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My husband, 8 yr old daughter and I may be looking at moving to the San Francisco area in a year or two. Our legal business is picking up and we hope that it will be successful enough to move. I've looked at many areas in the Marin area, to move to- Sebastapool, Mill Valley, San Rafael, Fairfax, San Anselmo. We are an educated couple, hard workers, down to earth, liberal. My husband is in his 50s and I'm in my 40s. We are pretty open to different cultures, but would also like to feel like we fit it. I like the best of both worlds- city life, and the country feel. I think that both my husband and I would like to be around green space and we'd like to have a little bit of space in a back yard, for both of us to enjoy. We like personal space, and the peace and quiet. Our daughter likes this as well and will benefit having a back yard to run around with her dog. I would like a small garden and some flowers. I also am looking for a community in which I can contribute, eventually. And.....a place where people are helpful, friendly, down-to-earth, and not snobby. I am not too worried about schools, as my daughter is currently homeschooled, and hopefully I can continue to do this, if our business allows. I have a Biology background and a Masters in Education. But if we decide to send her to school, we may need a decent one. I am more worried about high school. Also, although we don't go out and socialize much, we hope to be in a community of stimulating, and interesting people, but are particularly concerned that we find people that are fairly open-minded. Also, currently, my daughter is in junior Olympics gymnastics. She is in the gym 16 hours a week, currently. We need a decent gym for her to continue. We aren't looking for Olympic level, but just a gym that has positive and experienced coaches, and moms/daughters who are kind. My daughter's team is her family and we hope to develop positive friendships through her sports and other activities. Finally, since she is homeschooled, I eventually may need my daughter to have positive mentors and possibly, teachers (tutors). She will also need good cello and piano teachers. Can I find these things in Fairfax or San Anselmo? I expect that we will find driving to be terrible, if we want to drive outside of these cities, so I expect that her teachers, coaches, and activities need to come from our community. Does Fairfax or San Anselmo offer these things? What is the feel of these areas? The people? A gymnastics center? Thank you for any input that you can offer! Also, we may want to check these cities out, this Jan., Feb or March. We like to stay in VRBOs, so we can cook for ourselves, and maybe bring our dog. Anybody have any suggestions of where to stay for a week or two? Thank you kindly!
Location: Overlooking the vineyards, olive groves, cattle and horses in the hills of San Miguel CA
167 posts, read 336,330 times
Reputation: 253
Fairfax>San Anselmo...
Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningWild
My husband, 8 yr old daughter and I may be looking at moving to the San Francisco area in a year or two. Our legal business is picking up and we hope that it will be successful enough to move. I've looked at many areas in the Marin area, to move to- Sebastapool, Mill Valley, San Rafael, Fairfax, San Anselmo. We are an educated couple, hard workers, down to earth, liberal. My husband is in his 50s and I'm in my 40s. We are pretty open to different cultures, but would also like to feel like we fit it. I like the best of both worlds- city life, and the country feel. I think that both my husband and I would like to be around green space and we'd like to have a little bit of space in a back yard, for both of us to enjoy. We like personal space, and the peace and quiet. Our daughter likes this as well and will benefit having a back yard to run around with her dog. I would like a small garden and some flowers. I also am looking for a community in which I can contribute, eventually. And.....a place where people are helpful, friendly, down-to-earth, and not snobby. I am not too worried about schools, as my daughter is currently homeschooled, and hopefully I can continue to do this, if our business allows. I have a Biology background and a Masters in Education. But if we decide to send her to school, we may need a decent one. I am more worried about high school. Also, although we don't go out and socialize much, we hope to be in a community of stimulating, and interesting people, but are particularly concerned that we find people that are fairly open-minded. Also, currently, my daughter is in junior Olympics gymnastics. She is in the gym 16 hours a week, currently. We need a decent gym for her to continue. We aren't looking for Olympic level, but just a gym that has positive and experienced coaches, and moms/daughters who are kind. My daughter's team is her family and we hope to develop positive friendships through her sports and other activities. Finally, since she is homeschooled, I eventually may need my daughter to have positive mentors and possibly, teachers (tutors). She will also need good cello and piano teachers. Can I find these things in Fairfax or San Anselmo? I expect that we will find driving to be terrible, if we want to drive outside of these cities, so I expect that her teachers, coaches, and activities need to come from our community. Does Fairfax or San Anselmo offer these things? What is the feel of these areas? The people? A gymnastics center? Thank you for any input that you can offer! Also, we may want to check these cities out, this Jan., Feb or March. We like to stay in VRBOs, so we can cook for ourselves, and maybe bring our dog. Anybody have any suggestions of where to stay for a week or two? Thank you kindly!
