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
New Mexico is known as the land of enchantment. Nowhere is this more evident than north of Santa Fe, on the road to and beyond Taos. New Mexico’s geography is both beautiful and puzzling. Sometimes the land looks flat, a plain stretches hundreds of miles into to the horizon, and then seemingly out of nowhere … More Taos and the Land of Enchantment
Something wonderful is happening in San Jose. The city that’s been in a creative dryspell is finally getting some action. Sterile walls are transforming into colorful murals, art installations keep popping up in front of city hall, and creative community-centered events are filling up the city calendar. Even though San Jose has long had artists … More Eastside Street Food Hub
The dogs of Havana share similar features, just like human inhabitants of some cities might. They are often scruffy, generally medium sized and often have long tails. As far as appearance go, that’s where the similarities end. But the spirit of the Cuban dogs is largely the same, because they know things people don’t, they … More The Dogs of Havana
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
Cows, oysters, and the Pacific Coast. If San Francisco isn’t sufficiently foggy there’s a foggier place near by — this place is Point Reyes National Seashore. The Point Reyes peninsula, which is home to a National Park, is less than an hour north of San Francisco. It’s home to the infamous Point Reyes blue cheese, … More Point Reyes
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
Penned by Alina K. A. 