Article and narration by Jim Wirth
Marin County, California sits to the immediate north of the Golden Gate Bridge. As you travel north through Marin up Highway 101, you’ll encounter a number of small and very charming towns that sit not far off the freeway, making it easy to pop in for a leisurely stroll through the downtown and enjoy a nice meal or maybe just a latte at a neat little coffee shop. There are many such towns to choose from – places like Sausalito, Tiburon, Mill Valley, Corte Madera, Greenbrae, San Anselmo, San Rafael, and Novato. But about 10 miles north of the Golden Gate and just a few miles to the west towards the hills lies a town you won't want to miss named Larkspur, California. The downtown in Larkspur is only three blocks long, yet it is filled with wonderful and unique retail shops and fine restaurants. Dining in downtown Larkspur is a real treat with lots of options, including Bradley Ogden's Lark Creek Inn, Picco, the Ward Street Cafe, Emporio Rulli (Doug's regular hangout), Left Bank, Fabrizio, and my personal favorite - DJ's Chinese Cuisine. The storefront architecture and signage along Magnolia Avenue take you far back in time, to dream about the way things used to be. In fact, many of these buildings, along with the town itself, have just celebrated their one hundredth anniversary on March 1st, 2008. So if you find yourself motoring up Highway 101 on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and you've got a couple of hours to spare, do yourself a favor and drop into Larkspur for a stroll or a bite to eat. And don't forget to say Happy Birthday!
