United States
I'm a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I love telling just about any kind of story, but especially enjoy writing features related to the arts, travel, lifestyle and health. I've also penned a personal essay or two.
Travel & Lifestyle
Portland's Chinatown is not the bustling Chinatown of San Francisco. But between 1870 and 1900, it was the second-largest in the country. Today the neighborhood, in Portland's Old Town district, is an eclectic mix of Asian and Western influences.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, San Francisco's always-jumping Union Square ups its game. A towering Christmas tree aglow with thousands of lights and ornaments rises from its center. Skaters whirl around an ice rink, grooving to holiday and pop music. Street performers entertain in and around the square.
You won't find meat or dairy items at Stanford Inn by the Sea. But you will find gourmet plant-based fare even meat eaters would enjoy at this resort in Mendocino. Pets are welcome, which is what first drew my husband and me to the inn 20 years ago.
My cycling skills and my ancient 10-speed clunker were a little rusty when I headed to Sacramento's American River Parkway for a recent solo ride. Luckily, you don't have to be in Tour de France shape to pedal the mostly flat, 32-mile trail that starts in the Old Sacramento historic district and ends in Folsom.
A week on a tropical island wasn't in the cards for my family last spring, so we did the next best thing: drove 20 minutes from our Mill Valley home to the town of Tiburon for an overnight bayside fix.
Once famed for its citrus groves, Riverside today is best known for its Festival of Lights. About 500,000 visitors will flock to the holiday extravaganza, which runs through Jan. 6. The fun centers on the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa and spills into the adjacent Main Street Pedestrian Mall.
San Diego's Pacific Beach has a split personality. On the ocean side, the energy is as pumped up as the surf during a southwest swell. But cross Mission Boulevard, the town's main drag, to Mission Bay, and it's a different story. Crowds are sparse, and the mood is as calm as the water.
Wine lovers appreciate Saratoga's laid-back sipping experience. But I wasn't hunting for a great new Cabernet or Pinot Noir on a recent visit to this peaceful town in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
As you approach downtown Mill Valley, you can't help but notice the dramatic sight of Mount Tamalpais rising in the distance. Easy access to some of Tam's most scenic trails make Mill Valley a mecca for weekend warriors. But even if you're not the outdoorsy type, this laid-back, Southern Marin encla...
Want to experience a new neighborhood in SF? Stay in one of these cozy boutique hotels, then explore your surroundings. Inn at the Presidio, the Presidio (pictured above) Housed in a handsome brick colonial where bachelor army officers once bunked, the Inn at the Presidio is now a fortress of com...
Make like a monk and unplug from your hectic, always-connected life with a Zen retreat this New Year. Learn how to meditate, fine-tune your yoga practice, or just spend quiet time communing with nature. Here are five great spots to immerse yourself in a day or weekend of reflection and relaxation so...
Photography & Illustration
Leave it to a hairstylist to know beauty when she sees it. Years ago, Julie Gebhardt, a stylist at Ringolevio Salon in Pac Heights, took a portrait photography class with the idea of learning how to take better snapshots of her family. But the photo bug didn't really click until she got her hands on...
Underwater Photographer Dives Into Helping Cancer Survivors Breast cancer survivor, Kim. Photo by Erena Shimoda. Ever since she was a little girl, Erena Shimoda fantasized about being a mermaid and calling the ocean her home. As an adult, she felt like her childhood dream had almost come true the first time she went scuba diving during a trip to Honduras 14 years ago.
To say that Academy of Art University has been a major part of honorary doctorate recipient Will Mosgrove's life is an understatement. Mosgrove, who served as graduate director of the Academy's School of Photography from 2006 to 2015, also earned his B.F.A. from what was then Academy of Art College.
Photography Grad's Work Helps People Heal From Loss An image from Susan Mah's Loss Project collection. Photo by Susan Mah. As a young girl, Susan Mah inherited a passion for photography from her father. "He was a fantastic photographer and my first mentor," said Mah, who delved deeper into the art form in a ninth grade photography class.
Academy Instructor's BART Caricatures Attract Fans A collection of Hamilton Cline's BART caricatures. Image courtesy of Hamilton Cline. Most people go to amusement parks for the thrilling rides and to escape reality. But for caricaturist and Academy of Art University instructor Hamilton Cline, they were where he learned the skills that would help him become a successful artist.