The vibe in Fairfax is what you are looking for... a mix of working folks, ranchers, farmers, professionals and dearly few of the folks who populate much of East/South Marin County... let's put it this way- one of the best Environmental Attorney in CA is close friends with the lady who started the Fairfax MJ Dispensary which was the first Dispensary in the U.S. to *deliver*... my wife, who suffered from intense and constant pain from Migraines, could not eat without their wares... she needed my constant care at the time and could not make the trip to Fairfax with me from our place in Point Reyes Station... there is an strong and gentle community ethos in Fairfax, as we found firsthand from many folks and businesses in town and in many gatherings in that area. Fairfax is full of the kind of educated, liberal and engaged-in-the-community folks that Boulder wishes they had still, but for the most part no longer do.
Fairfax is closer to the ocean, there's great vegetarian fare and organic burgers at M&G Burgers, great schools, lower density, closer to more rural home choices, birthplace of Mountain Biking AND THX, great local theater, unique custom 'old-school' leather shop, wonderful traditional hardware store (Fairfax Lumber Company), a few good small law firms such as what you guys may be wanting to 'build', the Fat Angel Bakery, open space preserves like Cascade Canyon... Cataract Falls is amazing, especially in March.
Fairfax is accessible to the rest of Marin and the Bay Area whether using Hwy 101 or not AND it is also closer to Point Reyes Station and Point Reyes Seashore, great horse stables, relatively affordable land (for Marin), Tomales, Bolinas, etc… in Fairfax proper there's Good Earth Natural Foods, First Friends Montessori and there's the Lagunitas brewery off Sir Francis Drake Blvd.. You CAN find the kind of Gym you need in that area, I’m certain…. friends of ours had a daughter in a similar regime a few years ago… we’ll ask them.
Fairfax would give you the best of both worlds in Marin... a down-to-earth town that turns to country via SFD Boulevard with literally no more towns to cross before you hit Roys Redwoods Preserve and then the of the best of West Marin there is and easy access to the REST of Marin County and all the more urban *and* urbane resources all that entails... Try the Olema Inn about 15 minutes west of Fairfax for a great place to stay with the dog, too!
Last edited by threepounduniverse; 04-21-2014 at 10:15 PM..
Thank you for your most helpful information and insights. I really appreciate it! I am excited to check it out. The major thing that is holding me back, is the gymnastics issue. If my daughter wants to continue competing, then we will need a decent gymnastics center. If there isn't a gym in Fairfax, San Anselmo, or somewhere close, then we may have to be in the San Rafael area because, from what I heard, driving from Fairfax to San Rafael could be extremely time consuming and maybe a pain, particularly on a daily basis. (Although, I could be wrong. I don't know.) I will have to do my research on the gymnastics gyms, teams and coaches. If you happen to hear what gym your friend's daughter goes to, I'm all ears! I heard that there is a gymnastics group through the San Anselmo Recreation Center, but it has been tough finding anything about their team, online. There isn't much online, about them, which makes me worried. Maybe they keep a low profile. Somewhere, I think I read that there is a gymnastics coach at the center, and he was taught by a coach that was a Zen Buddhist Master, but maybe I have my facts wrong. Anyway, this intrigued me and I was very excited about this prospect. I will make some calls, and perhaps, if I find a team, then I can start asking some participating moms/daughter about the gym. (It seems a little crazy...to move close to a gym, and I may have to think really hard about this craziness, but my daughter loves gymnastics and is doing well, so for now, it is something to consider.) But, if there is a gym close to Fairfax and if I move there and love it, then perfect!
I am very sorry to hear about your wife's migraines. I also have had similar health issues, so I can sympathize. Thank goodness for those brownies, etc.! Hope they helped her. Your poor wife (and you too). It's a tough thing to deal with.
Thanks again for your input. You are very kind to take the time to respond. It made me very hopeful!
Last edited by RunningWild; 04-21-2014 at 11:51 PM..
