by Natalie Jabbar, Sunset editorial intern

If you're visiting Yosemite National Park's Tuolumne Meadows on these crisp fall days, don't cruise through without getting out of the car to explore a bit. Even if you're in a hurry, try to set aside a bit of time for Twin  Bridges. You'd think a spot this idyllic, and just a 10-minute walk from a major road, would be packed with people, but, oddly, it isn't.

When I ventured to Twin Bridges recently, I couldn't help snapping way too many photos (two pictured below), before simply lying down on a flattened rock, basking in the last rays of summer and in the quiet beauty of those mountains.

To get to Twin Bridges, just follow the easy trail from Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, where parking is also  available.

. 

For more tips on what to do and where to stay in Yosemite, check out Sunset's Yosemite National Park Guide.

by Emily Chow, Sunset editorial intern

The New Children's Museum in San Diego
Photo credit: Matthew Jaffe

Looking for something to do Labor Day weekend? If you are a Bank of America cardholder, check out their Museum on Us program, which offers free general admission into more than 100 participating museums nationwide on the first full weekend of every month.

• Portland:  Check out the Portland Art Musuem's "Virtual Worlds" exhibit highlighting M.C. Escher's spatial illusions.
• San Francisco: Stroll around Yerba Buena Gardens and stop by San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• San Diego: Visit The New Children's Museum in San Diego, where the entire family can engage and create art in three floors of interactive galleries.

Where will I be this weekend? If it's not too crowded, you'll find me at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, learning about innovative technology solutions in their permanent exhibit that is opening tomorrow, "Technology Benefiting Humanity."

Flash that piece of plastic at the ticket office for some free fun during the upcoming long weekend. It can't get any better than that.

Check out their Web site to locate participating museums near you.

by Natalie Jabbar, Sunset editorial intern

I took a day trip to Santa Cruz last weekend, hoping to find a serene spot away from the the crowded beaches and infamous boardwalk, where I would inevitably be lured into eating far too much funnel cake.

I found just that spot at Natural Bridges State Beach. Nestled at the northern tip of the scenic West Cliff Drive, Natural Bridges is the perfect place to enjoy a quiet picnic, fly a kite, or simply take in a great view, which includes the beach's namesake, a "natural bridge" composed of rock (pictured above).

If you're lucky, you may even sight some otters, a migrating whale, or other sea creatures, depending on the season. This beach also houses the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve, where from Mid-October to February you can walk through an oasis of eucalyptus trees dotted with over 100,000 monarchs. I'll definitely be returning to Natural Bridges in the future--what are some of your favorite, tucked away spots in the West?

DON'T MISS:

If you venture to Santa Cruz during these waning weeks of summer, you can also attend a performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” just the way the Bard would have wanted you to--in the middle of a redwood forest. The repertory company Shakespeare Santa Cruz will be performing that whimsical play, along with  “Julius Caesar” and the Bay Area premiere of Donald Margulies' “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment” through August 30th.

EXPLORE SOME MORE:

If you have a few hours to spare, drive south about 25 miles from Santa Cruz to another quiet sea escape, Moss Landing. This idyllic beach town could be the perfect pit stop on the way to Monterey if you want to make a night of it and rest by the water for awhile.

by the Sunset editorial staff

Joey Altman, Traci Des Jardins,
and Michael Mina? They'll be there too.

I want to be with all the biggest chefs and most devout cooks in the West, who will be converging at Union Square Thursday through Sunday for SF Chefs. Food. Wine. The well-punctuated name pretty much says it all, but I might add this elaboration: Parties. Tastings. Classes.

The heirloom tomato cookoff between Joanne Weir and Gary Danko and hosted by Sunset’s food editor, Margo True, is sold out, alas. But you can still get into a head-spinning array of events, from a Friday morning shuck-and-sip pairing of wines and oysters to Saturday night’s urban barbecue on the square, where the band members are chefs you might recognize from around town. 

When: August 6–9, 2009
Where: Union Square and surrounding hotel and retail spaces as well as restaurants throughout the city.
Expected guests: 1,500 attendees per day
Tickets: One-day passes are $150, which includes the midday Grand Tasting, as well as a morning and afternoon class. Children free at Sunday family activities.

by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor


Wish I had my ticket for the Charlie Russell Chew Choo this summer. The three and a half hour trip through central Montana promises sunsets, wildlife, prime rib and a band. Oh, and views like this.

