Tea rooms give fans a place to sip that sweet infusion
IN A PROPER WORLD, a conversation about tea needn’t involve that other black brew. Alas, we do not live in a proper world. We must politely share it with jittery hordes guzzling bitter liquid, liberally doused with sugar and cream, whipped with foamy milk or dunked with jelly doughnuts. Surely…
BARGAINS ABOUND Flea markets satisfy those hungry for fabulous finds
I SUSPECT I inherited my scrounging proclivities from my father. He not only frequented flea markets on the sly, he would actually lug home orphaned furniture he found in derelict buildings or on street corners. A self-taught handyman (as though there is any other kind), he was also a primitive…
FORE CHEAP Return to golf’s roots as the sport for the everyman
THE MURMUR of the crowd. The blaze of the plaid. The “whoosh” of the graphite. Yes, the U.S. Open is coming to town well, across the Bay. It’s enough to get you all a-twitter to strike out on your own. Maybe, though, you’ve hesitated because you don’t feel you’re in…
BEACH COMBING One thing the Bay Area does not lack is an abundance of lovely beaches. Here’s a guide for your summer leisure
SUNSCREEN. TOWEL. COOLER. Oh, and beach umbrella, in the event of sun or rain. All right, we’re off. Santa Cruz Visitor information: 800-833-3494 Gaudy. Motel-infested. Irresistible. The bright lights of the big boardwalk and beach keeps luring revelers into America’s oldest operating seaside amusement park. That, however, counts as just…
TO MARKET, TO MARKET These grocery stores offer international ingredients, ethnic diversity for those who want more than a quart of milk and loaf of bread
THE TRIP to the store. Not a traipse to the corner store for a carton of milk. Not a hop on the Huffy to the market because Mom ran out of butter while mixing her chocolate chip cookies. This trip was a pilgrimage. Mom and Dad would empty out the…
EXPERIENCING SCIENCE For 30 years, the Lawrence Hall of Science has been helping people experiment for themselves
Scientifically speaking, 30 isn’t a glamorous number. It’s no mathematical constant or unit of measurement (except for the pace, which is 30 inches, but who really uses that besides treasure hunters and expectant fathers in the delivery room?). The number 30, however, does take on significant mathematical proportions when it…
OUT THERE Earth Day
Altruism converges on us this week with National Wildlife Week, National Volunteer Week, Earth Day on Wednesday and National Arbor Day on Friday. If truth be told, some of us join in a cleanup here or a hike there as a salve for our consciences. Sometimes, though, a moment emerges…
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN Spring (suspension) is here; get out the bike
Dutifully, you settled for pavement when the winter rains didn’t slicken the asphalt into shallow black rivers. You pedaled along machine-laid roads, although you’d pause at the hilltop to look forlornly down muddy slopes, trying to discern the zigzag tread prints that had long before washed away. Feeble beams of…
Nearby getaways: B & B-style hospitality is abundant in East Bay
Planning a getaway can take on tax-preparation proportions, from calculating your frequent flyer miles to your baby sitter’s wages. But vacation depends more on state of mind than the state you’re in. Instead of mapping exhaustive sightseeing itineraries, Bay Area folks can simply sling an overnight bag over one shoulder…