HILLS NEWSPAPERS June 19, 2009
A LONG TIME AGO, in a village not far away, the horseman ruled the land. Barns dotted the hillside and paints and Appaloosas grazed in pastures above the sparkling waters of the Bay.
This was the Oakland hills, circa 1938, when rodeo cowboys ran the ranches and the Mills College girls rode their steeds through the canyon and up the hill, past what’s now Merritt College, to Joaquin Miller Park. Continue reading
HILLS NEWSPAPERS June 5, 2009
I TOOK A BATH recently and had the government to thank. If Congress hadn’t 
stepped in to protect Hot Springs, Ark., in 1832, I would have been left high and dry on a recent visit. Instead, I had one of the most enjoyable spa vacations in my 50 odd years on this planet.
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM May 29, 2009
FOIE GRAS AT A five-star restaurant: $27. Poolside umbrella drinks: $24.50. Lutefisk in a live theater presentation: priceless.
In a list of the world’s great stage cities, Minneapolis is one of my favorites. Maybe it’s the weather that spurs such a hearty helping of creativity. There are literally hundreds of live productions in the Twin Cities and surroundings (it’s the third largest theater market in the United States), and the offerings are eclectic, if not downright outrageous. Continue reading
HILLS NEWSPAPERS May 8, 2009
IF A PICTURE IS WORTH a thousand words, then this one left me 
speechless. Two fleshy cheeks sporting spiral tattoos, framed by the fringe around two large holes cut in the seat of someone’s pants. We’re talking lower cheeks, here.
Madame Chinchilla was quick to point out that this was one of the more eclectic photographs in her World Famous Triangle Tattoo Studio and Museum in Fort Bragg. But there were thousands of examples of ink art on ankles and arms, chests and breasts and extremities too fragile to mention in the same sentence with needles. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM April 10, 2009
I’VE NEVER understood the attraction of pet-friendly hotels. I go on vacation to get away from my pet.
OK, that’s not quite true — but I still wouldn’t bring my cat on a trip. Who would watch the house?
What I do enjoy are hotels with optional animals. The Peabody Hotel in Memphis, for instance, has twice daily duck marches from the luxurious lobby fountain to the elevator and up to the roof. It’s a spectacle that’s been part of the Peabody tradition for 75 years, and it draws such a crowd that the lobby bar is packed for a full hour before the grand Duckmaster makes his appearance. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM March 27, 2009
IN A LIST OF THE world’s gourmet foods, sauerkraut never seems to make the cut. But don’t tell that to the folks who make their home in what’s known as North Dakota’s “Great Sauerkraut Triangle.”
The south-central part of the state dishes out some of the best German food, architecture and culture this side of Munich. In the words of North Dakota’s most famous German Russian, 1950s band leader Lawrence Welk, the region is “wunnerful, wunnerful!” Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM March 13, 2009
APRIL SHOWERS BRING May flowers, but our recent rains have brought 
something even better — waterfalls.
The Falls Trail up the back side of Mt. Diablo has never been prettier, with its swollen creek and four cascading waterfalls tumbling down from the peak. Having hiked there last weekend, I can vouch for their splendor. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM February 26, 2009
NOT SINCE the days of the old ’60s sitcom Mr. Ed have I felt so close to a 
horse. But my time in the saddle with Scatter Gun has changed my life.
Bonding with horses is a rewarding experience — in some ways better than bonding with humans. People have opinions, and rarely do they keep them to themselves these days. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM February 13, 2009
TRAVELING IS GOOD for the soul, albeit not so good for the wallet. But with a 
little imagination, you can visit some far off places sans your suitcase and credit cards.
Here are my fave five East Bay getaways:
1. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. It’s Ireland without the pubs. The undulating terrain formed by ever-shifting tectonic plates reminds me of the hills south of Dublin in County Wicklow. And while Sibley’s prominent feature is Round Top, the 10 million-year-old volcano, I’m more smitten with the bovine. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM January 30, 2009
Ginny Prior and Steve Wozniak playing Segway polo
IN MINNEAPOLIS, a popular attraction for tourists is the Magical History Tour. It’s a clever reference to something old (the Beatles) and something new — seeing the city on Segways. (The name also reminds me of hippies flying through time on a psychedelic carpet, but that’s another story.)
I’ve been a fan of the Segway since my first encounter with the futuristic machines in Oakland’s Redwood Park. A local entrepreneur, Drew Foster, was taking folks on an off-road tour through the tall trees and the sight was —— quite frankly — something out of Twilight Zone.
Yet “humans on a stick,” as one company calls Segway riders, have the best of both worlds. They can cover more miles than a pedestrian and without the aching arches. It’s really one of the best ways I’ve found to see a city. Continue reading
Ginny Prior 