In the winter, as folks fire up their furnaces, the warm smell of piñon pours out of chimneys and lingers in the adobe streets. It follows us as we make our way through the alleys, to the plaza, and past the city’s ancient cathedrals. The sweet, woody scent is pervasive throughout Santa Fe. Before I … More Santa Fe
I darted straight for the musubis as we made our way to the food tents at Sand City’s Westside Festival. There were plenty of other food vendors to choose from, but some delicious spam wrapped in sushi rice and seaweed was the perfect thing to hit the spot after a night of cocktails. Sand City, … More Sand City
Before going to Cuba, I was told to lower my expectations. Granted, my expectations were high: I expected beautiful architecture, friendly people, and lots of music. Was I wrong? How could a country notorious for its rich culture and passionate people be anything less? We arrived in Camagüey, the capital city of Cuba’s largest province, … More Camagüey, Cuba
The Mile High City, Queen of the Plains, the Beer Capitol –– A city of so many names surely has something to offer to a group of twenty and thirty-somethings looking for some birthday celebration fun. Even though Denver is vast and dynamic, you can kind of get it by spending a couple of nights … More Denver
The flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos wasn’t very long, only about and hour and a half. We landed on Baltra, a small, very flat island that had been used as a military base by Americans during World War II. It was arid, in large part due to its altitude: in the Galapagos, the tallest … More To the equator: the Galapagos
My mom and I set off to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands on Thursday in mid October. We flew from San Jose to Long Beach. I lugged my work laptop along with me, seeing as my work would be going on vacation too. In the days prior to our trip, I was so occupied with … More To the Equator: part one
When even Santa Cruz feels a bit too fast, a drive about 45 minutes north up the Pacific Coast leads to a perfect destination: the cute and quaint Pescadero. There isn’t much to do around town, and that’s one of the things that makes visiting Pescadero special. Instead of hasting just to get the full … More Pleasant times in Pescadero
I don’t always make it to Outside Lands, but this year I made a point to bring my siblings and boyfriend with me to the festival grounds at Golden Gate Park on a Sunday. This was after all the last day of the 10 years Outside Landsaversary, so people surely made it worthwhile. Sitting here … More Outside Lands 10.0
I took an uber from Hollywood beach and went south. I was dropped off at one of the few places in Miami that’s familiar to me: North Beach. The ghost town up the road from the super popular and glamorous South Beach. The road that I’m referring to is Collins Avenue, which stretches from the … More Back in Miami
Between the golden pastures of California and the desolate deserts of Nevada, deep in the Sierra Mountains sits Lake Tahoe. It’s been there since before the Donner party and the settlement of the West, and it will be there long after we’re gone. Until then, the people who know it will do everything in their … More Tahoe’s Winter Wonderland
Penned by Alina K. A. 