Unsolicited Proselytizing and Dishonesty…read more I had been taking my son of eight here on and off for a few months. It's not too far from my work, reasonably priced and the atmosphere is generally creative. My little one is crazy about remote control cars and enjoys the company of other children who share his interest for legos and building things out of wood all of which 'The Planet' provides. I would say that for the most part staff is very attentive and I agree with their general philosophy which teaches kids values by respecting their independence as individuals. What I don't agree with however is day care providers pushing their brand of Christianity on my kid. My partner and I teach our kid to respect all religions and beliefs but we also expect a daycare environment to be upfront about their religious philosophy, especially if they plan on sharing that ideology with the children in their care. As a gay parent I am very conscious of finding an open minded environment for my child. My son's passion lies in building things, especially out of wood. Tom, is the wood-shop instructor, and my experience with him has not been pleasant. It became obvious that he was the one taking my son aside and indoctrinating him. When I confronted him and requested that he not proselytize to my son he lied and denied any wrong doing at first and then as I presented the facts, and quoted what my child had been saying, he became defensive, almost lost his temper, and said something along the lines of "Kids have the free will to believe what they want!" before dismissing me rudely. Needless to say my child is never going back. Now at this point I should say that no where in the daycare's philosophy statement (which you can read on-line) does it say anything about the organization being religious let alone holding conservative Christian beliefs. Also the staff at the Planet are all related (Dave Kersting, the brother of Tom, is the owner/head) so there is not much recourse in terms of redressing a problem employee.

I read the first review of The Planet with great dismay. I would like to contribute our experience,…read morewhich has been 100% positive. My 2 sons both went to The Planet to do wood-working for years before moving on to sports as they got older (other activities are also available, but they both loved to use the tools and make things). The vibe is relaxed and the kids are encouraged to follow their interests. They can play, inside or out, or work in the woodshop or beading room. My younger son went here once a week for 2 full school years, and Tom was the first grown-up outside our family he felt comfortable with and spoke with--he was otherwise very, very shy and quiet. One time when I arrived to pick him up, I heard him chatting away. I couldn't believe my ears. Needless to say, this was a safe, comfortable environment for my son and has a place in my heart. I do not know whether the brothers who started the Planet are Christians (I would have said they were not religious, whatever religion they are) and after reading Jon's review, I asked my kids whether they talked about God/Jesus etc. while at the Planet. Neither had any idea what I was talking about. So, I can say that over at least 4 years, there was no mention of religion to my children while there. So our experience was very different than Jon's. I recommend The Planet as a wonderful alternative to structured after-school activities.

Full disclosure: I'm a teacher at MVPS! I previously lived in the city and was a student, member,…read morethen teacher at Clay by the Bay. But, we moved up to Marin and I wanted to be teaching much closer to home. MVPS is such a cute studio! It's warm and inviting, the people are friendly and there to both enjoy themselves and improve their pottery making skills. If you're in the area and looking for a place to learn and find some time when you can absorb yourself into some art and ignore the world for a few hours here and there, definitely come check it out.

This place is a very tight, sweet ship. I went to a class and was floored by how pristine and tidy…read morethe studio was. The teachers were kind and the studio tech was absolutely brilliant, so diligent and precise and walked me through this issue I was having. She was very professional and had a level of expertise that was so fascinating to hear about, i knew nothing about clay or ceramics and i walked out of this studio with a breadth of knowledge thanks to the lovely folks working at your studio. Michaela is a doll!I'm bringing my daughter next time to ring in the new year and to have her learn this world.

Diana Belenky is the Bee's Knees. There, I said it…read more If there's one thing Diana knows how to do, it's to teach. I have had a great many teachers who know how to draw and paint--even the legendary Henry Yan--but very few who know how to teach it. With a great sense of humor, a veritable wealth of information, and a heaping dose of patience, Diana excels at sharing her knowledge and demonstrating its application effectively. If ever you were uncertain of how to, say, capture a specific kind of fold in your gesture drawing, then you need not look further than Diana for just how to do it.

