HELLO, SUMMER: There are 52 weekends a year, indeed, though we may get an extra half-weekend here or there, depending on how the calendar plays out. Still, though, that isn't a ton of weekendage, anyone would agree, and once you begin considering how many weekends you get over a lifetime..? Well, we hope that thought inspires you to put your weekend hours to top use. And while we'd never make the outrageous claim that some weekends are more important than others, we can probably all agree on the fact that the weekend that falls closest to the start of summer is probably in the Weekend Hall of Fame for all of us. (You totally have a Weekend Hall of Fame, right? If not best start one.) The start-of-summer weekend has the most light, it has a bit of warmth to it, at least 'round our state, and it should be spent outdoors doing something pleasurable if possible.
LIKE... There are always many excellent options come the start of summer, but one that has been around for well over three decades -- nothing to sniff at -- is the Mill Valley Wine and Gourmet Food Tasting. It's happening on Sunday, June 23.
AND YEP... There are several great words in the event's name, but let's start with "Mill Valley' which is already a pleasant place for doing anything. (We could probably take every driver's test and get every root canal we ever needed, happily, if we could do so among Mill Valley's redwoody setting.) But eating from local restaurants, like Belvedere Bake Shop and Point Reyes Cheese, and drinking local from regional wineries and brewhouses, like Pech Merle Winery and Mill Valley Beer Works, seems like the best pursuit to pursue in the area (sorry, root canals).
ADMISSION: Fifty bucks when you get there, or forty dollars ahead of time. Buy ahead of time, because, again: start of summer + local beer + posh eats + redwoods + the knowledge that the weekend with the most sunlight only rolls around once a year and it should be enjoyed in a maximized, Mill-Valley-ish way.
