I will be making a return visit to the Bay Area in January and am looking for some new places to go. I've been told that I should go to Mendocino, so I definitely plan to check it out as I have not been that far north yet. I am, as always, looking forward to my trip (especially since California will be nicer than Ohio in January). This time, I'm especially excited, because I plan to visit the deYoung's exhibit: Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. I'm also excited, because I sc... Read Full Story

As reported in an earlier post the California State Park system, like the rest of California, is in a budget crisis. On November 3, Save the Redwoods League and partners filed language to put a measure on the 2010 ballot that would ensure stable funding and protect wildlife in the chronically underfunded California state parks.As part of state-wide budget cuts, nearly 60 state parks will be shut down part-time or will have reduced hours of operation. It is expected that more budget cuts (th... Read Full Story

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has withdrawn from the race for governor of California. His official statement follows:It is with great regret I announce today that I am withdrawing from the race for governor of California. With a young family and responsibilities at city hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to — and should be — done.This is not an easy decision. But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daugh... Read Full Story

The Monterey Bay Aquarium turns 25 today. The aquarium ha welcomed over 46 million visitors in their 25 years of operation. They have also distributed over 32 million Seafood Watch guides in the ten years since it was created. The aquarium is routinely ranked as the No. 1 aquarium in the country.The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the only institution to successfully exhibit great white sharks and has also been a pioneer of jellyfish exhibits inspiring other similar exhibits around the world. In ... Read Full Story

Like both Monterey and San Francisco, Charleston is home to restaurants serving fresh local seafood. Just as in both of those cities there are good places to go and bad places to go. One of the places I would not recommend is the Noisy Oyster on Market at East Bay. While the restaurant looked enticing, with its large open windows and kitschy fishing decor, the food was not as good. All of the fish served on the menu was on the Seafood Watch "avoid" list. I guess the local catches are not nece... Read Full Story

Charleston, like Monterey, has an aquarium. While nothing can compare to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the South Carolina Aquarium is a nice aquarium to visit and has a lot of activities for kids. After all, what aquarium isn't nice that contains otters? The South Carolina is home to a couple of super cute river otters. There is a salt marsh exhibit with free roaming birds. The little duck in the picture below was trooping around on the exhibit walkway. I was attacked by her from behind. She ... Read Full Story

Middleton Place's remaining structure was restored and used as a home.There are many interesting places to visit in the Charleston area. Choosing what to do is only a matter or interests, time, and money. The Charleston area is home to many plantations and historic homes. Some of the places you can visit in the historic district are the Aiken-Rhett House and the Nathaniel Russell House, both of these houses are run by the Historic Charleston Foundation. You can purchase tickets individually... Read Full Story

In Charleston one of the best ways to get a little bit of history and a lay of the land is to take a carriage ride. There are a number of carriage tour companies to choose from. I went on the the Olde Towne Carriage Company tour. The carriage companies are located on streets surrounding the market. Olde Towne is located on Anson Street.Larry the Belgian Draft HorseThe carriage companies in Charleston employ a lottery system for tour routes, so you never know which of the three tour routes y... Read Full Story

Charleston, South Carolina is a historic town along the eastern coast of the state. It is a beautiful destination filled with tons of things to see and do. Charleston was founded in 1670, and contains many buildings that pre-date the American Revolutionary War. Charleston is very reminiscent of both Monterey and San Francisco, like both cities, Charleston is situated on a peninsula. The Charleston peninsula is formed by the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers; the two rivers come to... Read Full Story

I am excited to be The Ocean Project's Ocean Picture of the Day for October 7. Please check out my photo of Monterey Bay and learn more about The Ocean Project.The Ocean Project is a world-wide conservation/education organization. They are partnered with nearly 1,000 zoos, aquariums, museums, conservation and education organizations, agencies, and institutions in the United States and 85 countries around the world. The Ocean Project works in partnership with these other organizations to ed... Read Full Story