VENTURA BLVD. MAGAZINE/SOUTH BAY MAGAZINE: August, 2022
Lady Gaga does it. So do Donnie Wahlberg and Glenn Close. And it’s not just celebrities. So many people now travel with pets that it’s become an industry. A survey by TripAdvisor shows 53% of all pleasure travelers sojourn with snorkies and schnauzers and other four-legged friends. You don’t have to be well-heeled to treat your Fifi like royalty.
Continue readingDIABLO MAGAZINE: May, 2022
Much has been written about the poetry of a star-studded sky and evening’s enchantment. So why not make the most of our gorgeous twilight hours? When the sun sets and the moon takes its shift as night’s guardian, awesome nocturnal adventures can unfold, especially here in the bay area. From sunset sails to exploring an old civil war fort by lantern light, we’ve compiled a list of our region’s best after-dark adventures—some spooky and all certifiably fun.
DIABLO MAGAZINE: March, 2022
Spring break in Cabo. If your first thought is tequila shots and bikinis, you may be surprised to find peaceful hideaways near this popular destination on the Baja California Peninsula. Yes, spring break in Cabo San Lucas is a good time for adults and families to get away, too, and explore authentic Mexican villages just a short drive from the resort strip.
Continue readingMERCURYNEWS.COM: June 1, 2021
Nature is really growing on us. A new survey found that almost six out of 10 Americans have developed a deeper appreciation for the outdoors since the pandemic began — and the national parks are getting much of the love.
EASTBAYTIMES.COM: MARCH 27, 2021
If there’s a silver lining to COVID-19 restrictions, it’s that the hospitality industry has found new ways to enjoy the outdoors. From electric bike rides in the country to virtual-reality goggles in the pool, resorts are reinventing what guests can do outside.
An industry leader in outdoor adventures is a group of properties started by famed bandleader Lawrence Welk. It turns out the folksy entertainer best known for champagne music was pretty perceptive about customer service.
Continue readingMONTCLAIR, PIEDMONT & BERKELEY LIVING MAGAZINES: February, 2020
Ginny Prior/for Bay Area News Group Farmstead Cheeses and Wines’ chief cheese monger, Jeff Diamond, “cracks a parm” — slices open a giant Parmesan cheese wheel — for food and wine writers recently at his Montclair store.
MONTCLARION: May 20, 2019
As far as cheese goes, it was a beaut — 85 pounds of fresh Parmesan, a wheel so big it took a young clerk to flip it. Farmstead Cheeses and Wines’ chief cheese monger, Jeff Diamond, treated journalists to a show the other night. “Cracking a ‘parm’ is a very cool thing,” he quipped. “And I’m always excited when I can show folks how it’s done.” Continue reading
“Four Days Diablo” hikers dine recently at Curry Canyon Ranch in the shadow of Mount Diablo. At least three Montclarions participated recently in the soft-adventure hiking and camping trip along the 30-mile Diablo Trail linking Walnut Creek to Brentwood.
MONTCLARION: May 9, 2019
Montclarions Steve and Carolyn Balling have hiked all over the world. So has Oakland’s Shirley Langlois. But there’s a place in their own backyard that keeps calling them back — Mount Diablo. Continue reading
Ginny Prior 