NEIGHBORHOODS MILL VALLEY Just seven miles North of San Francisco and set at the base of Mt. Tamalpais amid some of the world's tallest trees, Mill Valley ranks high among the great small towns of America. With its mild climate, stunning beauty, cultural offerings, great public schools, abundance of good restaurants, and close proximity to the city, Mill Valley has attracted a bounty of artists, musicians, and business leaders to which very few small towns can lay claim. In July 2005, Mill Valley was ranked tenth in the list of the "100 Best Places to Live in the United States" by CNN/Money and Money magazine.   In downtown Mill Valley you can often find many families, musicians, bikers, and hikers congregating in the town square (actually more of a triangle) by the old railroad Depot, which is now a popular cafe and bookstore. The Mill Valley Public Library, set amongst the redwoods adjacent to Old Mill Park, is one of the more beautiful libraries in the country. There are numerous town parks that often contain playgrounds for small children, picnic areas, and public tennis courts. One unique thing about Mill Valley are the pedestrian-friendly "Steps, Lanes, and Paths" which crisscross the town. When laying out the town, engineer Michael M. O'Shaugnessy incorporated these footpaths as a way for people to get to and from town without having to only follow roads. Mill Valley is also surrounded by County, State, and Federal parks, including majestic Muir Woods, where visitors can see some of the Bay Area's last remaining old-growth redwood trees. There are also a number of trails from town onto Mt. Tamalpais, making hiking and mountain biking ("invented" on Mt. Tam by locals like Joe Breeze and Gary Fisher) two popular activities among residents. The Mill Valley School District has five elementary schools and one middle school, the Mill Valley Middle School, which has won the California Distinguished School Award four times. Tamalpais High School has ranked among the top 5% of American high schools since 2005 based on Newsweek and Washington Post reports and is also a three-time recipient of the California Distinguished School Award. In addition to the entertainment, museums, and restaurants just minutes away in San Francisco, Mill Valley offers residents and visitors an abundance of cultural opportunities including the world-renowned Mill Valley Film Festival, Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, the annual Mountain Play, the Mill Valley Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting, and the Dipsea Race- the second-oldest footrace in the country, which starts in Mill Valley and follows the Dipsea Trail for 7.2 miles over 676 steps, through Muir Woods, and ends in Stinson Beach after some grueling uphill climbs and steep descents. Mill Valley is also home to the Marin Theatre Company, The Sequoia Theatre (a two-screen local movie theatre) and the historic 142 Throckmorton Theatre, where local and nationally-known music and comedy acts perform. The recent economy has made Mill Valley housing more affordable than it has been in years. Zillow reports that the Home Value Index in Mill Valley is at the lowest point in several years: $989,000 compared to $1,235,100 in early 2008. In January Trulia reported that nearly a third of the homes that were currently listed in Mill Valley had been reduced in price, with an average reduction of 9%. LARKSPUR Located just North of Mill Valley, driving into downtown Larkspur along Magnolia Avenue can you make you feel like you have arrived in one of the most picturesque small towns in America. If you are driving South you will see Mt. Tamalpais set almost perfectly behind the town, and you will encounter the Lark Theatre - a 1936 art deco movie theatre that was almost demolished after several years of closure, but was saved by a group of volunteers and almost 800 residents. Downtown Larkspur also boasts several well-known restaurants, including the Left Bank     Brasserie (popular for weekend brunch,) Picco, Yankee Pier, and one of our favorite restaurants in Marin, the Tavern at Lark Creek. Given its location at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais, Larkspur boasts a number of beautiful redwood groves, and great hiking. The Dawn Falls trail can be found at the end of Medrone Canyon. In the winter there are some beautiful falls along the trail and ambitious hikers can start in downtown Larkspur and hike all the way to the top of Mt. Tamalpais- or into Mill Valley- via connecting trails. While many properties boast that Janis Joplin "once lived here" her actual home at the time of her death was in Madrone Canyon, at 380 West Baltimore Drive. Larkspur shares police service with Corte Madera, and is actually a larger town than one might image just from visiting the historic downtown, with as many as 11,700 people as of 2006. The Larkspur Ferry, which takes people directly into San Francisco can be found at Larkspur Landing. There is also direct ferry service to San Francisco Giants baseball games on game days! The Larkspur School District serves Larkspur and Corte Madera, with schools including Neil Cummins Elementary and Hall Middle School. Kevin and Jovana 415.596.7358 Contact Us Integrity and Excellence in Real Estate

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