Author: Lee Daley

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. It’s early morning and I have spent the last 10 minutes admiring the light and shadows on a small brave bush somewhere alongside the road to Furnace Creek in Death Valley, a place my husband and I have come to de-stress and transition into the new year. This is a mystical place that has long inspired artists and awe. Driving through the valley’s lunar landscape, we find ourselves slowly banishing thoughts of schedules, appointments and deadlines. What seemed like an impending crisis back home now feels like a ridiculously insignificant issue in the grandness…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. I’ve always known the Pacifica coastline boasts just about the best and most diverse five-mile span of beaches in Northern California. I thought I knew it well. Until I extended my usual day-trip to two nights and three days in this quintessential surfer haven beach town, I had no idea how much I was missing. I soon discovered the beaches are only the beginning. Two beaches within walking distance of each other – Rockaway and Linda Mar -have always been my favorites and I soon added Mori Point to the list. Staying in Rockaway…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. A true Epicurean knows when to save and when to splurge and it’s easy to do both in Copenhagen, one of Europe’s most elegant cities. By seeking out free and affordable opportunities, without sacrificing quality, you’ll be able to set aside your Danish krone for those indispensable splurges found only in Copenhagen. Based on a recent stay, here are my top suggestions for a boundary pushing visit that won’t break the budget. Before heading out onto the cobblestone city streets, I invested in the Copenhagen Card, which provides free entry to more than 70…

Story by Lee Daley. Photos by Lee Daley and John Sundsmo More than five million years ago, Mother Nature swept over the Pacific Ocean and in a burst of hormonal ecstasy. created the first of the Hawaiian Islands, that green pearl of paradise called Kauai. Caressed by warm tropical breezes, Kauai’s idyllic beaches and its ageless, majestic canyons and cliffs seem tailor-made for lovers. Romantic Kauai is small enough to explore over a long weekend while still leaving space for coveted cuddle time. Locals cherish the beauty and serenity of Kauai; that feeling of calm and kindness permeates the island,…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. Approaching Punta de Mita on a bright fall day, the flawless sky a cerulean blue, I knew I was in for something special. The warm breeze felt like a caress; its clarity etched the curves of the Sierra Madre Mountains creating an epic backdrop to the famed Bay of Banderas and the valley below.  By the time I arrived at Casa Majani, that oasis secreted behind tall palms, my inner Om was in full bloom and I was ready for the all-encompassing escape that awaited. Outside the tree shaded, walled entry, staff greeted my…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. Oaxaca’s appeal is so fundamental it’s a wonder this southern state of Mexico and its mile-high capital, Oaxaca [pronounced wah-HA-ka]  City, are not more traveled. Blessed with year-round temperate climate, nearby archeological ruins, distinctive cuisine and magnificent artisan handicrafts, the 16th century settlement nestles in a temperate highland valley and enjoys year-round abundant sunshine.  Oaxaca’s zocalo, its central open-air plaza, radiates the warmth of its people.  Amid a hubbub of surrounding bustle, Oaxaca radiates a friendly welcoming calm. Children chase balloons under the watchful eye of an older sibling; locals relax on wrought-iron benches…

  By Lee Daley Claremont Club & Spa, an urban resort in the Berkeley Hills, has long been a draw for its spectacular setting and club amenities. Now, a new option offers another reason to visit as the Claremont welcomes Limewood Bar & Restaurant to its dining roster. Limewood replaces the former Antoinette’s which shuttered after a two-month stay.  Where Antoinette’s favored a formal haute cuisine format, Limewood Bar & Restaurant has reversed that theme with its casual elegance and a seasonal, locally sourced menu. On a recent visit I found Limewood a welcoming way station for both the local…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley Dharamshala came to light on the world map in 1959 when His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, fled Tibet and subsequently established his “government in exile” there. Upwards of 100,000 Tibetan exiles have since settled in Dharamshala with most of them living in the village of McLeod Ganj near the higher elevation of the city. Also known as a hill station, the name, Dharamshala, means “spiritual dwelling,” because it originated as a resting place for trekkers on pilgrimage. The entire area consists of three plateaus, gradually increasing in elevation and connected by a main…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. When I sat down to watch the film, “The Danish Girl,” I had no idea it would inspire me to travel to Copenhagen where I would walk the cobbled streets and explore the same Old Town waterfront where the film’s fated artistic couple lived during the 1920s. Filming on site, director Tom Hooper brought Copenhagen’s Nyhavn harborfront back in time to the 1920s when the bustling dockside was replete with wooden fishing boats, their sails unfurled and spread out before the century-old houses rising above the stone streets. With its tall rowhouses painted in…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. If you haven’t checked into Downtown Napa’s vibe for some time, you’re in for quite a treat.  The city is experiencing a thriving renaissance with an explosion of new restaurants, wine tasting rooms, nightlife and trendy shops. For good measure, add in the Napa River walk, outdoor sculptures, expanded walking and biking paths and you’re spoiled for choice. Wine Tasting:  You’ll find a cornucopia of tasting rooms at almost every turn.  Downtown boasts more than two dozen within easy walking distance of First and Main Streets.  Many welcome visitors on a drop-in basis. Vermeil…

