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Souper Bowl Returns on Saturday, January 25
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The build-your-own-soup bar from last year's winner, the Sausalito Yacht Club
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The big game is coming to Sausalito, and we are not talking about football. The fourth annual Souper Bowl will take ticket holders on a tour of downtown and Caledonia Street restaurants to find out who has the best soup in Sausalito. The Sausalito Yacht Club is the defending champion.
The event takes place from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 25. Tickets are $20 and may be purchased in advance online. Same-day tickets will be available from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the ferry landing.
Each ticket enables the ticket holder to visit all participating restaurants, taste soup, and vote for a winner. Restaurants scheduled to participate as of January 2 include:
- Bar Bocce
- The Barrel House Tavern
- Equator Coffee
- Joinery
- Osteria Divino
- Salito's Crab House
- Sartaj Indian Cafe
- Sausalito Yacht Club
- The Seafood Peddler
- The Spinnaker
- Sushi Ran
- ThaiTanic
- The Trident
Non-soup participants offering discounts, specials, and/or freebies this year include Firehouse Coffee, Katya Fused Glass, Lappert's Ice Cream, Madrigal Winery, Real Napa Tasting Room, Sausalito Stationery, and Sausalito Sweets. All draft beer will be $5 for the after-party at Smitty's from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Any questions about Sausalito's Souper Bowl may be directed to Recreation Supervisor Julie Myers at (415) 289-4198 or jmyers@sausalito.gov.
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City Presents Annual Award for Exceptional Customer Service
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2017 winner Kenneth Henry (at right) presents the 2019 award to Serge Avila
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At the annual City of Sausalito holiday party, a City employee is recognized for exceptional customer service performed over the past year. On December 13, the 2019 Debbie Pagliaro Exceptional Customer Service Award was presented to Serge Avila for his performance as acting city clerk, deputy city clerk, and admin aide. Serge's extraordinary efforts made it possible for the City Council to continue to function while the position of city clerk remained unfilled.
Named in honor of former City Clerk Debbie Pagliaro, the award was created in 2016 to recognize a City employee for providing consistently excellent customer service or for a single outstanding instance of exceptional customer service. Nominations for the award are submitted by the City's department heads. The winner is selected by City Manager Adam Politzer.
In addition to the winner, two other finalists for the 2019 customer service award were recognized at the City holiday party. Officer Edgar Padilla of the Sausalito Police Department was nominated for helping a woman weatherproof her vehicle after one of its windows was smashed by a car burglar on a rainy night in February. Permit Technician Megan Lockett of the Department of Public Works was nominated for helping support the Community Development Department during a time of staff turnover.
Two other annual awards were presented at the City holiday party on December 13, the Extreme Act of Kindness Award and the Herb Weiner "Get the Job Done" Award. Recaps of those awards will appear over the next two editions of Currents.
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Storm Drain Projects at Sausalito Boulevard and Crescent Avenue
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Looking down the mudflow slope to Crescent Avenue
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City contractor Maggiora & Ghilotti, Inc. has begun two storm drain projects in the area of the mudflow that struck the Hurricane Gulch neighborhood on February 14, 2019.
Work to replace the culvert system at Crescent Avenue began on Thursday, January 2 and is expected to continue through Friday, January 17. The majority of the work will occur in the area where Crescent is currently closed.
Work to replace a drainage pipe between Hecht Avenue and Sausalito Boulevard also began on January 2. The project is expected to take approximately one week to complete and requires the daytime closure of the roadway in the vicinity of 412/414 Sausalito Boulevard.
Both projects are subject to delay if there is poor weather.
Sausalito Boulevard will reopen to through traffic once construction has been completed. Crescent Avenue has additional mudflow damage to the roadway that must be repaired before it can reopen.
Questions about construction work on Crescent Avenue and Sausalito Boulevard may be directed to the Department of Public Works at (415) 289-4106 or dpw@sausalito.gov.
