DISCOVERING HALF MOON BAY AND PACIFICA
San Francisco is a city so chock full of riches and places to love, you want to linger as long as possible. When you're ready to leave the city, however, the nearby beachy towns of Half Moon Bay and Pacifica are ideal options. (Huffington Post)
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TIME TO UPDATE THAT MENTAL IMAGE OF OAKLAND – IT’S WAY MORE HIP NOW
At first the line forms slowly, a few solo diners slouching over their smartphones, just killing time until the noon opening of Bakesale Betty on Telegraph Avenue. Then, all at once, as if by a trick of time-lapse photography, several hundred lemminglike lunchgoers materialize and clog the sidewalk stretching a full block…All come to this increasingly trendy Temescal neighborhood of Oakland for that narrow window between noon and 1:30 when the funky ironing-board tables are unfolded, that magical time when Bakesale Betty actually opens for business. (The Sacramento Bee)
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NORTH AMERICA TRAVEL: ADULT GETAWAYS FOR MOM AND DAD
A commercial calls it “the most wonderful time of the year.” For parents, fall means saying goodbye to the worries of what to do with the kids all day and inserting the routine that back-to-school brings. But with your mind free from all that angst, what’s a parent to do? Run away. Sure it may require a sitter or calling in a favour or two from the in-laws, but pick one of these spots and it will be well worth your while. (Toronto Star)
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TWO CONTRASTING VIEWS OF THE WORLD
“She’s just so narcissistic,” muttered one disgruntled visitor to the Cindy Sherman exhibit at the retrospective of the photographer’s work at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The patron’s reaction is understandable in view of the fact that the only person Sherman photographs is herself. On the other hand, she could probably walk through the crowd at the exhibit without anyone recognizing her. (The Epoch Times)
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TOP FIVE OFF-PEAK DESTINATIONS FOR FALL 2012
There's so much going on in San Diego during fall that it seems wrong to call it the off-season. But it is, which means fall deals are as plentiful as fun local festivals and events. Coming up this season: Restaurant Week, Beer Week, and the San Diego Film Festival. (smartertravel.com)
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CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST, PART ONE
The golden state’s middle ground is ripe with new wineries, gastro-inns and farm-fresh shopping. (New York Times via T Magazine)
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WORLD’S BEST WINE RESORTS
[Ponte Vineyard Inn]…officially opened its adjacent inn last May after years of prodding from its dedicated Wine Club members. The Mission-style hotel was built right on the farming grounds and is equipped with sustainable features, such as a parking lot that absorbs rainwater and properly distributes it to the on-site vineyard. Now you can immerse yourself in the Pacific Ocean without wetting a toe. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center, a free museum near Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, Calif., celebrates a wild preserve that reaches from the Golden Gate to south of Big Sur. (Departures)
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THE COMPLEXITIES OF CALIFORNIA’S BOTTLES
All of September has been California Wine Month in California, and wineries there have been putting on tastings, tours, courses and other events for residents of the state and some of the millions of wine tourists it attracts every year. Looking through the program, activities like yoga in the vineyards caught my eye, and I wondered if the ‘wine immersion course’ referred to a learning or a bathing experience. This is California, after all. (Ottawa Citizen)
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AMERICA’S BEST CITIES ON THE RISE
Which hip California community has been said to have more resident artists per capita than any other U.S. city (after Brooklyn)? It's not San Francisco—it's nearby Oakland, a blossoming city by the Bay. Oakland is an ideal destination for travelers interested in cuisine, culture, and the arts. Several local art deco theaters, including the Paramount Theatre and the Fox, as well as the Oakland Museum of California, have recently undergone renovations. (smartertravel.com)
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WINE AND UNWIND
Did somebody say “staycation?” While the above photo might make you think of fly-fishing in Montana, this quaint scene actually depicts the newly renovated Temecula Creek Inn, and the agenda is more likely to include 27 holes of championship golf, an in-room massage, or, better yet: wine. Yes, the grapes are calling. This month, make the one-hour drive to Temecula, as September is California Wine Month. (San Diego Magazine)
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3 TIPS FOR AN AFFORDABLE FALL GETAWAY
Follow these three travel tips to get the most value out of your getaway this fall. Grab your camera and binoculars: There's rarely been a better time to go whale-watching off the California coast. Tourists from around the world have been flocking to Monterey Bay to catch a glimpse of the massive marine mammals, including impressive numbers of blue whales, the largest animals on earth. (Today.com)
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SONOMA WINE, TOURISM GROUP UNVEIL REGIONAL MARKETING EFFORT
