Hero: Prince Harry and fiancé Meghan Markle have engaged a Marinite to create their wedding cake. Pastry chef Claire Ptak, who grew up in West Marin, now owns an organic bakery in east London. “I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be chosen to make Prince Harry and Ms. Markle’s wedding cake,” Claire said in a statement. “Knowing that they really share the same values as I do about food provenance, sustainability, seasonality and most importantly flavor, makes this the most exciting event to be a part of.” Rather than the traditional fruitcake, royal wedding guests will enjoy Claire’s lemon elderflower cake married with the bright tastes of spring, a buttercream covering and fresh flower decorations. Mazel tov to Claire and the happy couple.
Zero: After eight years, the Away Station in Fairfax has gone away for good. The nonprofit store offered salvaged goods, including building materials, furniture and other treasures. Their mission was to help Marin achieve zero waste by reusing and repurposing landfill-bound items. “We would love to keep doing what we do with you, but conditions outside our control have made continuing to operate impossible,” states a message on their website. Jean, a customer and Lagunitas resident, explained that a child was hurt when his parents didn’t closely supervise him in the store. “Rather than take responsibility for their carelessness, they sued,” Jean said. “Result: An insurance increase so astronomical the store was forced to close. Not only is this resource gone, but six people lost their jobs.”
