The walls of my hotel room looked clean enough as long as the light stayed dim, which was usually the case. The only illumination came from a 40-watt bulb stuck in the ceiling and a …
July 3, 2012
North America
Enlightenment in Mérida, Mexico
Vancouver's Japadog – Taste the Strange
“Japadog” sounds like a word David Letterman would say for comic effect. In actuality, Japadog is a Vancouver street vendor that sells grilled hot dogs, both Japanese style and those referred to as “regular hotdogs” …
June 21, 2012
A Long Weekend in Sequoia and Yosemite
On a whim, I decided to drive up to explore a spectacular stretch of California natural beauty for a four-day vacation: Sequoia National Park and Yosemite. I hadn’t been to Yosemite for years, and I …
Berkeley City Club: A California Classic
Smack dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Berkeley stands Julia Morgan’s “Little Castle.” Old hotels hold a certain allure for me, and the Berkeley City Club is no exception. The stone …
June 12, 2012
Down-home Door County, Wisconsin
The original French explorers and fur trappers who came upon the treacherous waters separating Washington Island from the mainland of Door County, Wisconsin, called it “Doors of Deaths.” Today, the waters do sometimes delay campers …
June 7, 2012
Salt Point State Park: Hidden California Coast
From Moro Rock to the memorable Bixby Creek Bridge, beauty abounds along the Pacific Coastal Highway in the form of uninterrupted expansive views extending to the beryl-blue horizon. The road from Pismo Beach to Half …
June 3, 2012
AMLO calls Jaime Bonilla From Chula Vista to Mexico
It’s been only a few months since controversial South Bay water board president Jaime Bonilla stepped down from the Otay Water District, but it’s easy to see that his former position is just a speck …
May 30, 2012
Forks, WA – More Than Just a Vampire Weekend
Washington might be the most beautiful place on earth. I've been fortunate enough to visit the state twice in the last year (and am going again in the fall), and each time I have left …
May 29, 2012
Marfa Moments
Author W.S. Di Piero stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Randy Quaid when the actor was on the lam. This was in Marfa, TX, where Di Piero stuck around to check out the work of Donald Judd.
May 16, 2012
Roanoke: Not-so-Sleepy Mountain Town
Roanoke, Virginia, is a mountain city in the South, but it’s not quiet and it’s by no means sleepy. The city has a culture of fine arts and music that permeates all of downtown. It’s …
May 15, 2012
San Francisco Hippie Tour
Ten minutes late (on time if you’re on “hippie time,” I suppose), a woman wearing sparkly orange tennis shoes and a long velvet coat walks up to the street corner, shouting to us in a …
April 30, 2012
Fun in Cleveland (Seriously)
If you want to totally immerse yourself in rock music and the rock star lifestyle, Cleveland is the place to do it. I recently got to attend the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame …
April 28, 2012
Tijuana: Montana de Basura
San Diego is known as "America's Finest City." Tijuana is often thought of as one of the world's most dangerous destinations. What do you think happens when the walls come down? I've spent a lot …
April 15, 2012
Bauer, Iowa: Sunset on Rural America
In order to describe Iowa, you have to start with the land. Its freshly overturned sod is as black as a starless night, and a handful of dirt is richer than any potting soil you …
April 7, 2012
Rosarito Beach Sportfishing, Alive and Well
From the standpoint of “petro-tourism,” it very well could be that nearby Baja California peninsula, with its Mediterranean-like coastal climate and uncrowded beaches, is one of the best draws for Southern Californians looking for a …
March 30, 2012