Advertising & Design
Fashion Panel Explores Inclusive Design (L-R) Assistant Director of Fashion Styling Flore Morton, four-time Special Olympic U. S. National Champion in gymnastics Chelsea Werner, her mother Lisa Werner, disability fashion stylist Stephanie Thomas and founder of Enlisted Design and co-founder of Urbio Bob Oyler. Photo by Bob Toy.
Marcio Decker's Talent for Interior Design and Abstract Art Helps Shape His Career Decker's award-winning mixed media piece, Vanishing Mutualism. Image courtesy of Marcio Decker. Interior Designer Marcio Decker has earned plenty of praise during his 14-year career.
A necklace by Azita Mireshghi covers 1968's winter issue. Photo by Giuliano Bekor. "Jewelry creates an emotional reaction when you put it on," said Mireshghi, who graduated from Academy of Art University's School of Jewelry & Metal Arts (JEM) with an M.F.A. in 2016. "It makes you feel a certain way, whether it's pretty or powerful.
Steve Goodrich started doodling pictures of cars and trucks as a little boy growing up in Vermont. It was a practice he continued in high school-he was the guy who was always drawing while taking notes in class. Goodrich is still sketching vehicles today.
JEM Grad's Wearable Art Fuses Fantasy and Electronics The Gauntlet, a piece by alumnus Ryan Hsiang, is a forearm-length metal cuff studded with chunky blue and purple crystals made from resin. Photo courtesy of Ryan Hsiang.
Stills from Joey Iamartino-Larson's "Glory and Reason." Images courtesy of Joey Iamartino-Larson. Skipping his Academy of Art University classes to spend four days at sea on a fishing boat paid off in a big way for recent School of Advertising graduate Joey Iamartino-Larson.
Like many great inventions, Brian Johnson's innovative truck topper stemmed from a problem. As a truck owner and outdoor enthusiast for 25 years, he was familiar with the challenges of attaching, removing and storing toppers-also known as camper shells-that already existed. Johnson developed Aegis, a modular truck cover system, for his thesis project while earning his M.F.A.
Awards Ceremony Honors 2018 IND Edwin T. Meyer Scholarship Winners IND student Kevin Chen was this year's recipient of the $10,000 Edwin T. Meyer Scholarship. Photo by Bob Toy. On the evening of April 12, a group of Academy of Art University faculty, students and guests gathered among the gleaming vintage cars at the school's automobile museum.
Modern Day 'Mad Man' Thrives on Mentoring Advertising Students In his more than two decades in advertising, Academy of Art University alumnus and instructor Terry Jones has built a portfolio of high-profile clients Mad Men's Don Draper would envy.
Real Estate & Business
On the surface, fast-cash companies in real estate may not have the most pristine reputation, but you're not crazy to consider selling your house for cash. As a rising number of companies provide cash offers for homes and improve experiences for sellers with advanced technology, the idea that you don't have to wait months to list and close on your house appeals to many stressed-out sellers.
You need to move ASAP and would prefer to sell your house fast with a Realtor®. But you're not sure where to begin your search for someone qualified. Plus, your house could use some TLC. The garage is overflowing, your bathroom hasn't been updated since the early 2000s, and your living room carpets aren't the freshest.
Before planting the for-sale sign outside their rental, California landlords should avoid violating any rules in this tenant-friendly state.
When a cherished tree must go, it can feel like losing a family member. To pour salt in the wound of your tree loss, you can expect to receive a pretty steep bill for the luxury of removing a sick, dying, or otherwise dangerous tree from your property.
The days when Tacoma's charms were eclipsed by Seattle, its sprawling cosmopolitan neighbor 34 miles north, are over. A growing number of homebuyers are discovering what locals like you already know - bigger isn't always better. And this puts you in position to sell your Tacoma house fast.
Academy Grad Wins American Society of Landscape Architects' Student Honor Award Eric Arneson's design reimagines the Healdsburg riverfront as a visitor-friendly, natural place of beauty The Bendway Towers have become the symbol of the park and provide a visual link to the town.
