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Posts published in “Essays”

Assignment: Ukiah: Please Don’t Make Me Go Back

I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed visiting a museum, but it probably was when I was young and pretentious. I thought if people heard I’d spent the weekend stalking moldy old antique stuff…

Thirty VW Vans On The Road To Mina

You really have to have a reason to be driving north of Covelo towards Humboldt County. In our case we did, as there is an interesting rockhounding site to investigate. The oak woodlands were beautiful…

MELANIA’s Music

MELANIA made it to Berlin but was only showing at a single early-afternoon time. Brandishing my coveted CounterPunch press card, I tried to talk my way in for free. The woman at the counter was…

Sustainably Delicious: Organic Wines by Terra Sávia

When I arrived at Terra Sávia Winery in Hopland at 9:00 on a Monday morning, things were already bustling. Pallets of wine and olive oil were moved past the olive mill, through the tasting bar,…

Assignment: Ukiah – What It Means To ‘Shop Local’

Twenty one years ago we bought a new refrigerator over at Pardini Appliance and it was a beaut: retro-style from curved corners to chrome handles, and coated in deep red airplane-grade paint. A Northstar brand…

Some Thoughts On Visiting Paris, Part 3

It was a month ago today that I stepped on a plane in Los Angeles headed for Paris. This month has allowed time to reflect. When my cousin and I toasted the New Year on…

The Benches Of Mendocino County: Navarro Point

It would be nearly impossible for me to choose just one favorite view along the ruggedly beautiful Mendocino Coast, but I can easily pick my favorite bench found there: the ruggedly beautiful memorial to Deborah…

Am I Not Pretty Enough?

I recently attended a dinner that included a 40-something woman I have known for years as part of my extended family. I looked forward to hearing how she was doing as a mother, a wife,…

Winter Woes: Dancing to Schubert in Berlin

Anglophone theatre people wish each other good luck (or better, anti-bad luck) with the phrase “break a leg.” The Germans double the violence: “Hals- und Beinbruch” — break your neck and your leg, not that…

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