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Only four miles past the Golden Gate Bridge and a seven-minute jaunt west of the Downtown Mill Valley exit rests the heart of the leafy, affluent and politically progressive community of Mill Valley—-a city named by the national magazine, Money (and the CNN Money Web site), as the 10th best city in the nation to live. The magazine put it this way: "Dot-com millionaires and power couples in the film and music industries are flocking to what long ago was a hangout for artists and reformed hippies."

Despite downtown's current high cost of living and frequently congested traffic conditions, the allure of this charming, mystical little part of town shows no signs of waning. Though the parameters of the downtown are loosely defined, the bulk of the action takes place toward the west end of E. Blithedale Avenue, up along Throckmorton, all the way past Old Mill Park and the city's well stocked library. There, within a radius of only a couple of miles, community members and out-of-towners can find everything they need—-from sophisticated shops and topnotch restaurants to theater, movies and live music.

Among the downtown's primary draws is the Depot Bookstore and Cafe (a former Greyhound bus depot), where locals turn for coffee-sipping and people watching in the town's center, also known as Lytton Square.

Amid an eclectic mix of young families, aging hippies and sportily clad cyclists, it is not unusual to spot a rock star now and then. (Mill Valley has been home to the likes of Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Weir and Sammy Hagar, among others.)

Every October for almost 30 years, the downtown has been transformed by the nationally known Mill Valley Film Festival, which screens many of its movies at the historic Sequoia Theatre, at 25 Throckmorton. As if that isn't enough to put this town of almost 14,000 on the map, downtown Mill Valley is the starting point of the more than 100-year-old Dipsea footrace—-a 7.1-mile course that starts along the 671 stairs through picturesque Old Mill Park and finishes at the bottom of steep trails in Stinson Beach. High-end clothing boutiques, pet and baby stores flank the town square and the perennially packed Mill Valley Market is a favorite for its upscale gourmet offerings and well-prepared deli items.

Many of the neighborhood's old-timers long for the days when downtown Mill Valley was a funky, artsy community sought out by folks who loved nature and wanted to be away from the hustle and bustle of urban living. With the influx of boomers and commuters, the town has become more suburban—-yet it's suburbia with a lingering bohemian sentiment still evident.

Whether it's a good, strong cup of coffee, a grueling footrace up Tam or the opportunity to simply curl up in a comfortable chair at the library and take in some of the area's most spectacular vistas—-you'll find it all in this quintessential Marin neighborhood.

MILL VALLEY AT A GLANCE

Chamber of Commerce: 85 Throckmorton Ave. 415/388-9700.
City Hall: 26 Corte Madera Ave. Open Monday through Friday, 8am to noon and 1 to 5pm. Closed alternate Fridays. 415/388-4033.
Garbage service: Mill Valley Refuse Service, 112 Front St., San Rafael, 415/457-9760.
Library: 375 Throckmorton Ave., 415/389-4292. www.millvalleylibrary.org. Open Monday through Thursday, 10am to 9pm; Friday, noon to 6pm; Saturday, 10am to 5pm; Sunday, 1 to 5pm.
Police and fire: 1 Hamilton Drive. 415/389-4100.
Post Office: 751 E. Blithedale. 800/275-8777.
Schools: www.mvschools.org
Web site: www.cityofmillvalley.org

For information about neighborhoods in and around Mill Valley click on the links below:

Blithedale Canyon
Miller Avenue
Homestead Valley
Tam Valley
Strawberry