A coalition of Sonoma County wine, grape and tourism organizations today unveiled a new coordinated marketing strategy, an effort that participants said is designed to raise the county’s profile among other winemaking destinations in the United States. The strategy was developed over two years as a collaboration between the Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma County Winegrape Commission and the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau. (North Bay Business Journal)
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RISE AND SHINE
With established meeting enclaves of the West such as Las Vegas, Seattle and San Francisco often grabbing the spotlight, it can be a challenge for other locales in the region to capture their due mindshare from meeting planners. Here are five up-and-coming Western destinations that are striving for some time in the spotlight, and are worth a second look when selecting a site for a meeting. (Meetings Focus)
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FIVE UNEXPECTED PLACES FOR FALL FOLIAGE
Leaf-peepers are an assertive bunch, and during peak season the usual foliage suspects become more of a parking lot than an outdoor getaway. Here are our five secret and unexpected places to get in while the getting is good—sans the crowds. (Away.com)
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ANN COLGIN, CALIFORNIA’S WINE MASTER, REVEALS HOW TO EAT, DRINK & THROW A PARTY
The world of wine is vast and rich. To celebrate California Wine Month, HuffPost LA had the chance to chat with one of the very top vintners in the state –- who just happens to live here in sunny Los Angeles. She comes from the world of art and now makes one of the most celebrated and hard to find Cabernets in California. Her highly sought-after wines are mainly available through an exclusive mailing list and in select restaurants. Meet Ann Colgin. (Huffington Post)
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BEST CITIES TO SEE FROM A BICYCLE SEAT
There are many different ways for travelers to explore a city, but for my money, viewing the sights from atop a bicycle seat trumps them all. It’s more leisurely than taking a cab or bus and allows you the flexibility to speed up, slow down, and gain access to places that are otherwise difficult to reach, like a cafĂ© or shop tucked away down a narrow alley. At the same time, biking makes it easy to follow your own interests. (Away.com)
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CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH IS FESTIVAL TIME IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
September, 2012, is California Wine Month as proclaimed once again by Governor Jerry Brown. Come to the Santa Cruz Mountains to enjoy this 8th annual celebration. Offers abound for insightful vineyard tours, wondrous winemaker dinners, wine appreciation classes, wine walks, fabulous musical festivals, and more. (examiner.com)
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TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA’S WINE REGIONS
September and October is harvest time for wineries across the Golden State – and not coincidentally, September is also the official California Wine Month. Investigating our vintages – in books or by the glass – is a civic responsibility. Spanish missionaries planted the first California vineyards in the 18th century to produce wine for mass consumption. Today, California accounts for 90 percent of American wine production and is home to more than 1,200 wineries. Given the state's Mediterranean climate and topography, there are many regions around California that create wines. There are more than 110 varieties in all. (The Orange County Register)
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GRAB YOUR PASSPORT FOR A TOUR THROUGH LODI WINE COUNTRY
To mark California Wine Month, dozens of Lodi vintners are offering discounts, activities, classes, and - of course - wine tasting with a passport for a tour of sorts through Lodi wine country. All wine lovers need is a $15 ticket - a special wine passport - that can be purchased at the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center, 2545 W. Turner Rd, in Lodi or online at lodiroadtrip.com. The all-access LoCal Road Trip pass offers admission to exclusive events and discounts from 50 participating Lodi wineries, hotels and restaurants through Oct. 6. Discounts include free wine tastings, savings off wine purchases, gift giveaways, and other deals. (Recordnet.com)
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TEMECULA VALLEY WINE COUNTRY CELEBRATES CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH
September is the month for sipping in the Temecula Valley Wine Country and it’s not too late to take advantage of some special events and money-saving opportunities. Celebrating California Wine Month, the Temecula wineries are in the midst of harvesting grapes and offering a variety of special packages that will enhance your enjoyment of this area’s wonderful wines. (examiner.com)
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MAGIC MOMENTS AND PLACES A LA “BEFORE SUNRISE”
While two of these occurred in my ‘20s, two other indelible moments happened later, affirming that inexplicable magic with another soul can occur at any moment in life.There was the day exploring San Francisco on cable cars, sharing a sundae at Ghirardelli Square at Fisherman’s Wharf, laughing about how unbelievably sweet it was, a visit to Japantown to pick up supplies to make homemade mackerel sushi and green tea, and eating dinner on the floor picnic-style in an old Berkeley apartment. (CarsTravelFood.com)
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