Where Locals Take Their Friends When They Visit San Francisco
“Nobody who actually lives here has been to Fisherman’s Wharf in the last five years. I have a different circuit for friends, and it changes depending on how many of them are coming.” Elliot Kallen I’ve lost count of how many friends, cousins, former coworkers, and friends of friends I’ve shown around San Francisco over […]
Real Stories From First-Time Visitors: What They Wish They Knew
Names and identifying details have been composited to protect privacy. The experiences are real. The lessons are real. The people just asked not to be named. “Pull up a chair. Tonight I am not the one talking. I am just passing the mic around the fire. Every year, people tell me stories about their first […]
How Many Days Do You Really Need in Napa or Sonoma?
“My palate has always gravitated toward powerful California reds,” and I still say that after twenty-plus years of visiting Napa and Sonoma. It’s part of why I keep coming back instead of chasing some new wine region every year. But the question I get asked more than any single winery recommendation is simpler: how many […]
7 Best Small Towns Near Los Angeles for a Weekend Escape
I used to think “getting out of LA for the weekend” meant a flight. Palm Springs if I wanted heat, Cabo if I wanted an ocean that didn’t smell faintly of sunscreen and traffic. It took an embarrassing number of years living down here part-time before I figured out that some of the best weekends […]
11 Coastal Towns Near Los Angeles Every Traveler Should Visit
My phone has a note just called “Coast.” Been adding to it for years, ever since I got tired of retyping the same text every time a friend landed at LAX and asked where to go on their one free day. A lot of opinions have grown since then – which towns I’d actually send […]
Beverly Hills vs West Hollywood: Which Fits Your Style?
From my Journal Tammy and I have lived close enough to both of these for years that we’ve had dinner in one and been asleep in the other the same night, more times than I can count. People ask me constantly which one they should actually move to, and I’ve never once given the same […]
San Francisco Experiences That Aren’t in Every Travel Guide
“The San Francisco everyone photographs is real. But it’s a postcard of a city that has about nine other cities folded inside it, and almost nobody unfolds all of them.” — Elliot Kallen Hey, it’s Elliot. Tammy and I have gone back to San Francisco more times than either of us can count over the […]
The Best Time to Visit Napa & Sonoma for Wine, Food, and Events
“Every month in this valley argues its own case for being the best one. February makes its case in mustard flowers. October makes its case in smoke and sugar. I’ve stopped trying to declare a winner and started just telling people the truth about each one.” — Elliot Kallen, There’s a version of this question […]
15 Common Napa Trip Planning Mistakes to Avoid
(Yes, I’ve Made Most of Them) Elliot Kallen Let me tell you about the first time I planned a trip to Napa Valley. I booked a hotel in the middle of August. I didn’t make a single winery reservation. I scheduled five tastings in one afternoon. I drove myself. I had no idea that harvest […]
The Perfect First-Time Napa & Sonoma Weekend Itinerary
I’ve gotten this text more times than I can count. “Elliot — going to Napa for the first time next month. What do we do?” And every single time, my first instinct is to ask them one thing back: How much do you want to remember it? Because there are two versions of a Napa […]