Diana is a DREAM of a teacher. I am an adult beginner and new to drawing and painting, and wanted…read moreto get the foundations down. Diana is SO knowledgeable and organized. She took me from drawing in flat, 2-D to a beautiful 3-D drawing in pencil, in only 3-4 lessons. She is so thoughtful, organized and flexible - she sequenced and adjusted her curriculum to my needs and adjusted to my style of learning seamlessly. In addition, she interweaves art history into her lessons so you understand what she is teaching in context. And she is so nurturing and encouraging! I've gone through a few teachers and she is one of the very best. I recommend Diana for anyone looking to improve their skills.

This K-8 school is stellar! I feel like my son is one of the OG's who attended this school back…read morewhen it shared a campus with Bayside. Despite all the media attention, I want Sausalito Marin City School District (SMCSD) to become one big happy family again ~ harmony! Now that Tara Seekins is at the helm, I couldn't fathom a more passionate and caring individual to take on this huge task of Head of School. She is one amazing woman! Willow Creek Academy (WCA) is a melting pot of families, extremely diverse, and many languages are spoken at home. It's a community that cares and parents who work full-time will always make time for their kids; they know how to balance life. At the end of the day, what's more important than your family (not really a question)! Kids thrive in this environment, from inside the classroom to learning outdoors. The field trips are unique and caters to all grades. I grew up in the SF Unified School District, and I told myself once I have kids, they will attend Marin schools to become more well-rounded. As diverse as SF is, most of the schools were segregated when I attended i.e., Mission district, Richmond district, Sunset district, Excelsior district, Marina district, etc. Most of the kids I went to school within the avenues were Asian and extremely competitive. Forget field trips in the city, we didn't go on many - it's too darn cold! Marin schools have bonafide Chefs. Kids attending SMCSD are super lucky to cook with Chef "G", and they take classes at the Cavallo Point Cooking School, filled with top-notch culinary equipment and bountiful organic offerings from our backyard (literally)! WCA is highly recommended for parents looking for diversity, energetic staff & faculty, knowledgeable teachers, small classes, and a sense of loving community!

I'd really like to see this school succeed, but I ended up pulling my child out due to many reasons…read more- lower academic standards, lack of parental involvement, undisciplined children, etc. The small percentage of parents who are involved are great. But for the most part I found lots of behavioral issues which hindered the classroom and learning process.

This school exhibits cult-like practices and raises serious concerns about student welfare. The…read moremajority of students are white, and there appears to be unequal treatment between staff and children--for example, teachers wear shoes while students are not permitted to do so. There are significant concerns regarding child safety, emotional wellbeing, and the overall quality of education, particularly given the high cost of attendance. The environment feels judgmental and unwelcoming. The school does not accept or support all children equally, which directly contradicts the values it claims to promote. Several children are turned away after being quickly judged and denied the opportunity to attend--even when they genuinely love the school. The potential emotional impact of this kind of rejection on a child is serious and appears to be disregarded. For an institution that presents itself as nurturing and values-based, this lack of compassion is troubling. I am not impressed with this "private" school. They should practice what they preach and prioritize helping all children succeed. Staff behavior often comes across as self-centered rather than truly child-focused.

My son works at New Village school. We had a wonderful time at their Winter Faire!!! Experiencing…read morea magical atmosphere of happy families, music by teacher and students, and delicious food. In one cozy room, young children were making fairy homes. I asked if I could make one too, and they said yes.

I made a gorgeous sf giants baseball themed bracelet at an oracle park event! The staff at…read moreDrangonfly designs made it super easy, explained how to do it and did the hard work of the clasp and finishing. They have oodles of pretty beads and charms, even a choice of silver or gold hardware. On the way out several tween girls asked and ran off excitedly to make their own. Highly recommend.

