Local Destinations

Ideal Urban Resort: Mountain View’s Shashi Hotel

Mountain View might not be the first place one considers when planning a weekend getaway. But this tech industry town holds a few R&R surprises, such as the Shashi Hotel and its…

Gifts for Change: These gifts shift gears

At a time when many of us feel increasingly listless, lost, or stuck, despite our successes or so-called perfect lives, perhaps the gift to ask for (or to generously give) isn’t a…

San Francisco’s Beacon Grand is Exactly That

Those who well knew Beacon Grand’s former life as The Sir Francis Drake will likely not recognize the Union Square hotel in its current incarnation. Gone is the red and gold color…

Make Martis Camp Your Magical Mountain Home

Glenbrook. Fleur du Lac Estates. Clear Creek Tahoe. Schaffer’s Mill. These private communities promise the best of Lake Tahoe region living, and the amenities at each surely deliver on that promise. From…

Picnicking in the Lap of Luxury

The Healdsburg winery’s new Executive Chef offers a glimpse of its culinary future over Labor Day weekend.

Indulge at the Inn Above Tide

Get acquainted with the Sausalito hotel’s latest guest culinary experience, a worthy splurge for an extra-special getaway.

Escape to Half Moon Bay

Experience a luxurious overnight stay in this charming coastal town As the warm sun rises over the glittering Pacific Ocean, the coastal town of Half Moon Bay in California beckons with its…

Here are the Many Ways You Can Journey Through Monterey

Nestled along the picturesque coastline of California, Monterey epitomizes the beauty and allure of the Golden State. This idyllic destination has long captivated visitors with its wealth of natural wonders, cultural landmarks,…

The Laura Dave Experience

The Last Thing He Told Me At The Inn Above Tide Laura Dave’s novel The Last thing He Told Me and its recently released screen adaptation starring Jennifer Garner, brings thrills, suspense,…

Dream Inn’s Starlight Celebration Dinner Train

Get ready to have the time of your life at Dream Inn’s Starlight Celebration Dinner Train on Saturday, August 19. They’ve teamed up with Roaring Camp Railroad to make this summer extra…

Cloud Club is an Oracle Park Grand Slam

A San Francisco Giants game, enjoyed from nearly any Oracle Park vantage point, is always a great time. Upper level seating affords spectacular San Francisco Bay views; mid-level Club seating features a…

A TALE OF TWO VALLEYS

As a winegrower and winemaker myself in Knights Valley, Sonoma County, I am always looking to support local wineries when dining out. Whether in Silicon Valley or Napa Valley, I do my…

Pasta-tively in Love with Original Joe’s

They make you feel like family.  Original Joe’s is more than a restaurant. It’s a family legacy that spans three generations for me as well as for them. As a huge fan…

Treat Yourself: These Spa Treatments Combat Sun Damage

No matter how wide-brimmed our hats and shadow-seeking our intentions, most of us will have managed to get more sun this summer than anticipated. Cumulative over our lifetime, sun damage takes a…

Reset for the Soul: The Inn at Newport Ranch

As a travel writer, I’ve grown accustomed to the “reset:” adjusting to different time zones, changing normal eating habits, sleeping in strange beds, and getting up and moving for jam-packed itineraries. It’s…

So Close, So Far Away

Taking time-out at the Cavallo Point Healing Arts Center & Spa  Remember when you were a kid (or you have kids) and were told (or you tell them) “take a time-out?” Well,…

Union Square in Bloom: A Budding New Tradition

In a city filled with colorful traditions, the newest one is also the prettiest. Now in its second year, Union Square in Bloom is a springtime floral initiative by the Union Square…

Reaching for the Stars

Restaurants old and new strive for excellence in Sonoma.

Filoli Gardens: All Ages, All Seasons

One sunny morning in mid-April, the whole family embarked on the 30-mile drive from San Francisco to Filoli Gardens in Woodside. After weeks of rain, it was the perfect opportunity to take…

Why Highland Park Whisky is a San Francisco Favorite

$54K Oldest Bottle Release Will Take Place in California in 2023 People love chatting with bartenders. And when bartenders talk, people listen. Some of that talking is done without speaking — that…