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Friday Evening Programs at the Sausalito Library
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Historian Brian Crawford at the Sausalito Library in October 2019
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The Sausalito Library is located inside the auditorium of the old Central School building, which has served as Sausalito City Hall since 1975. To recapture its auditorium days, the library hosts special Friday evening programs in the fall, winter, and spring. To make room for a big audience, we move aside the shelves and tables in the central area and set up rows of chairs. Attendance at past programs has been as high as 175 people.
The winter 2020 program series gets underway on Friday, January 10. Programs begin at 7:00 p.m. and admission is free, with no RSVP necessary. Please arrive early, as seating is limited.
- Friday, January 10
Who Was The Quiet American?
Movie critic Peter Robinson will explore Graham Greene's novel The Quiet American, its film adaptations, and the CIA's influence during the French occupation of Indochina. Greene was horrified with the way the filmmakers changed the ending in the 1958 film version. The 2002 remake starring Michael Caine stayed true to the original. With clips from both movies and interviews with Michael Caine and author Graham Greene, this intriguing presentation answers the question, "Who was The Quiet American?"
- Friday, January 17
Finding the Bunny
The world of voice acting is fascinating yet little-known. As a multi-billion dollar industry, it can be considered America's most influential and invisible art. At this program, you'll meet Sausalito's own Samantha Paris, the award-winning voice actor who has trained more than 10,000 aspiring and working voice actors from her Voicetrax studio complex on Bridgeway. Samantha will share insights and inspiration from her recent memoir, Finding the Bunny, which has been optioned by Warner Brothers for development into a television series.
- Friday, January 24
Academy Awards Preview: Best Picture
Join film critic and Sausalito resident Jan Wahl for a whirlwind tour through all ten of this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Picture. We'll watch a clip or a preview of each nominated film, then Jan will give her take on what makes each film great or not so great. Jan will also share a list of films that she thinks should have been nominated but didn't make the cut. This year's Oscar nominations will be released on January 13.
- Friday, January 31
Of The Sea: A Film About California Fishermen
Join us for a screening of the documentary Of The Sea (2016, 82 minutes), followed by a question and answer session with producer and director Mischa Hedges. The number of fishing vessels in California has declined from over 6,900 in 1981 to just 1,800 vessels today. Struggling to revive a fading way of life, fishermen and entrepreneurs are creating new models for how to support sustainably produced seafood. Of The Sea tells the story of California fishing communities and presents a compelling story of the future of sustainable seafood.
- Friday, February 7
The Golden Gate Bridge on the Silver Screen
The Golden Gate Bridge has probably starred in more movies than any other American architectural icon. The iconic span appears in a wide range of films, including Dark Passage, Time After Time, It Came from Beneath the Sea, Love Bug, Interview with a Vampire, and X-Men. At this special program, Jim Van Buskirk, author of Celluloid San Francisco, will offer a clip-filled program of hilariously horrifying depictions of the Bay Area's beloved bridge.
Any questions about programs at the Sausalito Library may be directed to City Librarian Abbot Chambers at (415) 289-4123 or achambers@sausalito.gov.
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King Tides in January and February
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The king tides in the forecast for January 10 and 11
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In January and February 2020, the combination of lunar phase and the solar perihelion will result in especially high tides, sometimes referred to as "king tides." These conditions occur most often in winter. The closest point to the sun in the Earth's orbit is called the perihelion and takes place on approximately January 2 of each calendar year. Perihelion amplifies the magnitude of tidal ranges. When the moon is new or full, the effects of both the moon and the sun on tides are most pronounced. King tides that exceed 6.5' can cause street flooding in Sausalito, most often on Gate 5 Road.
In January 2020, high tides exceeding 6.5' are predicted on the following days:
- Friday, January 10 at 10:32 a.m.
- Saturday, January 11 at 11:17 a.m.
In February 2020, high tides exceeding 6.5' are predicted on the following days:
- Saturday, February 8 at 10:20 a.m.
- Sunday, February 9 at 11:09 a.m.
Rain, lowered barometric pressure as a result of winter storms, and wind (especially out of the south) can increase tide heights and inundation areas. Staff from the Department of Public Works, the Sausalito Police Department, and the Southern Marin Fire Protection District will monitor tides and flood zones on each of these days and proactively place "flooded" signs in the areas that are usually affected by tides of these heights.