I miss Montana. Isn't is beautiful? My dad told me about this train and I would like nothing more than to take the trip with him.

Check out the schedule and let me know when you are going. And then send me pictures please.

All aboard!!!

(Photo is All Rights Reserved and Copyright Jeff Albrecht Photography. see more HERE)

Hiking Half Dome in Yosemite—that's right, the cables are up

By Amy Anderson, Sunset editorial intern

Growing up, my family never took trips to the beach. I’ve yet to visit Hawaii or Mexico, and I’m pale year round. Instead, we were all about the National Parks: road trips to Yellowstone and the Tetons, camping, kayaking, hiking.

But surprisingly, I’d never been to Yosemite. Until last weekend, when my dad (fellow hiker and adventurer extraordinaire) and I left San Francisco on Friday night and woke up Saturday morning in our canvas cabin in Curry Village — surrounded by granite walls and massive trees.

Committed to conquering the hardest possible hike everywhere we go, naturally my dad and I chose to hike Half Dome, 8,800 feet above sea level. Here's the iconic image that Ansel Adams captured in his photographs:

Daunting? I agree.

For a little inspiration, here's our Half Dome experience:

We were on the trail by 6:30 am, along with all the other early bird hikers trying to beat the heat and crowds. Our backpacks were filled with water bottles, Gatorade, and power bars to last us the projected 10-12 hours of the hike.

We took Happy Isles trail to the Mist Trail, excited to see the rushing waterfalls that spring in Yosemite is known for.

Note: the name Mist Trail is quite misleading at this time of the year. It should definitely be renamed Downpour Trail. As we climbed slick stair after steep stair to get to the top of Vernal Fall, it was like we were in the middle of a storm— we came out completely drenched.

I was not pleased.

Nearing the top and practically in tears, I told my dad that I couldn’t do it. We'd only gone a mile-and-a- half, but, already, I was fed up. But Yosemite's climate is tricky—if I turned back, I would have to go right through the downpour again. If I kept going, I would dry off in the sun. So I swore at the waterfall under my breath, wiped off my wet camera, and continued.

By 11:00am, we were at Half Dome, staring up at the cables that would take us to the very top. The last 400 feet are traversed by walking nearly vertically up the rock face, gripping wire cables on either side. There’s nothing to strap you in—you just hold on for dear life and pull your way up.

The cables were just put up for the season the day before we arrived. (Depending on the weather, you can expect them to go up around the third weekend in May each year.)

Nine hours after we started on Happy Isles Trail, we were back down to the trailhead, hobbling and groaning, but proud. Already planning which mountain to climb next.

Yosemite National Park: $20 entrance fee; www.nps.gov/yose

by Elizabeth Jardina, Sunset researcher

On the very western edge of Hawaii's westernmost island, you'll find a plush, 3-mile-long strip of golden sand.

Kauai's Polihale State Park reopened weekend before last. Heavy rains closed it in December, and stuck by a budget crunch, the state department of land and natural resources said it didn't have the funds to repair the washed-out road.

That's where a group of dedicated island volunteers came in. In a few weeks, using donated materials and labor, the volunteers regraded the road and helped repair broken water fixtures, as well as cut back overgrown vegetation and removed trash.

Visiting Kauai last week, I hadn't planned to head out to Polihale until we were in the state building to get a permit to hike part of the legendary Kalalau Trail. Everyone else in the office was a local, getting a permit to camp at Polihale. It went on the to-do list.

It is true, I am no conoisseur of beaches; a smidge of melanoma on my left arm removed 10 years ago—a dark, malevolent comma—left me resigned to the reality of vacations coated with a ghostly smear of sunscreen.

Those people who go on beach vacations wearing ridiculously protective hats and excessively technical clothing, the kind with built-in SPF 45? Hi. That's me.

So at a truly magnificent beach like Polihale, I'm a teetotaler on a Wine Country getaway: aware that the vineyards are pretty, but without a true devotee's understanding.

On the other hand, if I were the sort of person who liked to, for example, lie on a beach, towel warmed by the sun, feeling the softness of fluffy sand under me, perhaps reading a trashy novel, conveniently adjacent to a cooler of frosty beverages, I'd head for Polihale posthaste.

Because, the other people at the beach that day were living the life: Tents set up on the sand, families gathered for afternoon picnics, kids splashing in the water. There's only one spot in Polihale where it's safe to swim, Queen's Pond, a tiny pocket of reef-protected aqua water, calm as a bathtub, surrounded by crashing waves.

