Bay Area: Hometown Favorites

Art, Apparel and Inspired Ephemera

If you love museum gift shops, street art and clever product design, you'll be charmed and overwhelmed by the selection of art, books, housewares and knickknacks at Park Life. An indie mart of sorts, Park Life is a carefully-curated retail and...

Get Away from the City for a Day on Public Transit

This dog friendly hike above Rodeo Beach in Marin County is a stones throw from the city. It's a great place to unwind and the views are incredible on a clear day, and the best part is that you can get there for $2 on the 76 Muni Line!

Scenic Drive Along California's Coast

17 miles of sandy beaches, arched rocks, and thundering waves makes the drive from Bodega Bay to Jenner one of California's most scenic attractions.

Sonoma Coast State Park is divided by cliffs and headlands that make up several different beaches...

Cocktail, Grilled Cheese, Graphic Novel

I'm almost reluctant to write this post. Two Sisters Bar & Books is a tiny and wonderful place. The picture above is from a recent rainy Saturday. Blissful, right? The cocktail was a Harvest Manhattan, which had a touch of nutmeg. Why...

Take a Walk with Elk

At the north end of Point Reyes is the Tomales Point tule elk reserve. You can get there from San Francisco in about an hour and a half, but it's far more scenic (especially for a new arrival to the West Coast, like myself) to drive of Sir Francis...

San Francisco Retreat

For one of the skyline's best views, check out the Cavallo Point Lodge, which is set in Fort Baker, a 350-acre national park just below the Golden Gate Bridge. It has 17 colonial renovated buildings that have red roofs and covered porches....

Beach Caves

San Francisco is a great starting point for a road trip. Drive north or south on the HWY 1 and you're bound to find fun towns, beautiful winding roads and gorgeous coastal scenery.

This cave is about an hour drive south of San Francisco, and then a...

Art On The Pier

Pier 24 Photography is a wonderful photography space with a vastly beautiful collection. The space is large and wonderfully lit, but you have to make an appointment to view the art. Their current exhibit focuses on traditional portrait photography...

Taco Cones and Unusual Mezcal Cocktails in Healdsburg

After a day spent floating down the Russian River, happy hour at Mateo's hit the spot. We grabbed seats at the colorful bar and ordered tacones stuffed with olive oil guacamole and black bean puree with homemade chorizo. I paired the food with a...