Our experience with Dragonfly Designs was so wonderful! We hired them for our daughter's 8th…read morebirthday party, and we had such positive interactions from the beginning with them. They were very responsive to my early inquiries and answered all of my questions very thoroughly. Once we decided to book with them, they walked me through the entire process from start to finish, made sure we were prepared for the big day, and checked in with me regularly. On the day of the party, they had 5 people at our home helping with our group of 22 children, and it was such a smooth, fun, creative, under-control party. The jewelry and tie-dye kept the kids engaged, all of the workers were very helpful and organized, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish. I would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone without reservations.

I have two sons, who are 12 months apart in age, and have been enrolled at Robin's Nest since…read moreDecember 1, 2012. Previously the boys were at a home daycare, and with the four year old soon to be heading to Kindergarten it was important to us that they be placed closer to home and in a preparatory environment. Robin's Nest did a fantastic job of getting us all acquainted with the school by inviting the kids and parents in to visit before their full-time status began. They have a large selection of toys, puzzles, dress-up, building items, and books. The list goes on and on. Parents do need to pack all lunches, as well as feed children breakfast before school. If pretzels or goldfish aren't preferred, you are able to provide something else for the kids' snack times. They have outdoor playtime from 8:30 - 9:30 A.M. and the boys love to get dropped off during this time. It allows them to start running around right away. The sign-in and pick-up process is straightforward and each child has a cubby of their own. No candy allowed in lunches and they are supportive teachers to parents too. As a single-mom I'm often running around and keeping tabs on every little thing. With the two boys always in tow, I found it relieving when the boys' teachers ask the kids to start cleaning up and collecting their things to help. It empowers the kids and helps mom or dad tremendously. My boys joined the three year old class and the four year old class. With the four year old heading of to Kindergarten, the school has done a great job talking about and preparing for that change. Key things loved by the boys include: Their friends! Share time (four year old class) Circle time Reading Free art or gifts and pieces for the home Exploring the alphabet Brian the Science guy (who brings hand sanitizer, Ball Pythons, and a slew of geckos and lizards and such) Happy Feet Soccer Joy of Dance Ballet Panda Bear Gymnastics Both of my boys nap daily, which Robin's Nest offers. I would highly recommend this school to any parent who works full-time and needs the year round support only a hands-on daycare could offer. The teachers have done a good job at alerting me to any great behavior, issues, special needs, or general information about the school programs and their monthly changes. They also offer a paid lunch day (you pay, they provide a main dish) and special appreciation days for Mother's/Father's Day.

My son who is now 14 went to Robin's Nest for all of preschool and still has fond memories of it…read more The teachers were wonderful and very detailed when communicating their observations of my son's activities and interactions for the day . All these cute thoughtful things that usually a mom notices but no one else unless they are very close to the child. Being a 9 to 5 working mom and already feeling guilty for not being with my first born during the day, these cute observations let me feel what my son experienced each day. It was amazing that the teachers were so caring to each individual child and NOTICED everything they did. Snacks and nap times were perfect and they were very accommodating with some special meals I had for him. Also, though we were late a few times picking my son up (we used to commute from the city), whatever teacher left to care for him, was never put out and still took the time to tell us about my son's day. We also met the founders Rob and Cindy a few times and they are the most caring couple I know and truly care about the parent's input. Anyway, happy fond memories. My son is still great friends with some of the kids from preschool to this day!

It was a pleasure working with Richard. We gave Richard the 19th century writing box from my…read morehusband Welsh grand mother. We wanted it to be restored, the leather was cracking, the brass was coming off, the wood needed care. We showed it to a few people who didn't want to take on this project. Richard was very upfront with the time and money it would require for him to give its best care. He took the time he needed to restore the desk. We had regular communication about it so I knew what Richard was working on. We love how it turned out to the point that we put this precious family object on the shelves in our family room. That way we enjoy it everyday. I would highly recommend Richard to restore antique pieces. He's knowledgeable, professional and nice to work with.

