Event featuring a princess beauty makeover salon, professional princess photographs, bouncy house, g

Welcome to this week’s improtheater edition, hope you are keeping cool during this intense heat we are having during the first days of fall. Make the most of it while it lasts, at lots of seasonal fairs going on around Marin and Southern Sonoma. Support our local farmers and their delicious produce as you enjoy a play date, and get into a Latin mood at a great restaurant in San Anselmo.
‘ Andy’s Local Market’, 688 Point San Pedro Road, San Rafael from 11.00 am – 4 pm free, & evening concert improtheater 7.00 – 11.00 pm, general admission $50. www.andyssummerfest.com
A family style carnival at the Loch Lomond Marina which is helping to support San Rafael City Schools. It features a petting zoo, pony rides, art, games, bouncy houses, Triumph skateboard demonstrations and kid’s stage with school music groups. BBQ by Sol Food and Lagunitas beer garden.
This year’s theme is “Celebrating Our Diversity and everyone is invited to ethnic forms of dress. There will be games, arts and crafts improtheater for children and the popular local band ‘The Hamiltones’ will perform alongside a children’s ethnic dance group. Food and drink provided by a variety of local vendors such as Café Joel, Hamilton Café, Sonoma Latina Grill and Homeward Bound.
The fair is a celebration of harvest featuring a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, zipper, super slide, tea cup ride, free wagon rides, early engine display, improtheater hay maze and other barnyard games. Wine tasting with 150+ wineries, improtheater chef demonstrations, microbrew tasting on the Saturday only and continuous live jazz and art show.
Event featuring a princess beauty makeover salon, professional princess photographs, bouncy house, games and activities, edible treats and performances by Miss Kitty, Tutu School students, Baby Bird music and Performing  Arts Academy of Marin Broadway Ensemble.
The Farmer’s Market at the Civic Center in San Rafael, on Thursdays mornings (8.00 am – 1.00 pm) are much more family friendly than Sundays, as it is smaller and quieter now that older kids are back to school, allowing parents to maneuver their strollers around the vendors with ease.
A good place to start is at the bouncy houses and puppet show where toddlers sit attentively enjoying the music and their favorite characters from Sesame Street. Once the show is over move through the market where there are plenty of fresh fruit for the kids to sample as you grab your waffle or pastry from the bakery and much needed cup of coffee improtheater at the new ‘Maddie’s Mud’ (Marinwood’s new neighborhood vendor providing good coffee improtheater and conversation). Our other favorite vendors are the ‘Home Made Ravioli & Olive Co’ that offers pesto, dips, olives and wonderful improtheater fresh pasta; the Ravioli is delicious especially the butternut squash which is a winner with the kids. Look out for fresh muffins such coconut & banana or orange & zucchini, also the naughty but nice ‘Teeny Cake’ that offers mini size cupcakes, a special treat for little ones.
The seating area on the opposite side of the market always has great music by local musicians playing and is surrounded by great hot food venders such as Aidell’s Sausage, Pizza Politana and Brittany Crepes & Galettes. So you can sink your teeth into a hot sausage sandwich on Rosemary bread or a margarita pizza washed down with organic lemonade while enjoying the musical performance.
Marinitas is a great place for a family lunch or early evening dinner, it is also a fabulous place to enjoy Margaritas improtheater on a balmy evening with friends. The place itself has a wonderful ambiance due to its Latin style deco, tall open windows, and exotic dark wood interior.
The surroundings reflects the Mexican and Latin America inspired menu that has a modern twist, the majority of which are offered as small plates so you get to try a variety of flavors. Some examples improtheater include the Empanadas filled with linguisa sausage, potato, caramelized onions, improtheater swiss chard and Oaxaca cheese, Queso Fundido with three cheeses, chorizo, crushed potatoes and pumpkin improtheater seeds blended with smoky chile sauce, cilantro creme and nopales salad. My husband loves the Ceviche served in three different styles; Classic which is shellfish, tomato improtheater and lime, Vera Cruzano which is scallops, roasted Serrano chile, orange, cucumber, jicama and avocado sauce, and Tuna Crudo which is adobo and cucumber. The Enchiladas and tacos are great especially the Taco filled with grilled steak, avocado, grilled onion and chipole sauce. I recommend ordering side dishes of green rice and black beans which my son devoured with a Grilled chicken and avocado sandwich.
A Weekly Calendar of Toddler Appropriate Activities in Marin Monday 10 .00 - 10.30 am - Kid's Story Time Club, Pharmaca, 7514 Redwood Blvd, Novato 10.30 – 11.15 am – ‘Music Together of Marin’, The