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City Council to Review General Plan Update on January 14
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The City Council and the Planning Commission will hold a joint study session to review the City's General Plan Update at a City Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14. After the study session concludes, the Planning Commission will adjourn and the Council will continue with other items of business. Due to space constraints in City Hall, the meeting will be held at the IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center at 511 Caledonia Street.
The public will be afforded the opportunity to provide comment during the course of the discussion. The draft agenda for the study session appears below.
- General Plan Elements - Policy Frameworks Review [Note: Element Policy Frameworks presented to the General Plan Advisory Committee in 2019 are available online. Revised versions will be posted prior to the study session.]
- Part 1
- Land Use and Growth Management Element
- Community Design, Historic, and Cultural Preservation Element
- Economic Element
- Part 2
- Environmental Quality Element
- Health, Safety, and Community Resilience Element
- Circulation and Parking Element
- Consideration of Optional Elements in General Plan Update
- Infrastructure Element
- Sustainability Element
- Waterfront Element
- General Plan Buildout Projections
- Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Alternatives
As an agenda item following the joint study session, the Council will discuss the General Plan Update process moving forward through to adoption.
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Updates from Boards and Commissions
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Sustainability Commission. The Sustainability Commission advises the City Council on waste management, recycling, and sea level rise. The commission also plans and conducts public education programs related to sustainability.
Previous Meeting. The Sustainability Commission held a regular meeting on December 12. Topics on the agenda included EV chargers, the General Plan Update, hiring a consultant to perform public outreach on the City's ban of single-use plastics, and an initiative related to Amazon.com packaging. Also discussed was the January 25 e-waste collection event.
Upcoming meeting. The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held on Thursday, January 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. Agenda items include outreach on the City's ban of single-use plastics, a planned February discussion of microgrids, and EV chargers.
The staff liaison to the Sustainability Commission is Senior Civil Engineer Andrew Davidson. The City Council liaison is Mayor Susan Cleveland-Knowles. Any questions about the Sustainability Commission may be directed to adavidson@sausalito.gov or (415) 289-4180. All meetings of the Sustainability Commission are open to the public, with time available for public comment.
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News from City Departments
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Public Works. If you have been wondering what to do with your old Christmas tree now that the holiday season is over, Bay Cities Refuse Service advises that your tree may be placed at the curbside with your green bin on any regular garbage pickup day in Sausalito. Please remove tree stands and ornaments. Flocked trees are not recyclable. If you don't feel like waiting until your garbage pickup day, a debris box is available at the MLK parking lot off of Coloma Street (through January 18). Questions about tree recycling may be directed to Bay Cities Refuse at (415) 332-3646.
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Public Works. The contractor working on the theater project at 101 Caledonia Street will temporarily close Pine Street between Caledonia Street and Bonita Street on Friday, January 10 so that a crane can lift skylights onto the roof. The closure will begin at approximately 10:30 a.m., and the road should reopen after approximately two hours. This work is subject to postponement in the event of poor weather.
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Police. At approximately 2:57 p.m. on Thursday, January 2, officers of the Sausalito Police Department were dispatched to a residence on Alexander Avenue regarding a possible trespasser. The reporting party was a housekeeper who stated that the trespasser was making incoherent statements and refusing to leave the property.
Officer Edgar Padilla contacted the housekeeper and was directed to the balcony of the residence. On the balcony, Officer Padilla located Joshua Lloyd, a 34 year-old resident of San Francisco. Officer Padilla's investigation revealed that Lloyd did not have any legal reason or permission to be at the residence. Lloyd had entered the unlocked house and taken clothing from the basement. Further investigation revealed that Lloyd had in his possession a utility tool that is commonly used to commit burglaries, a glass pipe commonly used to smoke narcotics, and a small plastic bag with possible residue from narcotics.
Lloyd was arrested for burglary, possession of a burglary tool, and possession of narcotics paraphernalia and was booked into the Marin County Jail.
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Administration. The City of Sausalito is currently recruiting for two full-time positions on City staff. Job titles and application deadlines are as follows:
For more information about job openings at the City of Sausalito, please visit the Job Openings page on the City website. Any questions may be directed to Human Resources Manager Susan Paterson at spaterson@sausalito.gov or (415) 289-4130.