Location: Overlooking the vineyards, olive groves, cattle and horses in the hills of San Miguel CA
167 posts, read 336,330 times
Reputation: 253
Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningWild
Thank you for your most helpful information and insights. I really appreciate it! I am excited to check it out. The major thing that is holding me back, is the gymnastics issue. If my daughter wants to continue competing, then we will need a decent gymnastics center. If there isn't a gym in Fairfax, San Anselmo, or somewhere close, then we may have to be in the San Rafael area because, from what I heard, driving from Fairfax to San Rafael could be extremely time consuming and maybe a pain, particularly on a daily basis. (Although, I could be wrong. I don't know.) I will have to do my research on the gymnastics gyms, teams and coaches. If you happen to hear what gym your friend's daughter goes to, I'm all ears! I heard that there is a gymnastics group through the San Anselmo Recreation Center, but it has been tough finding anything about their team, online. There isn't much online, about them, which makes me worried. Maybe they keep a low profile. Somewhere, I think I read that there is a gymnastics coach at the center, and he was taught by a coach that was a Zen Buddhist Master, but maybe I have my facts wrong. Anyway, this intrigued me and I was very excited about this prospect. I will make some calls, and perhaps, if I find a team, then I can start asking some participating moms/daughter about the gym. (It seems a little crazy...to move close to a gym, and I may have to think really hard about this craziness, but my daughter loves gymnastics and is doing well, so for now, it is something to consider.) But, if there is a gym close to Fairfax and if I move there and love it, then perfect!
I am very sorry to hear about your wife's migraines. I also have had similar health issues, so I can sympathize. Thank goodness for those brownies, etc.! Hope they helped her. Your poor wife (and you too). It's a tough thing to deal with.
Thanks again for your input. You are very kind to take the time to respond. It made me very hopeful!
You are most welcome!
Thanks for your kind words... in no small part because my wife was able to recover her appetite and eat nutritious food while we lived there that she eventually grew strong enough for treatment and recovered. Now she has only occasional Migraines... but she has her life back and that's what counts!
San Anselmo abuts Fairfax and it's extremely easy and fast navigating between the two towns at all times especially once you learn a few 'local's routes' ... the Fairfax to San Rafael run through San Anselmo is easy and fast... maybe 10 minutes most of the time and 15-20 at rush hour, which is slow but not filled with the type of maniacal hyper-aggro driving you'll encounter in much of the Bay Area at RH(s)... there are three main routes in and out of Fairfax from San Rafael/101 and a few 'back ways' that are even quicker.
Our friend's daughter trained at the Marin Elite Gymnastics Academy (Mega) in San Rafael and then moved to The San Anselmo Gymnastics Center, which she loved. Our friend tells us it is an amazing place where she flourished!
...the apparently beloved Instructor Juan Olsen-Sanchez has taught MANY young people gymnastics at all levels. The San Anselmo Gymnastics Center is a FEW minutes from *anywhere* in or around Fairfax. We found that the 'local' routes got us around quickly even at busier hours.
Also Cal-Star Gymnastics in nearby Novato (maybe 20-30 minutes each way from Fairfax via fast, safe & beautiful back roads or Route 101) is well-regarded by many local families.
Enjoy your research and trip(s?) exploring the Fairfax area and environs. Fairfax is a wonderful place to build a business, raise a child, chase your dreams and knit yourselves into the strong but gentle community fabric... it's a more nuanced yet simpler place than most people realize... the locals know, understand and cherish this fact and most are in NO hurry to correct the misconceptions!
Last edited by threepounduniverse; 04-22-2014 at 04:10 AM..
Thank you so much! You've made my day. I have been "getting ready" to move to California for 5 years, now. I am so ready to make that jump, very soon. Thanks so much for the gymnastics info. I shall check it out.
Location: Overlooking the vineyards, olive groves, cattle and horses in the hills of San Miguel CA
167 posts, read 336,330 times
Reputation: 253
Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningWild
Thank you so much! You've made my day. I have been "getting ready" to move to California for 5 years, now. I am so ready to make that jump, very soon. Thanks so much for the gymnastics info. I shall check it out.
Funny!
Yes...I would love to let you know how it goes. I have a couple of other threads, too. When I finally move, I'm going to update all of them. I have many people, asking if I've moved or not, wondering if I found my Nirvana! LOL. I can't wait to write about it. So many people, I have found, have the same questions as I have. Many people will appreciate your input, I'm certain!
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Fairfax>San Anselmo...
