Punch Magazine - May 2024

48 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF DENISE ROCCO-ZILBER-HEIDRUN MEADERY / COURTESY OF WOOL + SON - STATION HOUSE CAFE / COURTESY OF REMY ANTHES - HOG ISLAND OYSTER CO. {due west} god Odin’s mead-producing goat) is the only commercial meadery using true Champagne methods to create sparkling mead—appreciably different from any dubious home brews you may have sampled in the past. FRESH SEAFOOD AND MORE Whether you’re relaxing or roaming about, you’ll find a slew of tantalizing options within easy reach. Lodge at Marconi currently offers a coffee bar and grab-andgo market with plans for onsite dining in the works. Heading north on Highway 1, pull over for The Marshall Store, a more-thanone-visit-worthy seafood shack perched right over the bay. Just a stretch farther, Nick’s Cove is a go-to spot for coastal classics. Heading south, meander through charming Point Reyes Station with a stop at Station House Café, a standout farm-to-table gathering place celebrating 60 years. And in Olema, drop by Due West Tavern and Market, with the added perk of a Tesla supercharger station. Abundant fresh seafood and scenery is an enticing mix, so look for better deals—and fewer folks on the road—off-season or weekdays. But you can always explore Lodge at Marconi’s forested acres or a secluded trail or beach to find blissful escape year-round. you can catch the wildly entertaining show from the parking lot. Other good viewing spots include the Elephant Seal Overlook near Chimney Rock and the South Beach Overlook. Given Tomales Bay’s ideal conditions for cultivating and harvesting shellfish, it’s not surprising that the most famous critter here is arguably a mollusk. Book a tour of Hog Island Oyster Farm to explore the fascinating journey from oyster seed to your plate. Follow breathe deeply lodgeatmarconi.com visitmarin.org up with a bite at The Boat Oyster Bar or get take-out from the Hog Shack to put all the shucking and tasting tips into action. For another tour and tasting opportunity, get ye to Heidrun Meadery. Known as “nectar of the gods” to ancient Greeks, this fabled wine uses honey as its main ferment. “It’s easy to make but it’s hard to make well,” acknowledges Michael Zilber, as he pours from bottles labeled California Orange Blossom and Hawaiian Macadamia Nut. Founded in 1997, Heidrun (named for Norse

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