Exploring California’s Blue Zones

DIABLO MAGAZINE: Oct. 2024

Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan. If making it to 100 years old is your goal, these are three locales where people have extraordinarily long, happy lives. But you don’t have to move to another continent to take advantage of the principles practiced in so-called “Blue Zones” (regions with the healthiest, longest-lived populations). Almost 80 cities, counties, and communities in North America are participating in the Blue Zones Project, a global wellness initiative encouraging neighbors and visitors to eat wisely, connect with others, move naturally, discover their purpose, and live joyfully. In fact, Sacramento County received a $1.7 million state grant to transform its county into a Blue Zones community.

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How to have a cheap, crowd-free holiday in Italy

An hour by ferry from Naples, the island of Ischia charms with bargain-priced five-star inns, wineries and thermal hot springs. Photo / Getty Images

NEW ZEALAND HERALD:Aug 26, 2024

More than 65 million people travel to Italy each year — the fifth most-visited country in international tourism, according to the World Tourism Organisation. To find a luxury, lesser-known locale in a sea of vacationers, try the country’s southwest island of Ischia.

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One Fine Weekend in Morro Bay

Morro Rock Beach is home to a distinctive volcanic peak.Visit Morro Bay

DIABLO MAGAZINE: Aug/Sept, 2024

In Spanish it means “the snout,” but to the Chumash and Salinan tribes, it’s Lisamu’ or Lesa’mo’—a sacred site. The nearly 600-foot volcanic outcropping that frames Morro Bay is the most visible landmark in town, but Morro Rock barely scratches the surface of things to see (and do) in this Central Coast city that is often overlooked by travelers along Highway 101.

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Happy Wanderer: Sipping & Shopping in Yountville

Bay Area NewsGroup, June 2024

A couple from Dallas found their slice of wine country paradise recently.

Far from the crush of Napa Valley tourists, Roby and Connie shared a bottle of Chianti in Yountville’s lovely little Van De Leur Park. Laced with flowers, including an ancient pink climbing rose, the park is one of several “secret” spots in this tucked-away town in the heart of Napa Valley.

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The History and Charm of Glen Ellen

NAPA-SONOMA MAGAZINE: Oct. 2023

The town of Glen Ellen is known for its wine and for Jack London State Historic Park—but surprisingly, it is also a yacht club destination.

In a nod to one of America’s great adventurers, the philanthropic Jack London Yacht Club has its official clubhouse at the Saloon at the Jack London Lodge. Every spring, members race miniature boats on Sonoma Creek behind the popular bar, in an homage to the 1907 journey London took with his wife, Charmian, on his two-mast sailboat, the Snark.

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Ten San Francisco Speakeasies You Need To Visit

LOCALEMAGAZINE: September, 2023

San Francisco may have a saintly name, but is known more for its role as a sinner. It’s a city that plays by its own rules and celebrates being different, if not deviant. Since the pandemic, San Francisco nightlife has grown even more alluring, with an element of danger that sets the scene for the secret bars and underground lounges that are springing up in the urban core. 

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One Fine Weekend: Glamping in Northern Ca.

Heed the call of the wild at these luxe sites.

Safari West offers a taste of the Serengeti.Ray Mabry

DIABLOMAGAZINE: July 28, 2023

If you love the outdoors but don’t want to give up your creature comforts, chances are you’ve tried glamping—and you are not alone. Glamorous camping is projected to bring nearly $3 billion in global revenue this year, with much of it in the United States.

Here are four upscale glamping spots in Northern California that will let you explore your wild side while leaving you refreshed.

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