My family was visiting this past weekend and I showed them all the sights, from the hills of San Francisco to the vines of the wine country. The highlight of their trip was biking through Sonoma, but on the two-hour drive over, I learned they didn't know much at all about Northern California's wine-growing region.

This inspired me to pen a Wine Country 101. Please help me out by putting your tips in the comments section.

Introduction
When you're talking about California's wine country, the word "Napa" starts popping up. But what is Napa? A town? A county? A valley? If you answered all of the above, then you're correct. Northern California's wine country is comprised of two primary wine valleys, Napa and Sonoma, and both produce excellent wine.

Photo courtesy of Eric Lundell.

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Posted in California, Culinary Travel, Road Trips
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If you're still looking for Mr. Right or Ms. Walks-on-Air this February 14th, you might wonder if your chances would be improved by a visit to Valentine, Texas or Valentine, Nebraska. Recently a single friend suggested I write a travel blog called: You Don't Have to Go to Alaska to Meet the Man of Your Dreams. She wanted me to figure out where the most single men live so that she could vacation accordingly.

The travel matchmaker is in. After quite a bit of research, I have some basic findings to report. If you're looking to meet a single guy, go west. If you're looking to meet a single girl, it's time to visit the East. As this helpful map from National Geographic shows, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans, and Miami are chockfull of single women.

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Posted in Austin, Bars & Nightlife, California, Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, New York City, Offbeat, San Francisco, Texas
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Yesterday marked the official beginning of Chinese New Year. To many people, this late winter holiday means vibrant street festivities complete with fireworks, colorful dragon floats, and tasty Chinese goodies galore. To others, the term “Chinese New Year” barely rings a bell. But given the growing influence of Chinese culture, more people are learning about the holiday and making plans to participate in celebrations across the country and the world.

Let’s start with the basics. Chinese New Year takes place on the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar, and as such is also called the Lunar New Year. The ancient Chinese believed that a man-eating beast called the Nián emerged from his lair each year on this day to prey on humans. Believing this beast to be sensitive to loud noises and the color red, the early Chinese frightened it away with fireworks and bright red colors. These customs eventually evolved into the scintillating celebrations we enjoy today.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member captain oddsocks.

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Posted in Asia, California, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Festivals & Events, Holiday & Seasonal, International Travel, London, New York City, Shopping
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As a seasoned San Franciscan, I can tell you a lot about the Golden Gate Bridge. I can also talk your ears off on the subjects of crooked Lombard Street, funky Haight-Ashbury, our fleet of highly polished retro-chic cable cars, or even eccentric local legends Emperor Norton and Frank Chu.

My grasp of San Francisco lore unravels, though, once the subject turns toward the city’s spookier aspects (excepting, of course, the infamous Zodiac Killer. He’s got his own blockbuster film, after all). Otherwise, I don’t know much about the haunted parts of the Bay Area. Ghosts, ghouls, and graveyards--this fascinating side of the city always seem to come alive as Halloween approaches at this dark time of year.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member kona.

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Posted in California, Educational & Historic, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Festivals & Events, Holiday & Seasonal, Louisiana, New Orleans, San Francisco
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When Virgin America began ticket sales late last month, the site was so flooded with traffic that potential customers – frustrated by long delays – simply gave up trying. Certainly, plenty of people were trying to book at once, but the real culprit was an orchestrated cyber attack that resulted in a slow start for sales. Though the offender remains unknown, it does get you wondering. Could a rival airline have been responsible? Very unlikely, though several of the legacy carriers lobbied vigorously to block Virgin America from entering the market.

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Posted in Air Travel, Business Travel, California, International Travel, New York City, Travel News
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What’s a trip to Australia without seeing a koala or a trek in Peru without a llama? Sure, there are zoos and animal parks that bring giraffes to the Bronx and hippos to Cleveland, but, to me, there’s nothing like seeing animals in their natural habitats.

Like a lot of people in the Bay Area, I’ve been following the story of the humpback whales that have lost their way out of their natural habitat and into the waters near Sacramento. Everyone I know is really rooting for them to make their way back through the Golden Gate and to the ocean. To have whales come in such close proximity to the Governator’s office is a novelty, and the rescue effort is drawing large crowds of both locals and tourists alike.

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Posted in California, Travel News
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I’m all about taking surveys. I can’t get enough of answering questions. I actually arrive at the doctor’s office embarrassingly early so that I can devote as much time as I want to filling all the forms out. And so when Travel + Leisure magazine and CNN Headline News launch their America Favorite Cities survey on April 30, you can bet I’ll be at the head of the line waiting to take it.

Last conducted in 2004--when Washington, D.C. was voted the best city for sightseeing, Honolulu the best city for romance, and New York the best city for family trips--the survey asks participants to dish on the cities they’re familiar with, ranking the restaurant scene, shopping options, and historical and cultural sights. You can even, if you like, give your opinion on your fellow residents, answering questions on their friendliness, their intelligence, and--gulp!--even their attractiveness and fashion sense.

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Posted in California, Dallas/Fort Worth, New York City, Polls & Studies
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