Adjacent to the Point Reyes National Seashore, 1 hour north of SF, the Van der Ryn Eco-Refuge, with its extensive well-tended grounds, offers the perfect retreat where nature, architecture, and the human spirit meet, generating inspiration, harmony, and creativity. Many guests call it “magical”, or “serene”; one said, " an education in how to live beautifully… embraces you with the good energy, playfulness, love, and intensity with which it was designed and built." The Van der Ryn Eco-Refuge, a 3-story fully furnished home, reflects the creativity and care of its architect/owner, Sim Van der Ryn, a well-known pioneer of ecological design. You enter the house through a work of art, the redwood door carved by the renowned sculptor, J.B. Blunk. The foyer, with a high vaulted ceiling painted with traditional Tibetan designs of sky and clouds by Tibetan monks, connects the two main sections of the house. From the foyer, Japanese sliding doors lead into a large open space containing a fully equipped gourmet kitchen and a dining/living room area with a cozy queen-size bed alcove. There is also a half-bathroom. A wood-burning stove and a gas heater to warm this space. The second and larger section of the house is a 3-story pole construction with double groove cedar siding. The ground floor features an octagonal-shaped bedroom (originally called the "womb room") with an ensuite bathroom and its own library. The second level has a second gathering space. It is spacious, high ceilinged, and drenched in light with cozy couches and another wood-burning stove (as well as a gas heater). There is a space for an office set-up as well. The 2nd-floor bedroom and en suite bathroom feature a large bathtub and a sink shelf unit hand-carved by J.B. Blunk. Wooden spiral stairs lead up to the third level that houses the master bedroom suite and bathroom. Windows from the third level offer great views. On the ground floor is situated the two-room Roost apartment, with its own private patio and entrance. The whole estate with its landscaped grounds provides great comforts and beauty. Indoor amenities include custom furniture and original artwork (including Sim Van der Ryn watercolors), a library with a rich variety of books, a sound system with speakers both down and upstairs, and good quality wi-fi system. The kitchen has a Bosch dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, new gas stovetop, and newly built-in wall convection oven, and two separate sinks, one specifically for washing vegetables from the garden. Outside features include a private deck with Jacuzzi, an outdoor shower, a bocce ball court, and a yurt with gym equipment in it for those who want to work out. two stone patios, one quite large with outdoor dining, water features, including a pond, various fruit trees, a large open grassy area, extensive vegetable gardens, a Star of David Memorial Healing Garden, and majestic oak and bishop pine trees. All truly a little slice of paradise that feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and just minutes away from Tomales Bay beaches and miles of trails, and the many ocean beaches of Point Reyes. Guests will be able access all parts of the space. I am Micah, the elder son of Sim Van der Ryn, the Eco-Refuge owner architect, am your host and official point of contact on site. My father Sim lives in the Ridge House, and I (together with my wife and children) live at the Ark. Both houses are outside of the Eco-Refuge grounds and we respect the privacy of guests while still making ourselves available to assist for any needs or desired interaction. I usually give arriving guests a tour of the place to provide useful and interesting information about the Eco-Refuge. My father, Sim, a renown pioneer in ecological architecture, also enjoys meeting our guests. Several years ago he asked me to move back here with my family from Samoa, where I had been working for 20 years as a filmmaker, teacher and anthropologist, in order to help him take care of the property. I really love learning about and experiencing different cultures, peoples and environments of the world, which is one of the reasons I love hosting guests at the Van der Ryn Eco-Refuge. The Van der Ryn Eco-Refuge sits on 5 acres situated one mile up a hill on knoll above the small town of Inverness on Tomales Bay. The relatively flat land has sunny open areas, edible, ornamental and healing gardens, a small pond and other water features, a huge redwood root arch, forests of oak, bishop pine, and laurel Bay trees. Your hosts (Sim Van der Ryn and Micah, his son, and Micah's family) live in other houses outside of the Eco-Refuge grounds and are available to help with any needs, while respecting guests' desire for privacy. The land borders the Nature Conservancy's Bishop Pine Reserve and the National Point Reyes Seashore beyond. We are happy to give recommendations for places to visit, hike and explore. Most people in this area use cars or bicycles to get around. The West Marin Stagecoach offers regular scheduled service connecting West Marin towns, including Inverness, to San Rafael in East Marin County. You will find that the tap water at the Eco-Refuge, which comes from our own wells, is delicious and of high quality with no added chlorine. Also, we have a year-round supply of lemons on our lemon trees which guests are free to use, as well as apples and pears when our trees are bearing them. We also have many different herbs growing in the gardens, which you may add to your meals as you please. With advanced notice, we can arrange additional paid services, including babysitting, cooking, leading an educational hike, massage or yoga instruction. We are here to enhance guests' stay with us and make it as smooth and as enjoyable as possible. Sim Van der Ryn's watercolors or prints of them are also available for purchase at discounted prices. Please let us know if you are interested. The Star of David Healing Garden and the Yurt gym are shared spaces on the property outside of the private grounds of the Eco-Refuge. Micah will include them on the tour and explain their shared use.