Big, Big Bear

I was feeling the urge to beat the heat and relax by a lake today, so I decided to venture to the mountains and the choice fell on Big Bear. Although not exactly close (it takes about two hours from the Coachella Valley), the trip goes by very fast, thanks to the beautiful scenery of perfectly…

Borrego Springs

Someone asked me the other day if I’ve ever visited Borrego Springs and I sheepishly admitted that no, not only I had never been there, but never heard of it, either. I had to make up for the time lost and decided to go there the very next day. It takes about an hour and a…

The Salton Sea

When I first heard about the Salton Sea, I honestly thought it was just a fantasy … I mean, a huge body of water in the middle of the desert, really? But no, it is as real as the air we breathe. It exists and it’s actually posing a threat to the same air we…

IdyllWild!!

A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation with friends about the ultimate tips for summertime survival in the desert, and they enthusiastically told me how they love camping in the San Jacinto mountains, specifically by the quaint village of Idyllwild, about 40 miles away from here.

Big Sur

This Labor Day weekend the Duke and I decided to unplug by going to Central California. We drove up the Pacific Coast Highway through San Luis Obispo, Cambria, and San Simeon with our final destination being Big Sur. Many people will tell you how nice the Pacific coast is over there, but if you haven’t…

The Venice Canals

Every now and then, I must admit, I miss wandering through the narrow calli (walkways), campielli (squares), and bridges of my beautiful Venice. Venice gives the illusion that you own her while you walk through her narrow little streets, when in fact, you don’t; she’s a mysterious older sexy lady that doesn’t need anyone to validate…