Nick's Cove

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Stories from the Coast - The Nick's Cove Blog

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Cheese Fest

The California Artisan Cheese Festival is coming up at the end of March, and if you are a lover of cheese, this is the event for you! There are cheesemakers from all over California that come out with all sorts of amazing and unique cheeses. Among the participants are some of our local favorites that we’ve used here at Nick’s over the years like: Point Reyes Farmstead, Marin French, Nicasio Valley Cheese, and our good friends at Double 8 Dairy. There is more than just cheese; there are also fantastic wineries, breweries, candy makers, bakeries, and so much more. 

A couple of my favorite aspects of the Cheese Festival to take part in include California Artisan Cheese Week and the Cheese, Bites and Booze event. California Artisan Cheese Week gives us the opportunity to feature one of my favorite local cheesemakers in the restaurant for the week leading up to the festival. And the Cheese, Bites, and Booze competition takes place on Saturday the 28th and is a fun competition where I come up with a small “bite” that features our paired cheesemaker. It’s a delicious walk-around tasting event and all of the bites get judged by professionals as well as the public attendees. It’s definitely a fun evening with lots of cheese, food, and drinks, and tickets are on sale now at CaliforniaArtisanCheeseFestival.com. I hope to see you there! 

Winter Cocktail

Nick’s Cove features a unique selection of house-crafted cocktails that change seasonally, and this winter is no different. This year we have a couple of fresh, inspired cocktails that drive home the warm, comfortable feel of relaxing at Nick’s Cove on a cold day. Being that I grew up in Cloverdale, the first frosts of winter always remind me of the Cloverdale citrus harvest and Citrus Fair; especially Meyer lemons, fresh oranges, and Granny Smith apples. The lemons and apples are featured in the first of our two winter cocktails.

Our first winter-inspired cocktail is the “Forbidden Fruit;” a bright, light and tart drink with a house-made Granny Smith apple puree, St. George Pear eau de vie, lemon, cinnamon and egg whites. The Forbidden Fruit is a balance of traditional winter flavors, leaving a lingering sensation reminiscent of wanting just one more slice of apple pie.

Our second is the Hog Island-inspired “Bore me to Drink” with a pork fat-washed Griffo  barrel aged whiskey and house made spiced brown sugar syrup. It is a savory Old fashioned-style drink that brings together winter and umami flavors for the perfect mesh of classic and modern.

Both drinks feature Petaluma Local “Bitter Girl” bitters: giving the drinks the small but beautiful touch of walnuts, juniper berry and honey. 

Come enjoy an afternoon delight with us at Nick’s Cove!

Cozy Winter Escape at Nick’s

The drive to Nick’s Cove on Highway One, whether you’re coming from the north or south, is one of the most beautiful rides one can experience. And then to have Nick’s right on the bay as your final destination is nothing less than a dream. As a native to Chicago my two hour commute from the suburbs is long in the past and I couldn’t be more grateful for my peaceful drive through the bright green hills and views of the bay. I’ll never forget my first month here in January when the fog was thick and the roads were slick thinking, “I am not in Chicago anymore!”

It is true that people always stop in or call to ask about the weather in our winter months and all of us agree that the light mist and fog rolling in makes it that much more special. The weather is never promised whether you’ll see a beautiful sunset from the views in our restaurant or rain storm that flood your boots. As a guest at Nick’s we always encourage you to cuddle up next to your rustic wood burning stove — just don’t forget to pick a box of our hand crafted s’mores beforehand. For those who are stopping in just for the day, take advantage of our boat shack, but again don’t forget to stop at the bar for one of our seasonal cocktails!

Santa Coming To Nick’s Cove

When I first became connected to Nick’s Cove in 2010 I immediately knew this was the kind of place where memories were made. I wanted to further those opportunities by creating a Nick’s Cove signature event: an annual gathering that would bring our local community together and be something fun for our guests coming from all over the Bay Area and beyond. My son was 8 at the time and anyone who knows me knows I love the holidays. And Santa. And the magic of Christmas!

So, I wrote a letter to Santa and asked if he would make a special trip to Marshall every year. To take photos with kids and adults and to hear their wishes. He joyfully agreed. I told him, “There’s just one catch … you’ll need to arrive by boat!”  

santa arrives at nick's cove
Santa Arrives at Nick’s Cove

This year we celebrate 9 years of the magic of watching Santa arrive by his trusty water sleigh. We have hot cocoa and treats and a professional photographer to take portraits. And it’s all our gift to the community.  I especially love watching the magic the kids’ smiles and waves as they first see Santa in the distance. It’s my kind of magic.