Rick has restored three different pieces of furniture for me and has done incredible work! The…read morefirst thing I brought him was a small coffee table that my parents purchased in the 90's in Portland, Maine. The second was a mid-century dresser of my grandmothers and the latest was a cherry wood Ethan Allen coffee table that was in multiple pieces. For each project he has exhibited true craftsmanship and dedication to bringing my beloved pieces back to life. The the attention to detail was impeccable. I wish I had a before and after picture to show how bad the coffee table was when I brought it to him originally. In addition to top-notch restoration, Rick talked with me beforehand about my expectations for the piece and the finishes I was interested in to make sure I would be satisfied with his work. He is a really friendly nice guy who is very passionate about his work. If you are looked for good restoration, I would highly recommend bringing your pieces to Rick.

This review is massively overdue. I'm a former frequent flyer here, and I have to say TIF is my…read moreall-time favorite one-stop shop for anything photographic in the Bay Area. I started coming here six years ago to augment the lab time and instruction I was getting in school. Their darkroom was my happy place for a long time and was fairly priced. What impressed me the most about their gorgeous space was that they encouraged clients to get their work off their screens and onto the walls. Literally, any time I had a question about anything related to photography or printing, Stuart, Ed, Constance, Chrysta, or Nathan would make the time for me and help me out or give me feedback. I enjoyed printing there and always left feeling inspired because they were so kind, knowledgeable, and professional. If you'd like to learn about photography, I highly recommend checking out their services, classes, and workshops. I wish I could give them more than five stars!

A a small business owner I have never left another business a bad review, but this experience was…read moreunacceptable. My artwork was mishandled and the finished product I had hired them for was poorly executed and unusable. I had to take it to a qualified business afterwards who confirmed they did not do a good job. When I raised the issue, the owner and staff were dismissive, refused a refund, and ignored multiple emails and calls. Their unprofessional behavior was bizarre and astonishing. They clearly aren't equipped to handle valuable artwork. Save yourself the headache and take your projects elsewhere.

Georgia is an extraordinary teacher whose care and dedication leave a lasting impact on her…read morestudents. If every child had a teacher like Georgia, the world would be a kinder and more inspired place. Georgia is truly an amazing teacher -- one of the most caring, patient, and dedicated educators we've ever met. When we first moved to San Francisco, she went above and beyond to make my 4 yr old daughter feel comfortable, welcomed and confident in a completely new environment. Her care was so natural and genuine that it felt like having family at school. Alongside Georgia, Agnes, the assistant teacher, was also incredibly loving and supportive, always ready to encourage and help settle in. Together, they made her first school experience so warm and welcoming. Georgia's commitment, warmth, and loving nature made a lasting difference -- not only in my child's learning, but also in her happiness and sense of belonging. Her ability to connect with children in such a heartfelt way is truly rare and a gift to any school community. Even though we are now back in Australia, we still miss her dearly and remain deeply grateful for the exceptional teaching and kindness she and Agnes gave our family. Thank you, Georgia and Agnes, for giving my girl such a beautiful start -- we will never forget you.

Our son had a difficult time at LFSF due to his learning differences. The school was great in…read moreworking with us but after 11 months, we decided it wasn't what was best for our son. It was a very difficult and emotional decision for us because they have so many amazing experiences to offer children. Our son was in their TK (MS) and Kindergarten (GS) program. They offered music, gymnastics, games, painting, trips to the schools library, parental involvement was some of the highest we've seen in any program our son's been a part of. The after school programs offered for kids starting in kindergarten was unmatched, Judo, Basketball, Tennis, Fencing, Cooking, Science programs, Piano, Guitar, ceramics, the list was very comprehensive and exciting that as a parent this was all brought to us. I would recommend children having some French exposure to help with the transition but it's not required by MS/GS grades. The staff is warm, welcoming and the teachers were kind hearted and loved the children. All in all, 10/10 we only wish it would have worked out for our son.