Shopping

Novato has gone through something of a supermarket renaissance in the past couple years, which have seen the opening of the big new Safeway near Hamilton as well as the upscale Paradise Foods in the Pacheco Plaza shopping center just across the freeway. The newest kid on the grocery store block is the long-awaited Whole Foods Market, which opened last Thursday at the Millworks on Grant Avenue in Novato's Old Town. If our recent experience there is any indication, Whole Foods is definitely poised to give its fellow markets a run for their money.

The 40,000-square-foot store is much bigger than its sister stores in Mill Valley and San Rafael, and far more pleasant to shop at, too. We've been there a few times since it opened, and have so far experienced no parking challenges or long lines, which was certainly not the case when the new Safeway opened in the summer of 2008. As one has come to expect from Whole Foods, the store features lots of organic produce, a bakery (try the pretzel bread!), full service meat and seafood counters, a deli, a Straus Creamery frozen yogurt bar, a coffee bar, a burrito counter, a sushi stand, a salad bar, plenty of prepared foods, and more. Many of the foods in stock come from local farmers and producers, and there's a board outside the main entrance that tells you where things come from.

Get a jump on your holiday shopping, and get excited about reading at Pleasant Valley Elementary School's 2009 Book Fair—Destination Book Fair: Read Around the World. Organized in cooperation with Scholastic, the Book Fair offers hundreds of different titles for all ages—even parents, with many at bargain prices, in both paperback and hardcover. Popular titles and series include Flat Stanley, Magic Tree House, I Spy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and more.

Destination Book Fair takes place from November 16 through 20 in the multi-purpose room at Novato's Pleasant Valley Elementary School, located at 755 Sutro Avenue (between Center and Vineyard Roads). Hours are Monday-Thursday 8 am to 2 pm and Friday from 8 am to 1 pm, with a family shopping night on Wednesday, November 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The Fair is open to the public, and inexpensive Scholastic books made great gifts and stocking stuffers.

Books may be purchased with cash, check, or credit card, and all proceeds go to support the school. You can also purchase books to donate directly to the school library and classrooms.

Are Marin Moms Frumpy? That's the question addressed in this guest post by Carla Morton, Marin mom and CEO of fashion website BrandHabit. Read on to find out the answer and for some valuable tips on how to look your best and avoid the not-so-inevitable descent into frumpiness!

We all know what a frumpy mom looks like right?

Think: outdated jeans that don't fit well, frizzy hair with gray roots, bad bra (i.e. saggy boobs), non-descript shoes, no makeup, and an overly washed, faded, crew neck t-shirt. Oh yeah, and slumpy shoulders.

In my opinion the slumpy shoulders are the biggest culprit in frump. As I've aged, I have become more aware of my posture, especially while the rest of me continues to point downhill, if you know what I mean!

Appel & Frank bring their "Babes & Babies" shopping event to the Mill Valley Community Center this Sunday, November 9, from 10 am to 2 pm. Marin Mommies readers can get FREE admission to Babes & Babies by entering the code "marinmommies" at www.appelandfrank.com on the Purchase Tickets page. Considered the best "Mom and Tot" shopping event in the Bay Area, Babes & Babies brings together over 50 talented designers who create unique items specifically for modern moms and their trendy tots! read more »