OAKLANDTRIBUNE.COM: April 26, 2013

Marin County’s slick PR piece invites visitors to “step out to the end of the earth.” Consider yourself lucky that the end is near.

San Rafael’s famed Lucas Valley Road off 101 is a portal to a place seductively frozen in time. Almost immediately, you’ll enter a storybook setting of white picket fences and sprawling old oaks. Carmel-colored horses graze lazily on endless acres of velvet grassland punctuated by red barns and the occasional wooden sign marked “Winery ahead.” Continue reading →

HILLS NEWSPAPERS: March 28, 2013

Some things in life come full-circle. Take acorns, for instance. Once used by early Californians for flour, these tannic oak offerings are making a comeback in one of California’s culinary hot spots — Sonoma. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: February 22, 2013

It was 1923 when a real estate agent nailed up a sign at the top of a dusty ridgeline road that read “Oakland, the Greatest City on the Pacific Coast — INVEST!” Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: Nov. 21, 2012

It’s Black Friday. Honestly, couldn’t we have picked a more cheerful term for the kickoff to holiday shopping season? Black Friday sounds like the day aliens took over our planet. On second thought, maybe it’s apropos, considering the scene at the malls today.

But I digress. What I’d really like to ponder is the generosity of two East Bay men and a church group from St. Paul’s Episcopal in Walnut Creek. Together, they’ve given us a holiday gift. All we have to do is hop on a BART train to see it. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: November 1, 2012

Halloween is over. We don’t have to worry about things that go bump in the night. Or do we? With each passing week comes a new concern — something you can’t even see that is lurking underground, threatening homes, cars and even human life. It’s a dangerous thing called root damage. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: October 26, 2012

Tucked in the crawl space of our house is a box. It’s an orange and black bin that holds decades of Halloween memories. Every year, I dust off the cobwebs and pop off the plastic lid to reveal costumes and makeup and candles and corncobs. This year, I dug a little deeper. Continue reading →

HILLS NEWSPAPERS: October 26, 2012

The ratio of humans to ghosts is unknown. That’s probably a good thing, knowing how spirits can violate one’s personal space.

Yet, this is the season to seek out these elusive beings. Cemeteries aside, there is no better place to meet up with a ghost than a historic hotel. Here are five California favorites: Continue reading →

CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM: September 27, 2012

Robert Louis Stevenson once described wine as “poetry in a bottle.” But the real music is made during crush, when the grape skins are broken to prepare them for wine production. Early autumn sees a steady flow of visitors to the vineyard-laced valleys of Napa and Sonoma. The tasting rooms are abuzz with the talk of tannins as wine lovers rush to find pairings for dishes such as braised short ribs and pumpkin soup.

Yet, not everyone loves a parade. If you’re looking for a more intimate experience, here are three off-the-grid wine regions that will help you avoid the rush to the crush.

Santa Cruz: Fourteen wineries make up a consortium called Surf City Vintners near Swift Street and Ingalls in Santa Cruz. The area has a funky warehouse feel, which just lends to the fun of going door-to-door to taste wine. The most recognized label is Bonny Doon Vineyard, a soulful operation that was nearly lost when disease decimated its vineyards in the mid-1990s. Today, Bonny Doon wines are a Santa Cruz favorite, coupled with a popular on-site café called Le Cigare Volant. Each table has its own private nook, where locally-grown foods are paired with the winery’s organic offerings.

Nearby, Marin Artukovich is having more fun than a vintner should have. The coffee-grower-turned-winemaker owns MJA Vineyards, where soft Hawaiian music plays as he pours tastings of several of his “girls” —

MONTCLARION: May 24, 2012

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and all across the land, there are wispy clouds of grilling smoke, with just a hint of cayenne. And mesquite.

The barbecue is more than just a cooking device — it’s a savory symbol of summer. We lovingly spritz our veggies in olive oil and make up our marinades days in advance. We crisp the greens and shape the patties and load up the coolers with drinks. It’s a ritual we do better than anyone on earth, and we’re proud of it. So fire up the coals and let the barbecuing begin. Continue reading →