Nestled in the Marin hills near San Anselmo, Fairfax has always been, for me, a convenient yet picturesque pit stop en route to other adventures. It’s a quick turn-off to gather picnic supplies for a day of wildflower wandering at nearby Point Reyes Seashore, a caffeine-refueling station on the drive back to the East Bay after a rejuvenating hike on the lush Bear Valley trail. This month, though, I finally keep my long-standing promise to myself to explore this intriguing spot.

The town takes its name from gentleman farmer Lord Charles Snowden Fairfax, born in Virginia to a noble Scottish family. In 1849, Fairfax came west in search of gold, but after years of slogging unsuccessfully through muddy fields, he turned his attention to politics and gained local fame as a county supervisor and state assemblyman. From 1910 to 1923, the lovely Fairfax locale provided the setting for several early silent Westerns. Incorporated in 1931, the town today boasts a population of 7,500 in just over two square miles. And, as I am about to discover, modern Fairfaxians are a singularly green, community-oriented bunch. In 2002, the citizens voted to prohibit Starbucks, Blockbuster, and other franchises, so that every business is independently owned. Instead of cookie-cutter cafes, Fairfax is awash in java joints with quirky names such as Koffee Klatch, Barefoot Cafe, and Fair Fix.

Sitting at the cozy corner Coffee Roastery, I witness a parade of mountain bikers in their crayon-colored jerseys and clickety-clack shoes. Known as the birthplace of mountain biking, Fairfax’s proximity to Mount Tam and trails circling lakes or meandering by waterfalls ensures a steady stream of bikers and hikers. Sipping a latte at the table next to mine is musician and actress Cathleen Riddley, an enthusiastic resident for the last 10 years. She loves the fact that everything she needs is within walking distance. “There are eight cafes and restaurants, a bookstore, a fabric store, two parks, and a little teeny creek down the hill,” she says. A transplanted midwesterner who discovered Fairfax on a road trip in her 20s, Riddley studied acting in New York for several years but eventually returned to Fairfax to enjoy the same small-town intimacy she felt in her native Iowa. “It’s still mellow and hippie . . . not elitist; a safe, livable neighborhood where everyone looks out for each other,” she says. Sweetie Pie and the Doughboys, a band fronted by Riddley (her husband is a member, too), often performs at Peri’s, one of the three local clubs that feature nightly live music for all tastes: jazz, funk, reggae, bluegrass, Irish, and rockabilly. The town’s other two nightspots, 19 Broadway and The Sleeping Lady, amicably share the same block.

Pleasantly caffeinated, I begin my stroll through town by crossing the street to the Good Earth Natural Foods Market, which is sheltered by a fittingly green awning in a lot ringed with flowers. Inside, under an arching wood-beam ceiling, I discover a vast array of organic natural foods. No processed foods or traditional cleaning products in sight, but you can find 100 percent organic produce, vegan chocolate-chip cookies, wheat-free focaccia, live raw-nut milk, and organic pet food. The market’s kitchen whips up a daily salad bar, cooked food bar, burritos, wraps, and freshly baked goods. Today’s hot offerings include spicy cauliflower, eggplant Florentine, and bok choy tofu stir-fry. I try the warm gluten-free macaroni and goat cheese, made with quinoa pasta. It’s comforting and yummy, and as someone with wheat intolerance, I’m delighted to find this unusual treat on the menu.

Fairfax Variety, which proprietor Polly Knox proudly calls “the last five-and-dime in Marin County,” epitomizes the town’s spirit. A walk inside is an instant trip to a childhood paradise of possibilities with an extensive candy aisle featuring oldies like Necco wafers, Bit o’ Honey, and Abba Zabbas, and classic toys such as wiffle balls, squirt guns, pick-up sticks, even a set of mustaches on a card. The store, which has catered to generations of locals since the 1920s, also carries necessities like diaper pins, shoelaces, greeting cards, and even cotton ladies’ hankies printed with pansies and roses. “Everything old is new again,” explains Knox. “Handkerchiefs are coming back in as the trend is to use less paper goods.” (It’s not just paper goods that are less popular in Fairfax these days; town ordinances also ban the use of take-out Styrofoam packaging and plastic bags.)

Fairfax boasts some lovely shops whose goals reach beyond the profit motive. The owners of Sur, Tony Calvo and Ernesto Molina, support what they term “sustainable art” by seeking out indigenous Latin-American artisans and paying them directly for their work. The result is a shop full of quirky, appealing treasures, such as stylish clutch bags fashioned of recycled soda can pop-tops by a Brazilian women’s cooperative, or small beaded purses depicting vividly colored flowers, crafted by a co-op of women in Ometepec, Mexico.

Across the street, Revolution 9 sells a combination of cute and edgy wares. I love the vintage-looking robot water bottles, Japanese smiling cupcake magnets, original T-shirts, gnome lamps, and offbeat greeting cards that feature potatoes, pickles, and a squid with a cello. This store supports the arts in its own way, sponsoring after-school classes in art, music, and graphic design, and showcasing the work of young artists on its walls.

Two blocks off the main road is Frogs Day Spa, which sits, owner Paula Hale says, on ancient Miwok Indian healing grounds. The large, woodsy building is now used for a different type of healing, one that includes a communal (clothing optional) sundeck and pool, as well as private jacuzzi and massage rooms. Each room is painted in a different theme such as forest or jungle. Hale says that her spa reflects the community, “laid-back and low-key . . . not yuppified.” I get an intense shiatsu (also known as acupressure) massage in the desert flower room from Lucas Fox, who both performs and teaches his art. Acupressure, Fox says, opens and balances the flow of energy, which seems to be true, as I emerge feeling very open and connected to Fairfax’s nurturing spirit.

Everyone I meet in Fairfax insists that I can’t leave without stopping at the town’s beloved ice cream shop, Scoop. It’s easy to find as a line invariably snakes out of the tiny storefront. A single counter-person dishes up the house-made organic flavors that feature local ingredients, served in homemade waffle cones that I can see—and smell—being made in the back. I order their signature vanilla honey lavender. As this creamy ice cream cloud melts in my mouth, I realize that its unique blend of sweetness, nostalgia, and eco-consciousness is the perfect symbol for the town of Fairfax itself.

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Anna Mindess is a freelance writer specializing in food and culture and a frequent contributor to The Monthly. She is also a sign language interpreter. See her work at www.annamindess.com.

19 Broadway Nightclub, 19 Broadway Blvd., Fairfax, (415) 459-1091; www.19broadway.com.

Coffee Roastery, 4 Bolinas Road, Fairfax, (415) 451-1825.

Fairfax Variety, 61 Broadway Blvd., Fairfax, (415) 457-2580.

Frogs, 10 School Street Plaza, Fairfax, (415) 453-7647; www.frogshottubs.com.

Good Earth Natural Foods, 1966 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax, (415) 454-0123; www.goodearthnaturalfoods.net.

Peri’s Silver Dollar, 29 Broadway, Fairfax, (415) 459-9910; home.earthlink.net/~mikebtl.

Revolution 9, 14 Bolinas Road, Fairfax, (415) 459-7999; r9fairfax-com.doodlekit.com/home.

Scoop, 63 Broadway Blvd., Fairfax, (415) 453-3130.

Sur, 15 Bolinas Road, Fairfax, (415) 485-4360; www.sur.us.com.

The Sleeping Lady, 23 Broadway, Fairfax, (415) 485-1182; sleepingladyfairfax.com.