Destination: Boredom

Sure enough, I saw a few egret and chased a flock of bufflehead six miles to the coast when I paddled the navigable length of Estero Americano the other day, but saw no sign of coot, loon, mergenser, pelican, scaup, hawk, heron or grebe. The fact is mid-February is a relatively dormant time along the […]

Picnic at Willow Creek

Simple ingredients that pack easily and combine well make for an ideal picnic. As much as I love to cook, some of my favorite meals are simple assemblages, preferably packed as a picnic for a day of hiking or paddling. Nothing tastes better than a few simple ingredients carefully chosen to complement the season and […]

Calistoga

portion of a diorama of 19th century Calistoga, at Calistoga’s Sharpsteen Museum California place names often have colorful origins and Calistoga is no exception. Founded as a spa resort in the late 19th century by the visionary San Francisco millionaire Samuel Brannan, the name of the town comes from his famous drunken mis-fire, “I’m going […]

Capitola Project

colorful condos characterize Capitola, where Soquel Creek drains to Monterey Bay Ene and I spent the other day exploring the seaside town of Capitola, CA, where wowhaus are finalists in a public art competition. Situated where Soquel Creek drains to Monterey Bay just below Santa Cruz, the town is known as the oldest beach resort […]