So many San Juan Islands ecosystems can coexist on a single island that an afternoon’s walk can take you to beach, forest, wetland, meadow. Read more.
photo ops
A Patch of Fireweed in the Northwest — What Color Are Those Blossoms? Do I Need to Know?
I couldn’t make up my mind about that tall stand of fireweed I saw growing on the edge of a woodlet in the Pacific Northwest last summer. Were those blossoms purple? Blue? Pink? Or what? Read more.
Olympic Sculpture Park Photos — Cool Art, Really Cool Park
More Olympic Sculpture Park photos: At this seven-year-old park in Seattle, you can have it both ways — cool modern art and a stunning walk in the city. Read more.
To the Himalayas and Back — In a Day and Duty Free
Bay Area residents — it’s not too late to catch this year’s Himalayan Fair at Live Oak Park in Berkeley. Today’s the second and last day of the annual celebration of the cultures of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and North India — and a terrific shopping opportunity.
Photo Op: When the Sun Shines Sideways
I took a late afternoon camera walk in the woods the other day. The sun had dropped low in the sky, so the light was soft and was coming at everything sideways. Read more.
The de Young This Week: Bursting With Art — And Flowers
Art. Bouquets. More art. More bouquets. My idea of a good time. I spent the day yesterday at the annual Bouquets to Art show at the de Young Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park — joined by two friends who enjoy flowers and art as much as I do. Read more.
SXSW: The Funky Charms of East Austin, Texas
Deep in the heart of Texas is a neighborhood that has everything it takes to be a first-rate hipster haven — street art, food trucks, farmers markets, coffee shops, parks, affordable (so far) housing, artists’ studios, walkability — and, most important, a carefree, offbeat vibe. Read more.