Special Events

Nick’s Cove is Marin County’s premiere destination venue where you have the opportunity to savor some unbelievable views as much as the food! We offer the perfect place to host a corporate luncheon, intimate wedding, or anything in between. Whether you are planning for business or pleasure, we provide the perfect balance of historic charm and raw Tomales Bay beauty for your next special occasion.

the Nick's cove deck set up for a special event
Nick’s Cove Waterfront Lounge

Nick’s Waterfront Lounge is our FAVORITE space to host private events. The beach-front dining experience is one your guests will never forget. Little decoration is needed as the sunset glimmering over the bay provides the perfect backdrop. This versatile outdoor area is best enjoyed in August, September, and October and can host a family style dinner set for twenty-eight or a casual cocktail hour for sixty standing. Just steps away from the sand, corn-hole can be played under the twinkling string lights and house-made s’mores can be toasted over a bonfire on the beach.

Or you can wow your guests at Nick’s Cove’s fully enclosed Tule Deck which is an amazing setting all year long! This private room boasts a wall of windows that allow for breathtaking views of Hog Island and Tomales Bay. It can accommodate up to forty-eight guests seated and has two doors leading outside for seamless transition to the salty air. Whether you are enjoying the food our culinary team has prepared or the unparalleled coastal views, the rustic feel of this room exhibits the true magic of Nick’s Cove.

The Croft at Nick’s Cove is our one acre onsite garden that produces a bounty that is featured in dishes right on our menu. Just steps from our restaurant, across Highway 1 and a short stroll up the hillside, awaits the perfect private space for a wedding ceremony or cocktail reception. With an elevated view of the bay, our garden is overflowing with an abundance of lush greenery and gorgeous flowers to serve as your own private oasis. We can host up to 100 guests standing or 50 guests seated in the Croft!

Angela Price

Tomatoes and the Croft

As we enter September, we are finally starting to get some consistently warm weather in our coastal garden at Nick’s Cove. Growing tomatoes and peppers in our cooler climate is a challenge, as the fruit needs heat to develop and ripen, but with good planning and timing it can be done. 

Fresh tomatoes from the Nick’s Cove Croft

We’ve had tomato plants producing for the last month thanks to our new high tunnel greenhouses, and now our outdoor crop is starting to produce in earnest. 

The fruit from this second succession should be even sweeter than our earlier tomatoes, and with an increased yield we’ll be featuring our small heirloom varieties in more items on the menu. 

Be sure to look for them on your next visit to Nick’s!

Brendan Thomas

Outdoor Activities

I have been the general manager at Nick’s Cove for over two years, but I have had the pleasure of growing up in Marin County my whole life. I grew up in Novato which is only a short thirty-minute drive to the coast and I have fond memories of dining at Tony’s Seafood and Nick’s Cove as a child. For those visiting from out of town, Marin County is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and food lovers, and I love when guests at Nick’s Cove ask me to suggest local outdoor activities for them to enjoy. Here are a few recommendations for an amazing outdoor adventure:

Dillon Beach

Located just about 8 miles north of Nick’s Cove, Dillon Beach provides a great dog friendly space for a family outing! Dillon Beach holds a special place in my heart because I proposed to my wife there! We now have a two year old son that we love making new memories with at Dillon Beach. It will forever be our go-to spot on the coast for a day of family fun!

Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour

Do you remember the shiny algae in the ocean from the Disney movie Moana? Well, you have the opportunity to experience the magic right here on Tomales Bay! For those of you who are not familiar with Bioluminescence, it is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Blue Waters Kayaking hosts tours that launch right next door to Nick’s Cove at Miller Boat Launch, and the guides are very friendly and super knowledgeable. They teach you the basics of kayaking from start to finish so no need to have previous experience. The tours are usually scheduled in the evenings, preferably on moonless nights, to be able to enjoy the full effect of the bluish white flickering lights in the water. Last year I was able to participate in a tour with some buddies of mine and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

Sailing

You may also charter a sailboat that departs right next door to Nick’s Cove at the Miller Boat Launch! Tomales Bay Sailing offers customized tours for up to six passengers on about a 22 ft. catamaran where you will be able to enjoy abundant wildlife and scenic landscapes. The captain, Brett, is a longtime friend of us here at Nick’s Cove. He will make sure to provide you a spectacular and safe fun-filled voyage!

Hiking

My favorite hike in the area is up to Alamere Falls. Just about 30 miles south of Nick’s Cove on the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, you can enjoy a rare 40 ft. waterfall that flows directly into the Pacific Ocean! These stunning views of the ocean are well worth the hike totaling 8.4 miles there and back. The trail begins at the Palomarin Trailhead in Bolinas. This picturesque opportunity is not one to be missed!

I love to be able to call the Bay Area my home. I now live about forty-five minutes from the gorgeous California coast and I consider it a true blessing. If you are ever travelling along Hwy 1 or have the opportunity to visit the area or have the opportunity to visit the area, I highly suggest you check out one of my recommendations to create lasting memories that will warm your heart for years to come.