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Things Happening in Our Community
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Met Opera Preview: Wozzeck. The Sausalito Library's Met Opera Preview series for 2019-20 continues on Tuesday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edgewater Room of City Hall with a preview of the upcoming Metropolitan Opera performance of Wozzeck by Alban Berg. Host Tom Wilhite will present background information about the opera and composer, followed by a plot synopsis that includes a selection of audio and video clips from past performances. Tom's preview takes place on the Tuesday before the Saturday morning Live in HD simulcast from the Met. All are welcome.
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Who Was The Quiet American? Movie critic Peter Robinson will explore Graham Greene's 1955 novel The Quiet American, its film adaptations, and the CIA's influence during the French occupation of Indochina in this special program inside the Sausalito Library at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 10. Greene was horrified with the way the filmmakers changed the ending in the 1958 film version. The 2002 remake starring Michael Caine stayed true to the original. With clips from both movies and interviews with Michael Caine and author Graham Greene, this intriguing presentation answers the question, "Who was The Quiet American?"
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Caregiver Support Group. Are you or someone you know caring for a loved one who is suffering from cognitive impairment? Consider joining the Sausalito-based Caregiver Support Group, led by facilitators affiliated with the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California. The next monthly meeting will be held on Saturday, January 11 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in the Rotary Village Community Room at 701 Coloma Street in Sausalito. The group offers caregivers the ability to exchange information, talk through challenges and ways of coping, and share feelings and frustrations. Participants and their situations are assured complete confidentiality. For additional information, please send email to caregivermarin@gmail.com.
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The Alchemy of Happiness. There are five major desires of humankind: life, peace, power, knowledge, and happiness. A lasting happiness appears seldom achieved, and most blame this failing on some external lack. Yet, if happiness could be achieved by the fulfillment of any desire external to oneself, many more would be so. This lecture by psychologist and Sausalito resident Adam Milgram in the City Hall Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 16 will discuss the direction where to seek and find happiness, what behaviors will facilitate and/or impede it, and how to maintain it.
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Finding the Bunny. The world of voice acting is fascinating yet little-known, and as a multi-billion-dollar industry it can be considered America's most influential and invisible art. Attendees at this Sausalito Library program at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17 will meet Sausalito's own Samantha Paris, the award-winning voice actor, educator, and author who has trained more than 10,000 aspiring and working voice actors since 1988 from her Voicetrax studio complex on nearby Bridgeway. Samantha will share insights and inspiration from her acclaimed memoir, Finding the Bunny, which has just been optioned by Warner Brothers for development into a television series. As part of this entertaining presentation, Samantha and local voice actors will voice-act excerpts of her memoir. Note: This program was originally scheduled for November 1, 2019.
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Sausalito Writers' Circle. Looking for a supportive group to share your writing with? Ready to tackle that story, novel, or poem? Interested in providing feedback to others? Whether you're an aspiring writer, a seasoned veteran, or somewhere in between, come join us on Sunday, January 19 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. Your host at this Sausalito Library program is Sausalito resident, published author, and experienced workshop facilitator Cindy Knoebel. If interested in attending, please join our Meetup group and RSVP. The Writers' Circle typically meets twice per month.
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Julia Morgan Tour. The clubhouse of the Sausalito Woman's Club, the crowning jewel of architect Julia Morgan's work in Marin, sits atop a steep lot overlooking the San Francisco Bay at 120 Central Avenue. This historical landmark is now open to the public for tours by appointment. Upcoming tours are available on Sunday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 22. To arrange a tour, please send email to swcps94965@gmail.com.
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Join a Climate Action Team. You can be part of the climate solution by signing up for a Resilient Neighborhoods series of five workshops in the Edgewater Room of Sausalito City Hall. The first meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21. Subsequent meetings will be at the same time and location at two-week intervals. Participants in the series will calculate their carbon footprint, then choose from a menu of over 100 actions to reduce household CO2 emissions by at least 5,000 pounds per household. To participate, please fill out the registration form. The workshops are co-sponsored by the Sausalito Library.
