I left my heart in San Francisco
Edgy and flamboyant, SF is a freeing place. From the naked sunbathers on the city's main street and the stylish men of the Castro, to the ridiculously pretty, post-grunge teenagers in the Mission district and the elegant energy of downtown.
Read MoreSan Fantastico
San Francisco has been compared to many cities. At the turn of the century, her governors hoped to mould her into the “Paris of the West.” She is often compared -normally favourably but occasionally not – with the much bigger, hotter and more dangerous Los Angeles more than 500KM to the South. We South Africans are fond of comparing her to Cape Town. In reality though, she is not much like any of these. San Francisco is gloriously, stubbornly, sometimes imprudently unique. The physical comparisons to Cape Town are obvious. Both are ports, both are crammed onto narrow...
Read MoreThank you, Big Sur (and we miss you, Mr Steinbeck)
Californians are universally proud of the coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco – particularly the stretch between Cambria and Carmel. Their pride isn’t misplaced. Big Sur (as this coast is called) is truly beautiful – mainly because it has been left so untouched. We took the legendary Highway 1 – a narrow (by American standards) and winding road with many stops for roadworks. For much of the route the coast simply drops straight down into the sea as high cliffs. Where there are beaches, they are small and beset by waves. This isn’t the warm and inviting...
Read MoreThe neverending castle
As a boy, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst went camping every summer with his family on this sunny spot. His wealthy businessman father had bought the land and hundreds of acres around it. When his mother died and he inherited it, William decided to build something a little more permanent...
Read MoreFive things I love (and five I hate) about Los Angeles
The first thing a lot of people said to us when we told them we were spending 7 days in LA was some variation on “Why? That place sucks!” It’s much the same reaction we get when we tell people we moved from Cape Town to Joburg. But, as with the big GP, Los Angeles has a lot of great things going for it. The love, the love! 1. The energy Los Angeles doesn’t just buzz, it vibrates, pulses and blasts at a hundred different frequencies. Each district of the city has a different rhythm but all of them are in constant motion of one kind or another. This is a city where stuff...
Read MoreUnder the bridge in LA
I had many people tell me many different things about Los Angeles. It's obviously one of those places you either love or hate. I was one of those who loved it. From the beaches of Venice (hallo Hank Moody) and Santa Monica - riding on the carousel pier - to the funky shops and grittiness of Melrose Avenue (where Alistair got his tattoo) and the cultural glamour of the Getty Centre.
Read More
Recent Comments