Wade Nakamine
Nick’s Cove General Manager


Dog’s need vacations too

I am a relatively new kid on the block at Nick’s Cove and when I was slogging away in Southern California, I used to look at the Nick’s Cove website www.nickscove.com and dream about living and working here. Now, I am employed here and working on the living closer part, but I digress. I usually start my day by seeing the cottage guests lounging on their front decks with their morning coffee and newspaper and their faithful four legged friends right at their feet. It makes me happy to see the contented faces on the cottage guests and frankly, the pooches as well. Nick’s is unique in so many ways, not only for the beautiful location, amazing food and ambiance, but you can bring your dog with you! How great is that? To have a luxury accommodation and the comfort of your four legged family member is just too sweet to pass up. Whether you are on a long overdue vacation or a quick get out of town trip, knowing your dog can be with you will make your trip even more special and memorable. There are plenty of places along Highway One where you can bring your dog for a fun filled day! Here are a few spots to check out:

Pt. Reyes Station located approximately 20 minutes south of Nick’s Cove on Highway One. Pt. Reyes Station is a quaint town that has a slower vibe and a great resource to find locally crafted cheeses, bakeries and cafés. Pt. Reyes Station has three beaches where dogs are permitted: Kehoe, Limantour and Great Beach. I haven’t been to Kehoe or Great Beach, but I can certainly vouch for Limantour Beach. Dogs must be on a leash at Kehoe and Great Beach and on the north end of Limantour.

Limantour Beach located approximately 40 minutes sound of Nick’s Cove on Highway One. Limantour Beach is a breathtaking south facing beach split between Drakes Bay and the Limantour Estero estuary. Limantour Beach allows dogs on the southeast end of the beach.

Dillon Beach located approximately 15 minutes north of Nick’s Cove. Dillon Beach is a very dog friendly beach AND there are no leash laws as long as your dogs are friendly!

Portuguese Beach located approximately 35 minutes north of Nick’s Cove. Portuguese Beach is three miles north of Bodega Bay and it is a nice long and wide sandy beach. Dogs are allowed on the beach with a leash no longer then six feet.

Ultimately, the best part is coming back to Nick’s Cove, having a fantastic meal and then retreating to your cottage where you and your fur baby can fall asleep to the gentle sounds of lapping waves of Tomales Bay.

Mary D.

The Croft News

Hello from the gardens at Nick’s Cove! Lots of folks have been asking me what we’ve been up to over the winter, and how the weather affects our daily work and the growing season. We’ve had a good amount of rain this year, with a couple of huge storms hitting us on the coast in the form of atmospheric rivers that bring tons of water all at once. After these big weather events, it’s generally too wet in the vegetable beds to work the soil, but we stay busy by turning our attention to other needs in and around the garden. Our crops grow slower in the shortened days of winter, and it gives us time to tend to the perennial ornamentals and herbs on the property. We also try to get any repairs and projects out of the way. Now that it’s Spring we’re ready to hit the ground running!

Winter was a time for reflection and planning. Notes and data from last year’s crop plan are distilled into useful information that will help up lay out the coming year. With this information, I will make adjustments in our timing and crop quantities. I also sat down with the chef to create a timeline of the seasonal changes that will be reflected on the menu. We went through a handful of seed catalogs together and will select new varieties and vegetables that will suit our menu concept and the Croft’s growing parameters.

In January, I got the opportunity to attend the 39th annual EcoFarm Conference in Pacific Grove. The event, put on by the Ecological Farming Association each year, is a three day gathering of farmers, educators, agricultural scientists, industry product and tech specialists, an environmental advocates and professionals. The conference consists of workshops, events, and keynote speeches. It provides information, tools, and resources to those who work to reduce the environmental impact of farming practices and provide an alternative to the destructive practices of industrial agriculture. It was a great way to connect with other farmers, and learn what practices are being successfully implemented elsewhere on a similar scale. I learned a ton about soil health and ecology, and it was a great way for Nick’s Cove to continue its commitment to a sustainable approach to sourcing our food.

I’m also excited to share that we’ve currently installed some growing tunnels in the Croft that will make our garden more productive then ever. The increased heat inside these tunnels will give us more fruit in the summer and allow us to grow longer into the winter. Be sure to visit our garden and follow us on Instagram @NicksCoveCroft throughout the year to check our progress!

Brendan

Hiking Review: Alamere Falls

Located 30 miles south of Nick’s Cove, Alamere Falls is a dramatic 40-ft tide fall which pours its waters into the waves of the Pacific Ocean. The trail to Alamere Falls is a 7.5 out and back and takes about 3 hours to complete. The hike to get here offers countless spring wildflowers, wide ocean views, gray whale watching opportunities, and access to both Bass and Pelican Lakes.

The best time to go is spring when the wildflowers are in full bloom and there’s a chance for a gray whale siting. The trail to the beach can be unstable, so we suggest to wear good hiking shoes.

photography by Frankie Frankeny, Cindi de Channes, Val Atkinson
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