MONTCLARION: November 9, 2012
It’s Hammer time in Oakland. MC Hammer has been named Oakland’s official tourism spokesman. I can hear it now … a rhythmic introduction to the museum, zoo and art scene — along with the words “Can’t touch this.” 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
MONTCLARION: October 19, 2012
October is a month of celebration and sadness. Memories of the Loma Prieta earthquake and the Oakland hills firestorm are seared in our collective memory.
Not as many of us remember another disaster that struck 50 years ago this month. Oakland’s “Great Columbus Day Flood” caused death and widespread destruction. In a copy of The Montclarion, saved by JoAnn Newcomb and sent to me by reader Harriet Schlader, it shows photos of flooded streets and mud-ravaged homes and businesses. Continue reading
HILLS NEWSPAPERS: October 12, 2012
When it comes to travel — the nose knows. It’s the sense of smell that stimulates your olfactory nerves, sending messages to your brain. Take Hawaii, for instance. From the minute you step off the plane, the perfumed scent of gardenias seduces you. The nose tells your brain this is a pleasing fragrance — perhaps one you already recognize. If so, it’s even more enjoyable. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: October 12, 2012
My dad was cracking me up this morning. He does that a lot because he’s a master joke teller with a folksy Midwestern wit. “So this guy walks into a bar,” he says for starters. My dad opens most of his jokes this way, and they almost always end with some line about a lawyer or a chimp. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: October 5, 2012
Lions and turtles and condors — oh my. The Oakland Zoo opens its impressive 17,000-square-foot veterinary hospital on Oct. 11. This handsome cedar structure at the top of the hill will be a lifesaver for animals of all stripes. There’ll be two veterinarians on staff (in addition to zoo director Dr. Joel Parrott), two vet techs and interns from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: Sept 27, 2012
If football is a religion, then my husband has racked up more church time than the Pope.
So what do you give a man like this on your 24th wedding anniversary? You acquiesce to a new endeavor and become co-owner of an ESPN Fantasy Football team.
Our marriage has never been stronger. Instead of long walks with girlfriends, I spend Sunday afternoons on the couch with my husband, screaming for our team — Teebow Steaks. We have a common goal, now — to squash our opponents and take home the cash prize at the end of the season. 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” —
Ginny Prior 