You don't need to travel to exotic hot springs to soak in the bounty of nature's hot mineral water. San Diegans can drive locally to Agua Caliente Hot Springs. Located a half hour south of …
March 7, 2011
Southern California
Mineral Hot Springs of Agua Caliente
Essential L.A.: Getty Center and Getty Villa
A visit to the Getty Center in Los Angeles makes a lovely day trip for Southern Californians. The Getty is quickly becoming the cultural heart of L.A.; for many out-of-town and international visitors, it’s now …
February 11, 2011
Four Wheelin' in Palm Springs
I've driven past the funky Offroad Rentals place for over 20 years. Their office is in an old, brightly painted railroad boxcar, right on Hwy. 111 as you come off the 10 freeway heading into …
December 23, 2010
Anza-Borrego Slot Canyons, California
Most San Diegans have been to Anza-Borrego State Park, but I wonder how many have discovered the (self-declared) Slot Canyons. When entering the park from the 8, take a left after the exit, go past …
Wolf down that pie in Julian
If you think the only way to see a wolf is to watch Dances with Wolves, think again. Two top-tier North American predators, the Alaskan and Mexican wolves, have dens at the California Wolf Center. …
March 30, 2010
Hip Palm Springs, CA
In a corner of the vast Southern California desert, nestled against scraggly snow-topped peaks with sagebrush trailing in every direction, sits the idyllic enclave of Palm Springs. Nice for Sunday brunch with Grandma, sure, but …
March 16, 2010
The Museum of Tolerance, Los Angeles
Having lived in Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots of 1992, I’ve always viewed the Museum of Tolerance as a beacon of hope. Located at the corner of Pico and Roxbury Drive in West …
March 11, 2010
Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda Heights, California
Visiting the Hsi Lai Temple, nestled in the hills of Hacienda Heights, I felt as though I was transported back in time and to another world. Spread out over 15 acres, the temple grounds are …
March 3, 2010
Springtime in the Desert: Borrego Springs
I think of Borrego Springs as Baja Palm Springs – all the heat without the glitz – and it’s more fun getting to. I love a Sunday drive down County Road S22 into the valley …
February 26, 2010
Gems of Pala, California
Walking up the dirt-and-gravel path from the parking area, you’re greeted by a Buddha and two rusted truck corpses. Wooden bins of large rocks stand next to the stairs leading up to the store’s entrance. …
February 17, 2010
Lavish Laguna Beach
There’s a reason why so many poets and authors have called Laguna Beach home for some part of their lives (hint: not because of the great bar scene). It’s undoubtedly charming. Artists in the early …
February 9, 2010
Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens
The jewel of San Marino, California, Huntington Library is not your typical lending and borrowing library. Its collection contains over five million books, volumes, manuscripts, photographs and other works mostly related to American and British …
January 15, 2010
Mud Pots of Calipatria & Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain, Niland, CA
Avoid the tourist throngs and discover two desert oddities three hours east of San Diego, in Calipatria and Niland. From a distance, the Mud Pots look like giant anthills, and the sulphur smell will knock …
November 8, 2009
Watts Towers and Art Center
People often conjure up images of the 1965 riots when thinking of the Los Angeles neighborhood Watts. Hopefully, after visiting Watts Towers (or “Nuestro Pueblo,” as its creator Simon Rodia originally referred to it), people …
October 26, 2009
Apple Days in Julian, California
Apple Days are here! Apple pie tasting is an art I could get used to, especially if the pies are baked in Julian, a historic mountain town famous for its apple orchards and home-baked pies. …
October 14, 2009