After the stresses of non stop travel the past month I was ready for some serious R&R. Seashell Momi is a Diver's and Surfer's hangout about 45 minutes south of the capital Nadi. Arriving in the dark after passing through beautiful green hills as far as the eye could see, I simply crashed. It was 8pm. I awoke the next morning, 14 hours later at 10am - still tired but certainly more refreshed. Apparently there are only 5 people staying here out of … [Read more...]
Exploring Napa…as in the City of Napa
Introduction For many years the city of Napa was just a place you passed as you entered the Napa Valley - the city center is not on the main highway (Highway 29) and it was lacking in restaurants, hotels and tasting rooms. When you told people you were visiting the Napa Valley, the city of Napa was not mentioned as your final destination, rather you would have been referring to the wineries up valley; it was those wineries that long attracted … [Read more...]
Sacramento & The Gold Country, Moon Handbooks
Sacramento & The Gold Country, by Christopher Arns Initial impressions of Sacramento perhaps: Inland. Old town. Brick buildings. The state's capital city. A good thing considering its somewhat central geographical location in the state, rather than being located in one of the major urban coastal areas. More recently occupied by a body builder, turned actor turned politician. But he has gone away now and there is a "new" governor - or rather an … [Read more...]
Accidentally falling in love with the California Zephyr
I haven’t always been enamored with trains. In my past travels, I had been on several rails both in the United States on the east coast and also through small parts of Europe. Those times however, I was too young and naive to appreciate the significance and beauty of a well-placed rail. Now, more than three months into my newly nomadic lifestyle and about 10 years since my last rail adventure overseas, trains have become a larger and more … [Read more...]
Oakland Museum of California continues Transformation
Natural History and Ecology of Mount Shasta to be Featured as One of Seven Significant Areas of Focus OMCA Celebrates Multilayered Story of Californias Natural World, Giving Voice to Range of Perspectives and Fostering Dialogue and Discovery Opening May 31, 2013, OMCAs Reinstalled Gallery of California Natural Sciences Showcases California As One of the Worlds Top Biodiversity Hotspots (Oakland, CA)The Oakland Museum of … [Read more...]
Family Winemakers Tasting, San Francisco
FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA 'TASTING 2010' SAN FRANCISCO EARLY BIRD TICKET SPECIAL ENDS ON AUGUST 1st Save 30 Percent Off At-The-Door Price for The World's Most Comprehensive Tasting of California Wines, August 22, 2010 Sacramento, CA (July 15, 2010) - The Early Bird Ticket Special for the Family Winemakers of California's 20th Annual Tasting ends August 1st. Tasting 2010 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Family Winemakers Tasting, … [Read more...]
Maxine Hong Kingston & SF Girls Chorus to appear May 8 at Angel Island Celebration
San Francisco - The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation (AIISF) in association with Angel Island State Park will sponsor "Poetry in Motion: A Celebration of the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Immigration Station" on Saturday May 8. The poetry reading and musical program will take place at the Immigration Station on Angel Island State Park from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by free self-guided tours of the Immigration Station. Over 200 … [Read more...]
Yosemite – Mariposa
Mariposa was originally founded as a mining town and during the height of the gold rush had a much larger population than today which is currently under 2000 people. The town boasts a number of small family owned shops, galleries and restaurants as well as many items of historical significance. Mariposa County has one fast food restaurant and no stop lights. The one fast food restaurant is in the town of Mariposa and opened before a loophole … [Read more...]
Fat City, Sacramento CA – July 2003
Fat City Bar & Café was located right in the heart of Old Sacramento (Old Town is worth visiting in its own right). This was a historic restaurant favorite with locals and tourists alike. It was housed in a building that was originally constructed in 1849, the heart of California's gold rush. This building was supposedly home to Sacramento's first general store and was one of the first buildings in town. It was constructed and originally … [Read more...]
Mammoth, CA – Driving Distances
Driving Distances to Mammoth Lakes Bakersfield 4.5 hours 260 miles Death Valley 4 hours 214 miles Fresno 4.5 hours 200 miles Las Vegas 5.75 hours 377 miles Los Angeles 5.5 hours 325 miles Orange County 6.5 hours 363 miles Reno 3 hours 164 miles Sacramento 5 hours 290 miles San Bernardino 5 hours 290 miles San Diego 7 hours 400 miles San Francisco 7 hours 300 miles Santa Barbara 6.5 hours 385 miles Tioga Pass 3/4 hour 45 … [Read more...]