California

Photo Essay: Exploring Oakland in the Spring with Localite Tours

April 24, 2014 California
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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

September 10, 2013 California
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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

July 25, 2013 California
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“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

April 27, 2013 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

January 27, 2013 California
Berkeley - Special Delivery Street Art

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

November 2, 2012 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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Photo Essay: The Things I Loved About My San Francisco Summer

August 28, 2012 California
Looking up at the redwoods in Muir Woods

This summer, I had a 2.5 month break and didn’t leave the country. I didn’t even leave the state. Ludicrous, I know. But without going beyond a 150 mile radius of San Francisco, I had an epic all-American summer and never felt like I was squandering my time by not leaving. So what makes an […]

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10 Things One San Franciscan Likes About Los Angeles

November 28, 2011 California
Los Angeles - Barnsdall Farmer's Market

In the vast and varied country of the United States, fellow residents tend to misunderstand each other as much as they have a tendency to misunderstand the world beyond. It’s disconcerting to see how many people form concrete opinions of other places based on very little knowledge of and experience in those places. I discovered […]

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