Film & Theater
Director Silas Howard Discusses New Film, 'A Kid Like Jake' Jim Parsons as Greg Wheeler, and Leo James Davis as Jake Wheeler in Silas Howard's A KID LIKE JAKE. Photo by JON PACK. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release.
'The Rider' Will Rein Audiences In Brady Jandreau as Brady Blackburn. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. Written and directed by Chloé Zhao, The Ride r is the moving story of Brady Blackburn, a young cowboy struggling to hold on to the only way of life he knows after suffering a serious head injury while competing in a rodeo.
Fortunately, producers Paul Trijbits and Christian Grass from the UK's FilmWave, along with Anthony Bregman and Peter Cron of Likely Story, were up for the challenge. Levithan insisted that different people portray A, rather than trying to have a single actor fill the role.
School of Acting alumnus Sean Gunnell (right) in Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center's production of Cabaret. Photo courtesy of Sean Gunnell. Academy of Art University School of Acting alumnus Sean Gunnell hadn't been in a musical since he was a kid.
Characters Overcome Gender Oppression in ACT's Lively 'Cloud 9' (L-R) Valerie Compton, Mario Mazzetti, Garrick Sigl, Zoe Foulks and Zaya Kolia in Cloud 9. Photo by Bob Toy. Hide your feelings. Deny your sexuality. Know your place and follow the rules society deems right for your gender.
(L-R) Jack Clendenen, Zaya Kolia, Renee Rogoff and Michael Houston (in chair). Photo by Bob Toy. Paul Poitier, the young black man at the center of playwright John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation, is a likable scam artist who dons different identities to get what he wants.
Special Class Introduces Chinese Students to Art Education's "Three C's" School of Art Education's Marybeth Tereszkiewicz leads a day of fun and imagination-boosting creativity Academy of Art University's Art Education Director Marybeth Tereszkiewicz and Academy grad student Angie Chi during a special Saturday class held for a group of young students visiting from China.
Although her disability may not be obvious, Stephanie Thomas has always found shopping for stylish clothes that are easy to put on and take off a challenge. A congenital amputee, Thomas was born missing digits on her hands and feet.
For the past 20 years, David Oliver Pfeil has played a key role in Academy of Art University's commencement ceremonies. The former director of the School of Motion Pictures & Television (MPT) creates the engaging videos that celebrate the accomplishments of each distinguished alumni and honorary doctorate recipient.
Essays
When Dorothy O'Donnell tried to join a hiking group the email that followed was surprising at first, then it was infuriating. Recently, I joined a local Meet Up hiking group online. I did so because a friend wanted me to accompany her on one of their hikes.
I was scared for myself the day my 7-year-old tried to stab me. But not half as scared as I was for her. When the knife pierced the cover of the book I'd raised to protect my face, Sadie (not her real name) snapped out of her trance.
It was a three-hour drive from home when I got the text from my 16-year-old. "So, I think I'm going to that party tonight," she wrote. "And if I do, I think I'm going to drink. " I tried not to panic.
I've been spending some of my COVID-19 quarantine in Britain, my mother's homeland. In my head, at least. I had plans for a real visit this summer. Clearly, that's not happening. So I've been traveling there from the comfort of my sofa via memories of childhood trips, faded photographs and my mother's memoir.
I wasn't at my 5-year-old's school the day she started to rip off her clothes and twirl in the rain in front of the music room. But when her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Stapp, called to tell me about Sadie's latest episode of troubling behavior, I wasn't surprised. I'd witnessed plenty of similar incidents.
By Dorothy O'Donnell I sat with three other moms on ugly green wedges of modular seating in the lobby of the Stanford Psychiatric Services building. It was a Tuesday evening and we were waiting for our daughters to finish their first session of group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for kids with bipolar disorder.
A few months before my father turned 85, I received one of his rare emails. "All I want for my birthday is to be with all of my kids - I may not be around much longer," he wrote. "Figure out a date when we can meet in San Diego this summer."
It wasn't as if I hadn't been dumped before. Or ended my share of relationships that had disaster written all over them. But this particular break-up hit me harder than most, even though, technically, I wasn't the one being dumped. It happened at my eight-year-old's school on her first day of second grade, the hottest day of the summer.