Hiking Adventures in the San Francisco Peninsula and Beyond
March 21, 2022 Hello Spring. Nowruz Mobarak, as well. More on wine. Duckhorn was founded in 1976, three years before my migration. Dan and Margaret (Duckhorn) first specialized in merlots, long before the term was amusingly besmirched by Paul Giamatti in Sideways (2005). Paraduxx (1994), known for fabulous and inventive zinfandel and other blends, followed. Goldeneye (1996), a … Continue reading Migration
Paraduxx Winery You might wonder how I might be able to tie these three disparate topics into one post. Continue reading. It's been another tumultuous last seven days. In October, I "won" a wine tasting package at a local charity auction. I had been a Board member of San Mateo-Foster City Education Foundation (https://www.smfcedfund.org) and … Continue reading Napa, Rick Steves, and Ukraine
Budapest I had originally titled this post "Day 16," but, regrettably it has sat in my draft folder for the past four days. I am being productive, but have a nagging feeling that I am probably not doing enough. We are now almost in week four of the invasion, or as Russia continues to maintain, … Continue reading Day 20
Kyiv March 7, 2022 Sunday, March 6, 2022 was another hard day, with the Russian military pummeling Irpin, just west of Kyiv, without regard for civilian casualties (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/world/europe/ukraine-irpin-civilian-death.html). I will update this document from time to time. To be clear, it is not comprehensive or exhaustive. If you have suggestions regarding other ways to help … Continue reading How to Help Ukraine
The Meadows Some stats, notes and observations: Duration: 4.5 hours (including a few stops for water, snacks, etc.)Distance: 12.3 milesElevation Gain: 2000+ feet Weather: 36° F at 8am; 46° F at 12:30pm Starting Location: El Corte de Madera Parking Area (16040 CA-35, Redwood City, CA 94062)Hike (URL): https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/skyline-bear-gulch-alambique-and-meadow-loopWunderlich CP Information: https://parks.smcgov.org/wunderlich-parkLunch: http://www.milagrosrc.comNotes and Observations: Wunderlich … Continue reading Wunderlich
It has been another tumultuous and exhausting week. Some thoughts and observations: I had dinner a few days ago with a good friend at my favorite local taqueria (La Cumbre). In the same year I became naturalized (1986), he escaped from Iran, as a teenager. He had grown up in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War … Continue reading Day 9
As some know, I teach a Comparative Privacy Law course at a local law school. Before my Monday night class, I was able to attend the tail end of a program on the invasion of Ukraine and why it matters. The student audience was engaged and the discussion robust. I spent the first few minutes of class … Continue reading Kyiv
Kiev I was born in Ukraine, Kiev to be precise. It is still Kiev to me, not Kyiv. I left when I was five, in 1979, turning six in Italy, en route to the United States. We, ten of us, arrived in San Francisco on November 30, 1979. I celebrate that day, usually in my … Continue reading Ukraine
The Peninsula Hiking Club 