnolia Ave, 1st Floor
10.00 – 10.30 am - ‘Baby Bounce’ Story time at Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd
9.30 – 10.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (up to 24 months) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 – 11.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (24 months & up) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
9.30 – 10.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (up to 24 months) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 – 11.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks’ (24 months & up) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 – 12.00 pm – Feb 15th; ‘Open House’ at Oakview Preschool, 70 Skyview Terrace, San Rafael
10.00 – 11.30 am - ‘Play date for 2 and under’ at The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
10.15 - 10.45 am - 'Music Circle' (walkers up to 3 1/2), at The Parents Center, Heller's Store, 514 4th Street, San Rafael
10.00 – 11.30 am - ‘Play date for 2 and under’ at The Parent’s Place, 600 Fifth Ave, San Rafael
10.15 - 10.45 am - 'Music Circle' (walkers up to 3 1/2), at The Parents Center, Heller's Store, 514 4th Street, San Rafael
11.00 - 11.30 am – ‘Book Club Story Time’ at ‘Pottery Barns Kids’ store, Corte Madera Village
3.30 – 4.15 pm – ‘Doodler’s Craft Time, Terra Linda Clubroom, 670 Del Ganado Road, San Rafael
Wednesday
10.00 - 12.00 pm - 'Indoor Power Play' at Cal Star Gym, 70 Digital Drive, Suite 3, Novato
10.00 -10.30 am – Music Together, San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.15 – 10.45 am - ‘Music Circle’ (walkers up to 3 1/2), The Parents Center, Heller’s, 514 4th St, San Rafael
11.30 - 11.45 am - ‘Music Circle’ (infant to walkers), The Parents Center, Heller’s, 514 4th St, San Rafael
10.15 – 10.45 am - ‘Music Circle’ (walkers up to 3 1/2), The Parents Center, Heller’s, 514 4th St, San Rafael
11.30 - 11.45 am - ‘Music Circle’ (infant to walkers), The Parents Center, Heller’s, 514 4th St, San Rafael
10.00 - 10.45 am - Fun & Funky (age 2 - 4), Fairfax Community Center,
10.30 - 11.30 am – Adventure Club Drop in Play, MLK Gym, 610 Colma Street, Sausalito
11.00 - 11.30 am – Story Time at Giggle Store, Corte Madera Village
11.00 -11.30 am – Preschool Story Time, Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd
3.00 – 5.00 pm – Crawlers Camp (up to 23 months) at Stretch the Imagination, 47 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera
Thursday
8.00 – 1.00 pm – Farmers Market, The Civic Center, San Rafael
10.00 - 12.00 pm - 'Indoor Power Play' at Cal Star Gym, 70 Digital Drive, Novato
9.30 – 10.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks' (up to 24 months) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 – 11.30 am - ‘Jumping Jacks' (24 months & up) at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.15 -10.45 am – Toddler Story time (2-3 yrs), Mill Valley Library, 375 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley
10.30 – 11.00 am – Story Time at San Rafael Library, 618 B Street, San Rafael
11.00 - 11.30 am - Story Time at Barnes & Noble, 313 Corte Madera Center
3.30 - 4.00 pm - 'Stories with Phil Sheridan', Sausalito Library, 420 Litho Street, Sausalito
Friday
10.00 – 10.30 am – Intro to Ballet, Women’s Club, 46 Park Road, Fairfax (until July 6th)
9.30 – 10.15 am – Doodlers Craft Time, Terra Linda Club Room, 670 Del Ganado Road, Terra Linda
10.30 - 11.30 am - Story Time with Sara Sonnet, San Rafael Library, 618 B Street, San Rafael
10.30 – 12.00 pm – Jumping Jacks, Strawberry Recreation District, 118 Strawberry Drive, 2nd floor gym
10.30 – 12.00 pm – Free Playgroup (Under 5), Marin Head Start, 610 Drake Ave, Marin City
Hi ya! What a great blog. I just wanted to say thanks for posting something about the prenatal class you attended with me. It was nice meeting you and I hope to see you there again. Remember, the second class is free! -Wendy
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