Make that turn off Lovers’ Lane. Here, the eucalyptus canopy closes in and the city noise drops. You are somewhere else entirely. This is Wood Line, completed in 2011 by British artist Andy Goldsworthy. The Presidio’s forests were planted by the U.S. Army in the 1880s, alternating cypress and eucalyptus. The cypresses died, leaving a … Continue reading Wood Line: A void that filled just right
The moment you step out of the car, you’re drawn not only to the open space in front of you but also to the colored wings arching overhead. This is Mussel Rock Park, which sits at the precise point where the San Andreas Fault enters the ocean. The cliffs still bear landslide scars from the … Continue reading Mussel Rock: Where colored wings meet a faulty line
The moment you step into the park, that cool and earthy scent of the redwoods as well as their awe-inspiring height immediately surround you. It triggers an endorphin release, and just like that, the city is gone. Nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park preserves a 40-acre grove of old-growth coast … Continue reading Henry Cowell Redwoods: Reset in nature’s aromatherapy
Ojai is one of those towns that asks you to take it slow. The name itself comes from the Chumash word for “moon,” carried forward from the valley’s original inhabitants. After a 1917 fire leveled downtown, glass manufacturer Edward Drummond Libbey saw an opportunity: he brought in an architect, rebuilt the whole block in Spanish … Continue reading Ojai: Libbey’s Spanish Revival dream
The Big Sur coast has a way of revealing itself only to those willing to work for it. At Andrew Molera State Park, that work begins at the edge of the Big Sur River. Here, you will have to pull off your shoes, wade through water that is colder than the warm day had promised, … Continue reading Andrew Molera State Park: Wade into the earned seclusion
Field Notes — Evaluated Through the Functional Style Index Field Notes is a recurring series where I evaluate bags through the Functional Style Index, not just for what they hold, but for how they behave once you are actually moving through a day. Product Links: At time of writing, the Clare V. Grande Bateau Tote … Continue reading Maximize vs. Just Enough: Clare V. Grande Bateau Tote vs. Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote
Nevada City is a town that speaks history at every turn, the place where miners settled after striking gold along Deer Creek in 1849. A stroll along its downtown is like a trip back in time. The streets are lined with Victorian storefronts and Greek Revival homes, thanks to a 1968 ordinance that preserved the … Continue reading Nevada City: All that the Gold Rush left behind
Field Notes — Evaluated Through the Functional Style Index Field Notes is a recurring series where I evaluate bags through the Functional Style Index, not just for what they hold, but for how they behave once you are actually moving through a day. Product Links: At time of writing, the Bellroy Folio Mini sits just … Continue reading One Motion vs. Three Pockets: Bellroy Folio Mini vs. Kipling Creativity Small Pouch
Endless rows of lettuce stretch toward the horizon, framed by rolling hills and a sky wide enough to swallow you whole. This is the Salinas Valley, California’s Salad Bowl of the World, where the soil once made this small city one of the wealthiest in America per capita. Those fields didn’t grow themselves. Waves of … Continue reading Salinas: The Steinbeck country that more than meets the freeway
Field Notes — Evaluated Through the Functional Style Index Field Notes is a recurring series where I evaluate bags through the Functional Style Index, not just for what they hold, but for how they behave once you are actually moving through a day. Product Links: At time of writing, the Clare V. Grande Fanny sits … Continue reading Hands Free, Different Energy: Clare V. Grande Fanny vs. Kipling Keiko
Field Notes — Evaluated Through the Functional Style Index Field Notes is a recurring series where I evaluate bags through the Functional Style Index, not just for what they hold, but for how they behave once you are actually moving through a day. Product Links: At time of writing, the Clare V. Moyen Messenger typically … Continue reading One Crescent, Two Personalities: Clare V. Moyen Messenger vs. Bellroy Laneway Crescent Bag
Kawaguchiko is often framed as a quick stop from Tokyo. But with less than 48 hours, we chose to be intentional. Instead of trying to cover the Fuji Five Lakes or chasing multiple viewpoints, we focused on a small set of experiences that felt scenic, grounded, and realistic. This itinerary reflects how the stay actually … Continue reading Living on Fuji Time: Less Than 48 Hours in Kawaguchiko
