California

Voyages of Rediscovery

California
Oaxaca, Mexico

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust – Over the summer, I did not travel — I returned. In June, I flew out of Hawaii and arrived in California, elated to catch up with family and friends I hadn’t seen in months, ready […]

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Photo Essay: Snapshots from Los Angeles

California
Aerial View of Los Angeles, California

On my way back to San Francisco after Colombia, I spent a few days in Los Angeles. On my short trip there, I experienced a wide range of the city — from fancy restaurants to late night taco trucks, from the crowded freeways to the metro system (yup, you read that correctly), from gritty streets […]

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Photo Essay: Exploring Oakland in the Spring with Localite Tours

California

On a balmy Sunday morning in March, I crossed the San Francisco Bay to join Localite Tours’ Picnic Tour in Oakland. It was a relaxing day by Lake Merritt and our group got to experience some lovely sights and tastes of springtime Oakland. Here’s what we did: Our first stop was The Gardens at Lake […]

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Music and Wine Where Summer Meets the Harvest Season

California

The Livermore Valley has welcomed us with unexpected pastoral charm. Not too long ago we were on a busy highway, now we are surrounded by acres of grapes that look almost ready to be plucked from their vines. Beyond the fields are the golden hills of California summertime, gently rolling in the distance. There’s a […]

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Fog and Light

California

“Time to fly!” the surprisingly friendly shuttle driver says as he grabs my backpack and places it in the trunk. His cheerfulness overrides the fact that he’s early and that I have to scramble to get out of the house. I close the door temporarily on my regular life and exhale the tension of trip […]

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Those Places You Find in Your Own Backyard

California

“Get ready to travel in your own country,” my friend says cheerfully as she opens the gate for me. “You can blog about this!” Indeed, I step into a new world as I enter the yard. A collector’s world. There are several cars, some functioning, others clearly not. An old Mercedes has its hood propped […]

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Photo Essay: Street Artists Take Over an Abandoned Factory in Berkeley

California

I watch my step as I enter, careful not to step in the rubble and debris that have tumbled down from the walls and ceilings of this derelict building over time. The bare sandals I’ve chosen to wear on this hot day in late September are not the best footwear for this kind of exhibit. […]

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Songs for the Road No. 19: A Soundtrack for a San Francisco Dia de los Muertos

California

Day of the Dead has come and yet again I’m wishing I could experience it in Mexico. But as always, I’m also looking forward to the festivities here in San Francisco. In a city that loves to party publicly from May to October, Day of the Dead always seems to signal a transition into a […]

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