Kauai, the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, is a treasure overlooked by many travelers to Hawaii. It trails Oahu, Maui and the big island as the first choice for most tourists, but it’s a worthy …
October 26, 2009
United States
The Garden Island: Kauai
Indiana-Born Juice
Most tracks on the Best of Daygo City hip-hop compilation are exclusive to the project, a likely factor behind Jake Records picking it up for distribution through retailers, iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. Among its …
October 21, 2009
Sunset Crater National Monument, Arizona
If you're planning to visit the Grand Canyon, you should check out Sunset Crater National Monument as well. Sunset Crater is just 30 minutes north of Flagstaff, Arizona on Highway 89. The crater was formed …
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
Unforgettable New Orleans
New Orleans is the most unique city in the country. Having grown up there, I may be biased when I say that, but I believe the evidence is apparent. The music — primarily jazz and …
October 14, 2009
Bedford Peak
The no-nonsense climb (2200 feet of elevation gain) to Bedford Peak, one of the principal summits along the Santa Ana Mountains’ “Main Divide,” is both physically demanding and scenically rewarding. The latter is especially true …
October 14, 2009
Finger-Pickin' Good
Local acoustic picker Jim Earp went to the annual Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, Kansas, this year and came home with honors. Earp says he tied for fourth place in the International Finger Style …
October 7, 2009
No Pictures, Dude
In L.A. at an autograph and collectors’ convention, I smiled at Playboy Playmate Candy Clark as I walked by her table. She was charging $25 for her autograph. I glanced at her price list and …
October 7, 2009
Lake Tahoe, California: Summer or Winter?
If it came down to visiting Tahoe in the winter or the summer, I’m not sure I could pick one over the other. While Tahoe is commonly praised for its impressive winters, I’d argue that …
October 6, 2009
Piuma Overlook
The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area encompasses a broad range of parks and publicly owned open space areas, ranging from 10,000-acre-plus state parks to tiny parcels situated to protect unusual natural habitat, or to …
September 30, 2009
L.A. Stories
When radio station KPRI announced a Van Morrison concert in L.A. that they’d be taking listeners to, I talked my way into joining afternoon DJ Oz in the limo to the show. We picked up …
September 30, 2009
San Francisco, California
Time with good friends is something that nurtures even the most stressed-out overachiever. Especially when that time is spent in the Bay Area on a sun-filled Sunday. Recently, I met with two friends in San …
September 27, 2009
Highway 1: San Francisco to L.A.
After visiting family, my daughter and I decided to take the Old Highway 1 that runs along the coast from the Bay Area south to L.A. It takes you along the edges of cliffs, twisting …
September 27, 2009
Grand Tetons/Yellowstone National Park
The national parks have been described by Ken Burns as America’s best idea. I doubt that many visitors to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park would argue with that. I journeyed there in late …
September 27, 2009
Forestiere Underground Gardens, Fresno
If I’d been living in Fresno in the early 1900s, I’d have visited Baldasare Forestiere often, especially in August. To beat the scorching heat, this Sicilan immigrant spent nearly forty years creating an underground dwelling. …
September 22, 2009