Author: bootleggerbay

What does one do on a cool Northern California winter weekday? Well, go wine tasting of course! Having recently re-watched the entertaining film Bottle Shock, my partner Christian and I were enticed to visit Chateau Montelena, just north of Calistoga in the world famous Napa Valley wine region. Upon arrival, our first viewing of the…

The journey of writing a book is nearly as profound as venturing to foreign lands and learning new customs and languages. I encourage everyone to write, whether it be a journal only for yourself or something to share with a wider audience, it’s a beautiful journey to put words on paper (or a screen)! “I’m…

“There’s a crab in the bathtub,” I calmly mentioned to Christian. It seemed perfectly normal, given our proximity to the sea. I gently re-directed him to his own little bathtub in the tide pools. Perhaps it was the same crab that kissed my toe under the table during last night’s dinner. Our stay on Taveuni…

When I am in Yosemite, I feel the presence of my parents, as if they are surrounding me with an enormous embrace. I am forever grateful to them for introducing me to nature at a very young age. The memories of our annual summer family trips to this iconic location are imbedded deep within me….

Accompanying my travel partner on a work sojourn to Miami was an excellent cure for being homebound for too long! As I was packing my trusted Osprey rolly bag, I realized how much I have missed my little two-wheeled companion. I tend to pack meticulously and could happily spend time squeezing just the right amount…

After two weeks of sailing on a boat with no hot water and a sketchy sun shower shared by 10 people, the luxuries of a beachfront resort in Cabo was indeed a treat, yet after a couple days the back roads beckon. The 27th edition of the Baja Ha Ha, and my 13th year of…

Dear Mother Ocean The UN has dedicated June 8 as World Oceans Day, yet I celebrate and cherish your beauty every day. I have loved you since I was a toddler with sand in my butt crack, squealing with delight while frolicking in the surf of San Diego’s beaches. My attraction and fascination with you…

“Attention crew, attention crew, this is your Captain. Who wants to go to Machu Picchu?” Exuberant cheering is heard throughout the vessel. We were docked outside of Lima, Peru on the Sea Shepherd vessel M/V John Paul DeJoria in the only space they had for a 110’ former Coast Guard cutter, at the seedy and…

Fernweh. I discovered a word that aptly describes my state of mind. Roughly translated, this German word means “far-sickness”. As opposed to homesickness, fernweh is an aching for far-flung places and a perpetually, insatiable desire to travel and explore. While the world is on hold, I reflect on the amazing opportunities I’ve had to fulfill…

It’s not officially called Whale Vomit Island, yet it is the literal translation of Ambergris Caye, which has long intrigued me, not only because of its unusual name, but it’s proximity to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system on our watery planet. I’m amused to find the meaning of ambergris is a…