Cinque Terre, Italy

No trip to Ligure is complete without a stop in Cinque Terre. If you're staying someplace else, you might only have a day, but it's worth the effort to see a few of the 5 villages at least. We took the train south from Santa Margherita one hour to reach the southern most town, Riomaggiore, shown in the first 4 photographs, the last one being from the boat that took us to Vernazza. On the way, we also got a glimpse of Manarola but didn't stop. Vernazza is my favorite of the towns. I don't know why exactly, but I find it the most photogenic. Have a great time there Maguires!

Portofino, Italy

While the Maguires are in Santa Margherita, a must-see spot is Portofino, a 15 minute bus ride north. A hike up to see Castello Brown is worth the effort as the view of Portofino and environs is spectacular. One can see all the way to Santa Margherita and well beyond. Back in town, you can see, be seen, and be seen eating if the mood strikes. The next photos are views of the harbor with Castello Brown in the background. It's also great at night for dinner

Maguires' European Vacation Part 3

After Venice, the Maguires' next stop is the beautiful resort town of Santa Margherita Ligure on the Italian Riviera. It is a very old-fashioned resort and never seems over-run by tourists. While the beaches are pebbly, not sand, the water is warm. My suggestions for my friends include having a gelato al fresco with Hannah in town, stopping for a Spritz and getting enough food you may not want to go out for dinner, and getting up in the morning to watch the fishermen bring in their catch and repair their nets. My favorite time of day in Santa Margherita is the evening when families take their daily passiegetta, Parents, grandparents, and children are out in force walking aimlessly enjoying themselves. Santa Margherita is also the gateway to Cinque Terre to the south, Portofino 15 minutes by city bus to the north, and Camogli one stop and 5 minutes on the train north.

The Maguires' Second Stop: Venice

In my second installment of advice and suggestions to my friends Matt and April and their daughter Hannah, we move to destination number two, the magnificent city of Venice. The top photograph was taken just on the fringe of Saint Mark's Square as the three arches, the artist, and the stylish Venetian gentleman all seemed to me to be quintessential Venice. The picture also reminds me to turn around once in a while. You never know what potentially great scene may be behind you. Sometimes, you just have to splurge a little. In this case, a speedboat from the Marco Polo Airport into the center of the city was worth every penny. I talked Matt into it. They'll love every second of the ride. The next vertical shot says, "Get out of the center of town and get lost!" Except you can't get lost! It's an island. Shake yourself! Next, find a restaurant with some atmosphere and don't sweat the inflated prices in Venice. When you get to Santa Margarita, things will seem cheap, but enjoy Venice while you're there. Another tip. It's entirely worth it to get in line in front of the Campanile in Saint Mark's Square before 9 am and take the elevator to the top for stunning views of Venice and the lagoon. I do it every time I go there. The next photo is of a gondola shop somewhere. I couldn't find it again if I tried. Just another reason to explore off the tourist path. Next up, a huge DON'T. Don't go into St Mark's in the afternoon for any reason. It's a mess. It's summer and it's packed, Instead, go at night when only people who are staying in hotels are around. It's beautiful, bands are playing, kids are running around throwing glowy things in the air, and it truly is "The Drawing Room of Europe." And last, by all means take a break sometime in the afternoon to sit down and maybe have a cold beverage of your choice. In this case, a vodka tonic and a gin tonic. Just don't do what we did and drink it on the Square. The bill came to 38 Euros plus tip, which two summers ago amounted to about 50 US dollars! Walk the equivalent of two city blocks and cut the price by 66%. At least we got some soggy chips with our drinks.

Paris July 2014

My friend Matt and his family, one wife and one daughter, are taking their first trip to Europe in a couple of weeks. I thought I'd give them a little taste of what to look for on their travels. First stop-Paris. I hope they get to see the pond at the end of the Tuileries gardens at sunset, I hope they walk through the courtyard of the Louvre after most of the tourists have left. I hope they walk by the wonderful Parisian cafes and look in the windows. I hope they stand on one of the many bridges crossing the Seine and look in both directions. (I think the "locks of love" have been removed). I hope they look down the Champs-Elysses at sunset and see the Obelisque framed by the Arc de Triomphe. I hope they stop to look at some of the art deco cafes all over the city. And finally, I hope they take a cruise down the Seine, touristy as it may be. Bon Voyage my friends! 

San Francisco Night Shoot

A few weeks ago, my friend Tom and his two sisters and I took a group of student photographers to San Francisco for a workshop and barbeque to teach them techniques for shooting at night on a tripod and using long exposures. Our first stop was Baker Beach where we took the obligatory shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, had a windy and chilly cookout, and then moved on to The Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina. We were lucky enough to be there for sunset, so we took a one block detour to see the bridge at sunset. The Palace of Fine Arts is always lit up beautifully and rarely crowded at night, making it the perfect stop with plenty of room for each of the 28 young photographers to set up their cameras. Last stop was across town to the Embarcadero for views of the Bay Bridge with the old pier in the foreground, now just stumps of wood. Great trip except for the drive up and back in a yellow school bus.

Elvis Costello in San Francisco, San Jose, and Berkeley

In the late 1970's, the most consistently satisfying concerts for me were the yearly appearances of Elvis Costello. His three-piece band with Steve Neive on keyboards, Bruce Thomas on bass, and Pete Thomas on drums was about as good as it got in rock and roll in those days. From the top, Elvis' first US appearance at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco on November 15th, 1977, also broadcast on KSAN radio. His appearance caused a great buzz among the hipster taste-makers at the time, and all the hype turned out to be true. He swept through the Bay Area with regularity, appearing at the San Jose Center For The Performing Arts on June 6, 1978, and then at the Berkeley Community Theater on February 9, 1979. Even though he is a musical force today, I still like those three years the best.