Start your hike at the top of Peel Street. The trail from this point is all the way ascending until you reach a semicircular plaza, also known as Kondiaronk Belvedere. Here, you will find the city of Montréal beneath your feet, with the St. Lawrence River in the backdrop. The bustling metropolis now looks within reach, yet … Continue reading Mount Royal: The mountain, the summit, and the name
Nestled in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood of Montréal, Saint-Louis Square is an urban park just a block from the bustling Rue Sherbrooke. The park itself does not take up a lot of real estate. Nor does it feature complex setups: it is a rectangle with greenery space which, when adorned with the colorful Victorian row … Continue reading Saint-Louis Square: A soothing color palette
A few blocks from the bustling downtown area sits Old Montréal (French: Vieux-Montréal), a historic neighborhood lined with cobblestone streets and buildings dating back to the 17th century. This is one of the oldest European settlements in North America, and where the city of Montréal started its humble beginning as Fort Ville-Marie in 1642 before … Continue reading Old Montréal: Where history leaves its imprints
Sitting on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the Old Port of Montréal (French: Vieux-Port de Montréal) used to be the hub for fur trade and grain export, liaising the inland with the seaward at its peak. Since the port activities moved east in 1976, however, the Old Port is no longer an active … Continue reading Old Port of Montréal: A crucial liaison
If you drive along Highway 88 towards the east or Highway 89 towards the south in early October, you will start noticing some yellow hues sparkling in between the green pine trees. Soon, these shades will morph from distinct patches into a dazzling display of gold and orange. You know this is when you have … Continue reading Hope Valley: A golden state of wonder
You will want to take that turn on Highway 1. At first glance, the road leads to an unassuming residential area on the San Mateo coast—at least not until you venture further into the trail, when you realize that there is an unworldly sanctuary out there. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, located about halfway between Pacifica and … Continue reading Fitzgerald Marine Reserve: An unworldly sanctuary
For the Golden State, it all began here in 1769. Old Town San Diego, a community situated around 3.5 miles northwest of downtown San Diego, was the site of the first Spanish settlement in California. This neighborhood was the center of the city until the 1860s, when development and businesses started to shift to the … Continue reading Old Town San Diego: Where it all started
Palm-trees-lined streets under the azure sky, with wide open white sandy beaches in the backdrop—as soon as you step foot in N. Pacific St in Oceanside, you know that you have reached that quintessential beach town in Southern California. Here, you can catch waves, people-watch, or even just daydream, and there is something for everyone … Continue reading Oceanside: Surf, tan, chill
The Pacific Ocean glistens as the sun moves further towards the horizon during the golden hour, signaling the end of yet another day. The image is so poetic yet powerful—no wonder the French people call the sunset “le coucher du soleil”, literally “the sun is going to bed”. Come experience the sunset at Torrey Pines … Continue reading Torrey Pines State Beach: Where the sun meets the horizon
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Such wisdom imparted by Shakespeare immediately resonates as you step into the Municipal Rose Garden in San Jose, California. With over 4,000 shrubs on display, you will find yourself greeted by rose varieties with the most lovely names—Sugar Moon, Summer Dream, and Rainbow Sorbet, just … Continue reading San Jose Rose Garden: Roses are red, fiery, and a rainbow of colors
It was California’s first capital under Spanish and Mexican rule. It was also where California’s first constitution was drafted for admission into the U.S. as its 31st state. This is Monterey, a city of firsts—California’s first theater, public library, printing press, and many more. Aside from these pioneering events, Monterey also saw the boom and … Continue reading Monterey: The city of California’s firsts
This is not your typical ranch. As soon as you step into The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, you will quickly realize that “in bloom” is quite an understatement. Featuring 55 acres of giant tecolote ranunculus flowers, the ranch boasts more than 200,000 plants per acre with each plant yielding an average of 10 blooms, … Continue reading The Flower Fields: A vivacious color palette
