INSIDEBAYAREA.COM: August 30, 2013
For 1.3 million tourists a year, Alcatraz is an adventure. For Bob Luke, it’s hell. “There’s no good memories,” says the man who spent five years (1954-59) incarcerated on “the Rock.” “The only good memory was the day I left.” Continue reading
MONTCLARION: August 30, 2013
There’s something inexplicably sexy about Old Oakland. She’s like a woman unaware of her charm. Yet every time I visit this section of town, I’m drawn to the classic beauty of those red brick Victorian buildings that hearken back to a simpler time. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: August 23, 2013
It’s Friday night and it looks like a street fair on Piedmont Ave. The line at Fentons Creamery snakes out the door. Ditto for Bar César and a half dozen other eateries. Add to the mix a new restaurant called Homestead (4029 Piedmont Ave.) – which can only intensify the buzz. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: August 16, 2013
He was a handsome young fellow — resting on a fence post in Southwestern Montana. Where was he headed — and where had he been? It turns out the chocolate brown prairie falcon was born here in the East Bay — and flew all the way to Montana’s Centennial Valley sometime last month. Continue reading
MERCURYNEWS.COM: August 16, 2013
It’s harvest time in the Napa Valley, one of the most romantic seasons for visiting this world-class wine region. So what’s the downside? The traffic that comes from too many people sharing the love of some 450 wineries. Yet, there are ways to avoid the parade of cars along this 30-mile corridor — with a popular option being the Napa Valley Wine Train. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: August 8, 2013
‘Tis a romantic man, indeed, who spends two years on a love letter. But Oakland photographer Simon Christen will tell you it was worth every minute of it. The object of his affection is fog — a soft, flowing mistress who can also be hard and unyielding. Certainly, there is something in the way she moves that attracts him like no other lover (with a nod to George Harrison’s “Something”). Continue reading
MONTCLARION: August 2, 2013
It’s a parents’ worst nightmare — to lose a child to gun violence. But in the case of 8-year-old Alaysha Carradine, the loss extends well beyond family and friends. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM: August 2, 2013
Some people dream of a Caribbean cruise. In our family, we prefer rivers. There’s no sea sickness, and the shoreline is always in sight — which is huge when you factor in swim time from a disabled ocean liner. Paranoia aside, a river cruise is also more intimate and affordable than ocean travel, without giving up meals or comfort. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: July 24, 2013
When is a weed a good thing? When it brings us together to whack, pluck or pull it. On Aug. 3, neighbors will gather with shovels and sheers to spruce up Montclair Park. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: July 17, 2013
There I was, sipping wine in my fleece and thinking “isn’t summertime wonderful?” The fog bank was sitting just off the coast and the air was deliciously chilled. Continue reading
