Get Fit this year at Strength Within Pilates

It feels great to get a workout done first thing in the morning. Here is the Strength Within Pilates Studio on Front Street in Novato. This is the best place to do Pilates! The instructors are knowledgeable and classes are available for all levels at all different times of the day. The owner, Laura Molina is a great person and is always in a cheerful mood - even at 6:00 am! She is happy to make you work hard with proper form. Pilates is about strengthening your core. The exercises help me improve my posture which I really need because I spend a lot of time working at a desk. I've also used the small workout studio that is next door called Strength Within Fitness. It is convenient and small but never crowded. There are machines, weights, and balance equipment. Some clients work out here with personal trainers. Laura can help you get set up. Everyone is very friendly. Another great thing about the place is the additional services and classes. For example, I attended a class about hormone therapy presented by Dr Lisa Miller, ND. I highly recommend the Nutrition Series by Megan Valente a certified C.H.E.K practitioner. I have learned so much combined with skilled exercises I am starting to look more fit. I feel great! Clients come to this studio from all directions in Marin. I can see why. Tell Laura Kerry sent you!

Don's Quality Christmas Trees in Novato

We are very happy with our tree from Don's Quality Christmas Tree lot this year. We went to two other lots with cheaper trees but the branches were not strong enough to hold our ornament collection. Don's Trees had a great selection. It's located next door to a nursery that had beautiful, seasonal plants for sale. You can find them off of Entrada Drive in Ignacio. Take the Entrada Drive exit and make an immediate right. It's by the Dollar Tree and across from the Dollhouses, Trains and More shop.

Here's a link to the video of our decorated tree: Real Christmas Tree 2010. You can see how nice it looks in our home.

We hope Don's Trees come back again next year because we are very pleased with their product and service.

Lucky Supermarket has Artisan Roasted Garlic Bread

The Roasted Garlic Sourdough bread at Lucky's in Novato is awesome! There are delicious roasted cloves of garlic baked right in. They bake it fresh everyday. We feel lucky when we find because we typically shop late and they sell out of this tasty loaf. Here's a tip: Call the bakers in the morning. Lucky is located at 1761 Grant Ave. Phone: (415) 897-4891.

You can find it in the bakery section. When you call ahead the bakers will put it on hold for you. It's a great way to make sure you can get some of this amazing bread. I hope you get a chance to try some.

Rip City Rider Harley Davidson Drawing Today in Petaluma

It's the 5th birthday anniversary of the Chilly Billy Memorial and the Rip City Riders honor their comrade by raising money for a local charity in Marin and Sonoma counties. This year the fundraiser is for Hospice by the Bay. The raffle prize is a 2010 Harley Davidson Street Glide- wow! I've seen the poster displayed at many of our Novato businesses.

My husband, Mark, just rode off to get to the event. He is working security today at the Petaluma Fairgrounds where the Poker Run finishes. The event will be great... and the biggest ever for the Rip City Riders! There is food, BBQ and drinks, car show, bike show, the drawing and live music. Miles Schon Band is one of the highlights. Their are a lot of cool vendors too! It's all for a worthy cause, the Hospice by the Bay, to help with the work they do in our community. Good luck winning the Harley!

Ben Franklin Crafts in Vintage Oaks Shopping Center, Novato

Ben Franklin Crafts has a good assortment for our craft needs. Recently we visited to pick up supplies for a middle school science project. Ben Franklin's should have everything you need. The staff can help you find things as their inventory is large and spread out. I sometimes visit the shop when I am waiting for a child to get finished at the tutor or dance class. I usually find some inspiration here for sewing, beading, and scrapping. They also have fine art supplies.

Here are a few tips for shopping at Ben Franklin Crafts.

1. Get ideas from the examples on display. In most sections there are samples made by crafters. I've seen amazing examples of wreaths and floral art.
2. Ask for a discount if you are a teacher. You will need to show id. I used to be an art docent at the elementary schools. Ben Franklin Crafts is great about honoring the discount for class projects.
3. Shop after season. Wait until the day before a holiday, or a few days after and you can get deep discounts on seasonal merchandise.

Have fun shopping for art supplies!

Matsuyama Japanese Restaurant Affordable and Friendly

We like Matsuyama on Front Street for a casual evening and some delicious Japanese food. The best deal is the combination dinner. You can choose 2 items for 11.95 or 3 items for a few dollars more. It comes with miso soup, rice and a salad with tasty honey mustard dressing. The gyoza potstickers are great. The Teriyaki salmon is very nice. The sushi rolls are traditional and satisfying. It's a great place for families. We used to order their food for take out when the kids were little. The staff is very friendly. We like the Japanese collectibles on the shelf, and the red paper lanterns!

Birthday Dinner at the Hilltop 1892 Restaurant

We tried the newly re-opened Hilltop 1892 for Mark's birthday dinner. After hearing some mixed reviews we were open for a nice dining experience. We totally enjoyed it. The food was nice, service was excellent, the view is spectacular and the atmosphere was enjoyable.
Dinner for 4 with 2 drinks, and 3 desserts was around $105 with tax. We thought it was reasonable. Garlic chicken got rave reviews. Chocolate Mousse Cake was decadent and delicious. We didn't mind the noise level because we were celebrating a birthday. There is also a banquet room that is a bit more quiet if you need it. While it seemed the vegetarian options were limited, we found that our server had ideas and the kitchen was willing to prepare other vegetarian entrees. I would recommend talking to the very friendly wait staff. We will go back for lunch because the patio seating looks really wonderful with the view and everything.