Eastbaytimes.com: March 15, 2022
Napa. Sonoma. Boonville. On the list of California’s celebrated wine towns, the name Boonville may sound a bit odd. With more livestock than people (area pop. 1,400)and not a stop-light to be found, Boonville sounds like a wide spot in the road – not an award-winning wine destination.
Continue readingDIABLOMAGAZINE: January, 2022
It’s the dead of winter. If we were reptilian, we might shed our skin about now. Instead, consider the mud bath as an option for January rejuvenation.
Continue readingMERCURYNEWS.COM: December 3, 2021
A million brilliant bulbs twinkle in the night. Imagine the impact this has on your mood as you stroll through one of the most dazzling light festivals in the country. The Redding Garden of Lights is drawing visitors from across the Pacific Northwest, with its 10 acres of world-class illumination by light artist Tres Fromme. It’s one of many reasons to drive up Interstate 5 in December.
Continue readingDIABLO MAGAZINE: June 2021
Increased fitness, unbeatable views, and an instant mood boost: the benefits of open-water swimming are drawing growing numbers of swimmers to the East Bay’s coastal waters. Whether it’s Alameda’s 2.5-mile sandy shoreline,the Berkeley Marina’s more challenging chop, or the relatively calm cove at Richmond’s Keller Beach, saltwater swimming is making a splash.
Continue readingMercurynews.com: December 13, 2020
It’s Santa’s big week, and the presents are nestled safely under our tree, to quote a movie line from “Jingle all the Way.” Statistics show the number-one present this season is the gift card — for anything from electronics to post-pandemic travel. This year, I’m gifting travel.
Continue readingMercurynews.com: November 5, 2020
photo courtesy of Ginny Prior
A favorite Yosemite Valley fall hike is the pleasant, forested trek to Mirror Lake, which gets no water this time of year but features a vast expanse of sand and rocks and a nearby collection of Hoo Doos, above, on a hillside.
November brings good news for those of us ‘pining’ for outdoor adventures. Yosemite National Park is no longer requiring advance reservations. The 5-month policy requiring day passes during peak summer travel ended Nov. 1 as the park ushers in “shoulder season.” Continue reading
DIABLO MAGAZINE: July, 2020
Courtesy of San Damiano Retreat.
The circumstances of recent months have altered how many of us feel about travel. For some, the yearning for human connection has grown. For others, there’s a newfound peace in solitude. Continue reading
Ginny Prior 