ArchivesOctober 2005 ![]() San Francisco — The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) announced that the recently passed federal transportation bill "SAFETEA-LU" designated the WTA as the recipient of $14 million for ferry boat and terminal construction, while greatly increasing the national fund which provides WTA with significant additional funding each year. More... BOOK REVIEWWhile the porous nature of America’s borders continues to be a hot issue in the post-9/11 era, Homeland Security is hardly a new concept. Students of history realize that this nation has long been threatened by renegade forces seeking to undermine our sovereignty and exploit our weaknesses. More... BOATING EVENTThe Peralta Sail and Power Squadron is presenting a public, safe-boating class on Wednesday evenings, beginning October 12. More... ![]() By day, the streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown are bustling with meandering groups of map-slinging tourists, and locals on their way from the market clutching pink plastic bags with the ingredients for that night’s dinner. But when the sun disappears behind Twin Peaks and the shops along Grant Avenue close for the evening, locals believe the restless spirits of their ancestors roam Chinatown’s desolate side streets, dark back-alleys and narrow passageways. More... ![]() When visiting our tasting room here in St. Helena, many guests depart without ever realizing that just a short stroll away sits a part of Napa Valley history quite literally carved in stone. More... LIBATIONSNow, it’s the time of year to change into our autumn clothes, colors, and choose from menus of hearty foods and warming drinks. We have taken a particular shine to apple lore and all the amazing things made from apples. More... ![]() The Ferry Building Marketplace celebrates its third annual Harvest Festival with a range of free events including: Pumpkin Carving, Butter Churning, Apple Pressing, Face Painting, Live Blue Grass Music and a Barnyard by the Bay. More... THE VAMPIRE TOUR OF SAN FRANCISCOOn Friday & Saturday Nights, at 8:00 pm, your host, Mina Harker, takes you to six stops. Each has a story about how vampires played a role in the stop’s history. Please join us on a tour of local history and dark mystery. More... ![]() At 43, Chef Jamie Molina has become one of the fine and respected creative chefs in the Bay Area. He’s the Executive Chef of Hotel Mac in Point Richmond, CA. More... ![]() Regular Paella can take many hours including baking in the oven, which can also dry the dish. This version is quick in comparison, flavorful as the original but does not dry out. More... ![]() Point Richmond is a quiet community with homes stretching south from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on both sides of a ridge, which forms an amphitheater with the heart of town as the stage. Three short streets in the heart of town form a triangle that points at the Hotel Mac. More... ![]() The annual Italian Heritage Parade in North Beach is a chance for local Italian-Americans to proudly honor the outstanding achievements of their ancestors. For the rest of The City, it’s a fun reminder of the cultural footprint left behind by the thousands of Italian-born immigrants who planted new roots here in the Bay Area. More... ![]() Comb your hair, straighten your tie and be ready, because you may be on camera, not necessarily a camera wielded by a tourist snapping views of the bridges, but more likely a surveillance camera designed to maintain security on Bay Area ferries. More... ![]() In a move that shocked waterfront regulars, the National Park Service awarded a 10-year contract to provide ferry services to Alcatraz to a division of Hornblower Cruises & Events. More... Common Sense Infrastructure for California’s Diverse PortsWes Starratt’s contention that "Oakland’s major problem is the deepening of its channels," as opposed to experiencing the same kind of congestion-related difficulties that LA / Long Beach has to deal with ("One Size Fits All - Not for California’s Diverse Ports," August 2005) may be off the mark a little in that the Port of Oakland and all its Bay Area sibling ports seem headed for some kind of meltdown, if we can’t figure out PDQ how to deal with our own crumbling infrastructure. More... ![]() Bay Crossings chartered former presidential yacht the Potomac last month to run a triangle cruise between Richmond, San Francisco and Oakland. Our excuse was to show off Richmond’s inexpressibly beautiful waterfront – longest of any jurisdiction on San Francisco Bay – to movers and shakers. A grand time was had by all. More... ![]() Bay Crossings chartered former presidential yacht the Potomac last month to run a triangle cruise between Richmond, San Francisco and Oakland. Our excuse was to show off Richmond’s inexpressibly beautiful waterfront – longest of any jurisdiction on San Francisco Bay – to movers and shakers. A grand time was had by all. More... |