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Revolutionize Your Health with Ayurveda. Modern society is always finding new foods and behaviors to blame for disease, as well as new technologies and drugs that will help you get rid of your symptoms, but the principles of health are actually very simple and have already been known for thousands of years. We need a revolution in healthcare, and it begins with you. Join Heather Grzych, Ayurvedic Practitioner and Board Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, in the City Hall Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23 to learn how Ayurveda defines toxicity and health, why your proper digestion of both food and experiences is so important, and what you can do to achieve longevity of mind, body, and spirit.
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Academy Awards Preview: Best Picture. Join film critic Jan Wahl inside the Sausalito Library at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24 for a whirlwind tour through all ten of this year's Academy Award nominees for Best Picture. We'll watch a clip or a preview of each nominated film, then Jan will give her take on what makes each film great or not so great. Jan will also share a list of films that she thinks should have been nominated but didn't make the cut. This year's Oscar nominations will be released on January 13.
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Annual E-Waste Collection Event. The City of Sausalito's annual e-waste collection event returns to the City Hall parking lot on Saturday, January 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Residents are encouraged to bring old and worn out electronic equipment to the parking lot, which may be entered off of Bee Street. The e-waste collection event provides residents with an environmentally responsible way to dispose of unwanted electronic equipment.
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Sausalito's Souper Bowl. The big game is coming to Sausalito on Saturday, January 25 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. And we are not talking about football. The Souper Bowl pits Sausalito restaurants against each other to find out who has the best soup in Sausalito. The winner will receive the coveted "Lom-Bowl-Di Trophy." Tickets to the event are $20, with online sales beginning on January 1. Each ticket enables the ticket holder to visit all the restaurants, taste soup, and vote for a winner. Tickets will also be available at the ferry landing on January 25 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
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Mail, Contacts and Calendars. Join Mac expert Jon Hartman in this workshop that focuses on the applications for your personal life, such as managing people, time, and communication. On Thursday, January 30 at 10:30 a.m. in the Edgewater Room, you will learn how to create contacts and calendar events and sync them to your iPhone and iPad. You'll also discover the basics of Apple Mail and learn workflows and organization techniques to master your email. Instructor Jon Hartman is a computer consultant specializing in Apple devices who also teaches classes at the libraries in Mill Valley and Tiburon. All are welcome. Please note: This class was originally scheduled for December 19.
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Gardening with California Natives. There are thousands of native California plants, and Marin County's Mediterranean climate is the perfect place for many of them. At this Sausalito Library program in the City Hall Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 30, you will learn how and why using native plants in your landscape is a great way to help make up for habitat lost to development. By using native plants, you can also build a beautiful landscape that uses less water and fewer chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Program presenter Bob Mauceli lives on a north Novato hillside that is landscaped using native trees, shrubs, ground covers, and perennials.
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Of The Sea: A Film About California Fishermen. What can we learn from California fishermen about the ocean and our relationship to it? Join us inside the Sausalito Library at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31 for a screening of the documentary Of The Sea (2016, 82 minutes), followed by a question and answer session with producer and director Mischa Hedges. Due to complex regulations, high costs, and competition with cheap farmed and imported seafood, the number of fishing vessels in California has declined from over 6,900 in 1981 to just 1,800 vessels today. Struggling to revive a fading way of life, fishermen and entrepreneurs are creating new models for how to support sustainably produced seafood. Of The Sea tells the story of California fishing communities and presents a compelling story of the future of sustainable seafood.
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Annual Crab Dinner Fundraiser. Please join the IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center for the Annual Portuguese Cold Crab Dinner Fundraiser and Dessert Auction on Saturday, February 1. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner served at 7:00 p.m. All cooking and cracking of the fresh crab is done at the center on the morning of the event under the direction of renowned Chef Manuel Azevedo. A limited number of individual tickets are still available at $75, and tables of eight are available for $500. Proceeds go directly toward funding the annual Festa do Espírito Santo in the spring, a Sausalito tradition now going on 132 years! The IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center is located at 511 Caledonia Street.
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