Happy Wanderer: Take a trip to an urban park gem — S.F.’s Presidio

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CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM: March 15, 2013

Spring is busting out all over San Francisco’s Presidio. From March through the end of July, this amazing urban national park sees more airborne activity than SFO. That’s what 991 acres of open space in extraordinary coastal habitat will do for you — spawn a nesting season that rivals the top birding destinations. Continue reading →

Art you can pluck off the wall and take home

MONTCLARION: March 15, 2013

I did something naughty the other night. I plucked a piece of art off the wall and took it home without paying.

Did the devil make me do it? No, but Project Utopia did. This Oakland exhibit lets you pick out one piece of art to take home at no charge. My friend and I jumped on a matching set of watercolors by San Leandro artist Jorge Luis Iniguez. Continue reading →

Town Crier: Blossoms show spring has sprung in East Bay

Photo by Jane Fuerch

Photos by Jane Fuerch

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MONTCLARION: March 8, 2013

Spring blossoms … two little words that rank high on the list of what makes people happy in March. These delicate paper-like blooms are nature’s answer to tax season. Things are looking up, and you should be too.

The neighborhoods of Oakland are bedecked in pink and white blossoms. Some trees are in full bloom as I write this. Others have already peaked, like the blossoms on Olive Avenue (delicious irony). Continue reading →

Space: The new frontier in adventure travel

SpacePort America takes on an eerie glow at dusk.

SpacePort America takes on an eerie glow at dusk. – Photo By Ginny Prior

MERCURYNEWS.COM: MARCH 1, 2013:

Who amongst us can claim to have had an “out-of-this-world” vacation? Soon, we’ll be able to say it and mean it.

For just 200,000 bucks, travelers can channel Buck Rogers with a trip to Earth’s last frontier — space. Agencies like Alpine Travel in Saratoga are authorized sellers of SpaceShipTwo packages, projected to launch sometime in 2014. I had a chance to visit the launch site for Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, recently. It’s called SpacePort America, in southern New Mexico. Continue reading →

Town Crier: Barking dogs disturbing peace in Oakland hills

MONTCLARION: FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Disturbing the peace. It’s a crime usually associated with rowdy teens and motorcycle gangs. Increasingly, you can add dogs to the list.

Despite an Oakland ordinance that prohibits incessant barking, more and more neighbors are complaining about just that — dogs left inside to growl, yap and whine while their owners are away. Continue reading →

Happy Wanderer: Pet-friendly stays grow in popularity in San Francisco, nationwide

INSIDEBAYAREA.COM: February 1, 2013

If you’ve ever shared an elevator with a potbellied pig, you know they can be delightful travel companions. And in this age when the hotel industry is fawning over pet owners and their business — a swine sighting is not out of the question. Some inns take virtually any animal that meets their weight limits. Continue reading →