For Hawaiians, the area is more than a spot for family beach fun. The cliffs on the far north end of the beach, three miles from Queen's Pond, were considered a jumping off point for spirits as they left the corporeal world. 

So, let's recap: soft golden sand, aqua water, sunshine nearly all the time, a laid-back attitude, a lack of tourists. Ready to go?

There's only one thing in your way: A dirt road, 3 miles and change, that snakes through the brush, till you take a left at the big monkeypod tree (I swear, these are the real directions). We did it in a rented convertible, which, while not recommended, did get us there with the car and ourselves unscathed.

Polihale State Park: Free, open daily, official website here.

Eating cheese in Petaluma

By Rachel Levin, Sunset senior editor

Calling all hard (and soft) core cheese fans, the California Artisan Cheese Festival is this weekend--so pop your lactose pill and head on up to Petaluma where our favorite cheese whizzes from around the state have gathered for four days of presentations, pairings, lunches, and gala dinners. Okay, I know, why didn’t we post this earlier as most of the events are already SOLD OUT. Cheese and wine pairing with Quince chef Michael Tusk? Sold out. Learning to navigate your way around a cheese counter with Laura Werlin? Sorry. Best of blue cheese and beer? I know, I’m pissed, too.

Still, you can visit the festival web site to see what is still open to the public--like cheesemaking demos and tastings at the Artisan Cheese Marketplace and talks on cheese trends by legends Sue Conley and Peggy Smith of Cowgirl Creamery.

Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam (yum)

Or, skip the crowds and plan your own cheese course. Many of the all-stars from the festival offer tours, classes, and tastings throughout the year, too:

Cheese School of San Francisco Tons of classes ongoing. One fun one upcoming: Cooking for cheese lovers ($95)

Cooking School at Cavallo Point in Sausalito, Cheese Tasting Intensive, April 9 ($75)

Cowgirl Creamery Thursday 11:30 a.m. tours ($30) at their new Petaluma Creamery, Friday 11 a.m. tours ($3) in Pt Reyes

by MacKenzie Geidt, Sunset assistant travel editor

You might be stressed about paying for your kid's college tuition (I don't even have a kid yet and I'm stressed about it), but the good news is that certain educational endeavors are still affordable.  Not even just affordable, but an incredible value. Take, for example, the $5  tuition for the beginner's home brewing class at Culver City Home Brewing Supply Co.  As you should know from Sunset's awesome One Block Diet project, making your own (of everything) is the way to go. Sunset's Team Beer has inspired us all (and I can vouch for the taste...homemade tastes better).

But if you're feeling daunted by the prospect and need some hands-on guidance, take this class!  Beginner classes are the first Thursday and third Thursday of each month from 6:30-9:30pm.  There's a class this Thursday, March 5th, and you don't even need to sign up in advance!  And you can actually apply that $5 towards any brew kits if you decide you want to buy one.  So now you have one more reason to visit one of LA's coolest neighborhoods: Culver City.  If you wanna grab dinner beforehand, check out Akasha Restaurant, one of the hot spots on Culver Blvd, and read our interview with Chef Akasha before you go.

And after you brew it, here are some of our favorite Sunset recipes for cooking with beer:
Beer Rye Bread, Grilled beer-cooked sausages, and Lime chile beer

by MacKenzie Geidt, Sunset assistant travel editor

This weekend is the blow-out finale of Chinese New Year, the year of the Ox, and LA's Chinatown will be celebrating in true Hollywood big-spectacle fashion with 100,000 firecrackers (those evil spirits don't even have a chance), the annual Firecracker 5/10K Race, lion dancing, good food, awesome food, music, and other Gung Hay Fat Choy revels.  I was in Chinatown last weekend (I was inspired by the February Southern California Day Trip on Chinatown so I knew all the cool places to go) and I got a flavor of the Gung Hay spirit...

Shopping opportunities abound...I didn't know that I even wanted a parasol until I saw these...

You can shop the funky art galleries on Chung King Road, gorge on Dim Sum (I tried Empress Pavilion), shop for jade jewelry at the outdoor jewelry stands, and pick up Chinese New Year sweet treats at Wonder Bakery (943 N. Broadway) or Phoenix Bakery (969 N. Broadway).

And I can pretty much guarantee you'll see one of these:

Events will take place both Saturday and Sunday this weekend so it'll be a full weekend affair.  Have fun, and let's hope that the year of the Ox is better than the year of the Rat!