Do you scratch your head and wonder how they schedule routine highway and bridge repairs?  I assumed that it would be a pro-active process,  with planning and timing designed to work around any peak travel times.  Clearly any major repairs are going to involve disruption, but I would think that the powers that be would want to minimize the amount of disruption caused to drivers.
In most cases, this means that repairs are going to happen over a weekend, when the disruption to commuters is minimized.  Okay, that makes sense.
But why, I am asking myself, would anyone schedule repairs to the …read more

The USS Potomac was a 165-foot Coast Guard cutter before it was commissioned by the US Navy in 1936.  The ship was used by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as his presidential yacht, and to this day it is affectionately referred to as the “floating White House.” 
FDR hated to fly, preferring to travel by ship or train, and the USS Potomac was outfitted to accommodate his mobility issues.  It could cruise along at speeds of 10-13 knots, and FDR would often hold informal strategy meetings aboard, enjoying the privacy and seclusion the yacht provided.  Visiting dignitaries were entertained on …read more

While it may not be the Grand Canal in Venice, you can experience an authentic Venetian Gondola ride on Lake Merritt in Oakland, California.
Operating year round, Gondola Servizio offers private tours (meaning you are not thrown together with strangers) on a reservation only basis.  Come as a couple for a romantic sunset rid, or put together a party of up to six for a more festive occasion. 
Available cruise packages include:

Marco Polo:  30 minute tour, $45 for two people, additional guests $10 per person.
Casanova:  55 minute tour, $75 for two people, additional guests $10 per person.
Promessi Sposi:  A photographers …read more

One of my favorite buildings in the Oakland, California skyline is the 21-story Tribune Tower.  Originally opened in 1923, it was the home of the Oakland Tribune newspaper, with the top floor of the clock tower as the home for KLX Radio.
After the Tower was damaged in the 1989 Loma Pieta earthquake, the newspaper moved to new digs and the building sat empty for years.  The Tower was eventually renovated and today it houses offices and residential condos. 
The clock tower and tower top are a city beacon that can be seen from miles away, and are one of …read more

On a recent layover, as I was sitting in the transportation van with the rest of my crew, I looked out the window at the mass of tail lights and exhaust fumes, shook my head, and muttered “rush hour.”
For those of you who travel to and from the airport on a frequent basis, I’m sure that’s an all too familiar scenario.  While there may be no getting around the traffic, if you are traveling in the New England or San Francisco Bay area, there are ways to commute to the airport without polluting the environment.
Now, thanks to PlanetTran, there’s a …read more

I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Oakland, California, this month, and while it’s not one of my favorite cities, it is starting to grow on me.
There is a vibrant Chinatown, a great place for people watching.
It is also an uncomfortable dichotomy of ramshackle apartments adjacent to modern office buildings.  The perpetual difference between the “haves” and the “have nots.”
This photo is part of my Projet 365, a year long commitment to take one photo a day for the entire year.
 

The weather cooling down at the end summer means that harvest time is just around the corner.
All those lovely fall fruits and vegetables.  But perhaps most importantly, it’s harvest time in the vineyards.  Aaaaaaaaah, for a little taste of the grape!
Last month is was Grapefest, and this month it’s the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, running October 6-8th at the Fairgrounds.
Like most harvest festivals you’ll see the traditional vendors, arts and crafts, food booths, and a variety of entertainment.  And like most grape harvest festivals, you’ll also have educational sessions, auctions, plenty of time to learn more about and purchase wine, and, …read more

I’m in Oakland today.
I haven’t been here for a number of months, and it’s never been one of my favorite layovers.  What I noticed this afternoon, however, is how much the city has changed.  It seems there’s a new sense of vibrancy, and it just feels like a fun place to be.  Oakland?  Yep, Oakland.
Lots of things are going on in Oakland this summer, and you may want to check some of them out if you are in the area.
On Wednesday at noon, throughout the summer, there are free outdoor concerts at the Oakland City Center (13th & Broadway) as part …read more