Happy Wanderer: Easter in Savannah – A Trip Back in Time

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One of America’s most beautiful cities has General Sherman to thank for its survival. When Savannah, Georgia fell to the North in the Civil War, Sherman spared it from the fiery fate he’d metered on so many other Confederate towns. The gilded southern seaport survived – and still thrives – to this day.

Savannah was part of the last New World Colony (under King George the Second) and this history is evident today. In fact, 22 of the 24 original town squares still grace this southern bell, providing a gathering place every two or three blocks for the townsfolk and visitors.

It was Easter weekend when my daughter and I pulled into Savannah and up to the Planters Inn. This 200-year-old boutique hotel on historic Reynolds Square would be our home for the next two days, and a launching pad for as many tours as we could take in dress heels.

Yes, I said heels, and I don’t recommend it for everyone. But we wanted to immerse ourselves in the style and grace of a bygone era. Besides, it took a whole day of shopping to find shoes for our pastel dresses and we weren’t about to leave them in the closet. Continue reading →

Happy Wanderer: Hawaii’s Big Island Tickles the Senses

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HILLS NEWSPAPERS: April 9, 2010

If it were up to the senses, Hawaii would win as the number one travel destination. From the moment you land, your nose is treated to an arresting bouquet of Plumeria, Orchids and sea salt.

Your eyes are bathed in soft light and swaying palms – with golden-sand beaches and electric green valleys. Your ears hear the slightest whisper of breeze and the lapping of the tide – and the faint sound of ukulele and drums. From there it builds – the taste, the touch, the total immersion in nature’s masterpiece. Continue reading →

Town Crier: Dangers lurking in the Oakand Hills

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MONTCLARION: April 9, 2010

One of my favorite things about living in Montclair is also one of my biggest fears – being involved in an accident.

I’ve often opined about cars parked on curves, forcing motorists out of their lanes. It’s selfish and dangerous and should be illegal, yet it’s the norm in the hills.

Even more unsettling is the chance you might hit a pedestrian – something reader Greg Case witnessed twice as an Oakland firefighter responding to accidents on Grizzly Peak Road. . “One of these calls was for a man that walked every day up Colton…” he remembers, saying a car met the man on a blind curve and – giving him a wide berth – struck an oncoming vehicle. The pedestrian was caught in the middle and killed almost instantly. He’d been walking in traffic so no charges were filed but a life was lost and you can imagine the motorists’ grief. “Even if you’re in the right,” Case says, you could be “dead right”. Continue reading →

Town Crier: St. Mary’s Victory Parade Makes Sweet Impression

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MONTCLARION: March 26, 2010

Everyone loves a parade, it’s been said, but this one was one for the ages.

It was after 11 the other night, when a merry band of St. Mary’s fans led a procession through Moraga. At the front was a fire truck, followed by three squad cars, the Mayor, some others – and me. We escorted the Gaels basketball team to their campus – fresh from the airport and a giant-slaying win over Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Tourney. (Round three is today against Baylor, and our guys are well rested and ready).

But back to the late night procession and rally, in a town that gets sleepy at sundown. It was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever experienced. Continue reading →

Town Crier: They call Him the Wanderer

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MONTCLARION: March 19, 2010

He scours the streets, looking for food.  “Who will show kindness today?” he asks, as his body grows weary from the hunt. There is no rest, really, when you’re homeless – nowhere that’s safe – nowhere that’s nurturing.

And yet, something tells me this cat is “working it”. Like clockwork, he shows up at dinnertime and I acquiesce. Despite the objections of my own feline charge, I put out a spread for this drifter, who seems oddly plump when it’s all said and done. Continue reading →

Happy Wanderer: Pond Skimming; Wet and Wild

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HILLS NEWSPAPERS: March 19, 2010

Some folks are born with a silver spoon. I was born with two boards. My folks had me skiing when I was old enough to walk. That’s not unusual in Minnesota, where everything you’ve heard about winter is true. It’s cold, it’s long and it’s spectacular.

But something happens to Minnesotans in spring. We get a little giddy. Call it cabin fever, but we celebrate the first thaw like we’ve won the state lottery. We go a little bonkers.

So you can understand why the most vivid memories of my youth involve bikinis and Viking horns and snow skiing on water. It’s what you do when the weather turns warm and the powder turns to mush.

Pond skimming has become more than just a wacky way to ring in spring. It’s bringing in big business to resorts that might otherwise be looking at some lonely last days before a long summer break.

Continue reading →

Town Crier: Horse-trading mushrooms for restaurant chits

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California may be hemorrhaging jobs, but there’s one opportunity popping up all over the place. I’m talking edible mushrooms – appearing en mass at a forest near you.

The job of a mushroom hunter can be rather lucrative – even for the hobbyist. Just ask reader Blake Gilmore, who’s been picking pounds of Chanterelles and trading them for free food at some fine Oakland restaurants. Who knew a bag of shrooms could be your ticket to a nice night out? Continue reading →

HAPPY WANDERER: Hotels that Embrace Animals

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CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM: MARCH 5, 2010

We’ve all shared elevators with strangers. In my case, however, they’ve been stranger than most.

In hotels across America, I’ve ridden the lift with some unorthodox travelers.

A pot bellied pig got off on my floor at ski hostel in Colorado.

In Memphis I rode up to my room with a badling of ducks – the famed Peabody ducks, if we’re name-dropping.

I’ve seen cats and dogs and even a goose in elevators – all as mascots or guests of hotels. Continue reading →

One Woman’s Hallmark Moment

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MONTCLARION: March 5, 2010

Peace, love and joy. Who can argue with the powerful images these three words invoke?

I must confess, I have a weakness for uplifting messages – especially if they come in a handsome hardcover book or a glossy greeting card.

So when local artist Kay Kopit’s Art & Soul collection came to my house, I was immediately drawn to the eight little affirmations that fit in the palm of my hand.

Kay has spent two years on this collection of what she calls transformations. The colorful cards feature her original paintings and words of hope in the face of despair. No stranger to the hard edge of life, Kay, herself, has fought the demons of addiction and dysfunctional relationships. Her poignant documentary I survived is viewed by thousands each month on her website. Continue reading →

Mushroom Madness

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MONTCLARION: FEBRUARY  25, 2010

Talk about chasing down a story. Last week, I got a call from a reader who was pretty sure Chanterelles were growing on his backyard slope. “If you want them, you can have them,” said Joseph, who hadn’t seen that many mushrooms since he lived in Bavaria.

So I gathered my crack team of mushroom hunters and we drove to the patch, which – sure enough – was peppered with golden Chanterelles. Under the shade of an old Oak tree was a veritable feast of fungi. We came, we sautéed, we savored.

The job of a journalist is not always easy. You have to be willing to dig – to root out the story. Continue reading →