a brighton idea

I haven’t done much in San Francisco lately, so with a lack of something new to talk about, I thought I’d rehash a cool California spot I visited a few years ago, brought back to my mind in last week’s Weekend Sherpa e-newsletter (Weekend Sherpa is one of my favorite websites, detailing cool, outdoorsy things to do in Northern California. It’s fabulous.) In May 2008, Seb and I camped at New Brighton State Beach, just south of Santa Cruz. It’s a gorgeous spot on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, and apparently, if you’re there at the right time between now and May, you’ll get lucky and spot some grey whales on their annual migration to Baja.

The view of the Pacific from New Brighton State Beach campground (left); our campsite, shaded by tall trees (right).

goodbye tahoe

My ski season came to an end on Sunday, as I left our ski lease in Truckee and headed back to SF for the last time this year. It was bittersweet – obviously, I love to ski, but I’m looking forward to being back in the city on the weekends, and actually seeing my friends and getting stuff done. We’ve been MIA for too long since New Year’s.

Tahoe blessed me with a massive amount of snow as a send-off. I’m talking fresh powder up to my thighs, and with the closure of Interstate 80 throughout the weekend due to heavy snow, slippery roads and stupid drivers, Northstar was not crowded. Hurrah for us.


I will miss the following, clockwise from top left: fresh powder (this was the scene in our back yard on Saturday), our rustic-yet-luxurious townhouse in Truckee, the stunning views, the alpine landscape.

dance night

Last Thursday was opening night of the San Francisco Ballet’s Program 3, and we were lucky enough to see it. It was beautiful, and for a non-fan like Seb, the mix of three very different mini-ballets was less of a snoozefest than a feature-length production. He was a good sport.

As equally exciting as seeing the world-renowned San Francisco Ballet in action was going to the War Memorial Opera House for the first time. Built in 1932, the Opera House was every bit as gorgeous as I’d expected.


All photos except for top middle courtesy sfwmpac.org; photo of dancers in Artifact Suite, the third of the night’s three ballets (top middle), courtesy sfballet.org.