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
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
As the seventh mission founded in California, Mission San Juan Capistrano is often called the “Jewel of the Missions”, a title born from both its splendor and sorrows. Established in 1776, it rose to prominence with the construction of the Great Stone Church, a baroque-inspired masterpiece and the largest structure in Alta California. A a … Continue reading Mission San Juan Capistrano: From ruin to renewal
Nestled in Humboldt County, California, Ferndale flourished in the late 19th century thanks to its booming dairy industry. Wealthy dairy farmers built elaborate homes adorned with intricate “gingerbread” woodwork, later nicknamed “butterfat palaces” as a tribute to the rich cream that fueled the town’s prosperity. While its dairy golden age is long gone, the town’s … Continue reading Ferndale: A Victorian dream built on cream
Sitting at the confluence of Ottawa River and Rideau River, Ottawa is not only the political center of Canada but also home to the Rideau Canal, a 125-mile waterway connecting the capital all the way south to Lake Ontario. Led by British military engineer Colonel John By, its construction was originally intended as a defense … Continue reading Ottawa: From humble beginnings to center stage
When architect Eugène-Etienne Taché designed the Parliament Building of Québec, he was looking to highlight the history of Québec. He did so not only by embellishing the building’s façade with important figures from the region’s past, but also by engraving the following words at the main entrance: Je me souviens. Literally translated into “I remember” … Continue reading Québec: Je me souviens
Atop the high cliff of Cape Diamond sits La Citadelle, a fortress originally built by the British between 1820 and 1850 to protect Québec from a potential American invasion. The attack never happened, yet La Citadelle has remained an active Canadian military installation to this day. The adjoining Plains of Abraham, on the other hand, witnessed the … Continue reading La Citadelle: A reminder for peace
Québec is a city built on steep hills. Staircases abound in connecting the Upper Town with the Lower Town, each exuding its unique charm. Frontenac Stairs (French: L’Escalier Frontenac), one of the most frequented, starts right by the Frontenac Kiosk at the Dufferin Terrace and leads you down the hill to Côte de la Montagne. … Continue reading Petit-Champlain: Life in an old world charm
It is an omnipresent landmark in Québec—you find it on postcards, in souvenirs, or simply when you look above the hills from any corner in the city. Perched atop the prominent Cape Diamond (French: Cap Diamant) overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the Château Frontenac is a quintessential element of the Québécois skyline. A UNESCO World … Continue reading The Château Frontenac: Ambitions, grandeur, and prestige
Situated at the heart of downtown St. Paul, the Landmark Center is more than a historic building. It used to serve as the Federal Court House and Post Office from 19until the mid-20th century, when its government tenants moved out and calls for demolition ensued. Thanks to a group of citizens who campaigned relentlessly, fortunately, … Continue reading Landmark Center: The light still shines
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
