California

Just when I’m ready to start wearing wool sweaters and tweed, San Francisco’s summer officially begins at the start of September. The next two months are the best possible time to visit the city: the sun is out, the tourist crowds are gone, fun free events are scheduled for almost every weekend. Here are five…

Rob and I spent last weekend at the super lovely Mendocino Woodlands Camp. We were there for three days of mountain biking along with 100 other riders and 20 children at the annual M5 retreat. Our little cabins lacked insulation, running-water and electricity, but made up for it with large windows, porches and stone fireplaces…

Pacific Grove was the ideal place for a four-day weekend relaxing in beach houses with my family and relatives. In the summer, most days are foggy with a spot of warm sun in the middle for a jaunt to the beach. Basics We were 10 adults and 3 kids under 4 for this weekend vacation.…

A kayak is a fantastic way to get a sense of how special the marine ecosystem is in Monterey Bay. Rob and I rented a tandem kayak at Lover’s Point and set out our last afternoon. Not being the world’s biggest whale fan…I, of course, had a close encounter with a gray whale not five…

No trip to Pacific Grove would be complete without going to the historic downtown to shop for estate jewelry! Beach towns always seem to have great finds, must be something about a retiree population trading in their old gems for comfy chinos. Even compared to other beach towns, I’ve found Pacific Grove to have some…

By chance, we planned our family weekend in Pacific Grove on the day of the annual Feast of Lanterns. I hadn’t known anything about this celebration before we arrived – it’s exactly the kind of thing I like. Started in 1905, the city celebrates a Chinese legend each summer with a boat parade, performance and…

Pacific Grove sits at the furthest point of a peninsula beyond Monterey and Pebble Beach. Its famously-rocky coast is packed full of kelp, otters, seals, birds and whales and the town has an adorable victorian charm, with a few small hotels and a municipal golf course. It is the ideal setting for a murder mystery…

Our 6th year at Mountain Play in Marin and our best picnic yet! The performance this year is one of my favorite musicals: South Pacific by Rodgers & Hammerstein. A perfect chance to produce a spread of polynesian recipes, exotic flowers and tropical fruits.  The Guests 16 people made the trek up 2,500 feet to the…

This was the second time Rob’s nephews have come to visit us in San Francisco! We’ve become experts at finding activities that entertain and don’t embarrass teenage boys. This summer, the boys were 14 and 16 years old. For all these activities, taking the subway, busses, trollies and taxis to get around was an added…

Last week was a whirlwind! Keeping two teenage boys entertained and fed in San Francisco is a full-time job. Isaac loves mini golf and I was surprised to find that a new indoor course opened up in the city when Rob and I were away traveling. First step at Urban Putt is picking your color…