Turtle Island , Oahu, Hawaii Story and Photos by Lee Daley. Update 9/29/20: Hawaiian Airlines has implemented a Keeping You Safe program and is now offering 36 hour and same-day drive-up Covid-19 testing (for a fee) at Worksite Labs locations near LAX and SFO. United Airlines followed suit with onsite testing at SFO for $250. Oakland airport (OAK) has announced that starting October 15, 2020, it will offer a free test for passengers bound to Hawaii. A negative test result gives tourists a way to escape the mandatory 14 day quarantine in Hawaii. If you’ve spent time on the island…

In the Footsteps of Georgia O’Keeffe. Story and Photos by Lee Daley I’m not sure whether it was “Purple Hills II” or “Lavender Hill with Green” that inspired the Georgia O’Keeffe itch but, when a friend gave me a coffee table book commemorating her New Mexico paintings, I knew I had to set foot on the land that inspired so much of her work. The urge to roam the red rock hills of O’Keeffe’s American Southwest and breathe its sultry air was palpable. When I learned that the Ghost Ranch Foundation schedules visits through what is now a restricted area…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. In 2003, I traveled to Myanmar, formerly called Burma. We flew to the capital, Yangon, once called Rangoon, before journeying on to Mandalay where my traveling companion and I boarded the river boat, The Road to Mandalay.Thus began some of our most memorable days in the country.  We talked with locals who often told us of their love for dissident Aung San Sui Kyi, whom they called “The Lady,” and of their desire to see Myanmar’s name restored back to Burma. By the end of our sojourn, we found ourselves calling the country Burma…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. On a recent visit, I explored Boston’s culinary scene and came away impressed with the distinctly diverse dining options available in this seacoast city. Along with a memorable meal, I looked for an ambiance that was quirky, artistic or historic, for an added vibe befitting a place that bills itself as the “Athens of America.” Each of these four Boston eateries earned high marks for a distinct sense of place. Bistro du Midi: Overlooking the Boston Public Gardens from its second-story location, this upscale dining spot’s decor captures the essence of the Midi region…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. The expletive, “get crackin,” takes on new meaning when faced with a Maine lobster. A culinary challenge worth every crunch, consuming the Homerus americanus known more colloquially as the American lobster, is a rewarding hands-on experience. Considered the “King of Seafood”, lobsters are harvested along the entire New England coast but Maine is considered “Lobster Central.”  Every Maine fishing cove harbors its own distinct clan of fishermen and women who “fence” their traditionally defined territories with brightly painted buoys. Thus, the best place to get your lobster fix is where it’s harvested. A little…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley Burma is now on many world travelers’ “A” list.  With the release of Nobel Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and her subsequent triumphant election campaign, tourism to the country is at an all-time high. Decades of international isolation have left the former British colony’s major city, Rangoon, with an enduring colonial charm that has pretty much disappeared elsewhere in Asia. Rangoon is the name given to Yangon by the British. The country name of Burma is also a British moniker. Both names are now used interchangeably but the government has…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. While spending a week in San Miguel de Allende, a city in the Mexican highlands that I love, I heard stories of a nearby ghost town that has gained new footing as a haven for artists.  My curiosity was piqued by local expats around town, mostly Americans now living in San Miguel, who told me that the former mining colony of Mineral de Pozos, often just called Pozos, was being repopulated by a small number of Mexicans, Europeans and Americans drawn to the city’s austere beauty, reasonable housing prices and serene, small town atmosphere.…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. Update 9/29/20: Hawaiian Airlines has implemented a Keeping You Safe program and is now offering 36 hour and same-day drive-up Covid-19 testing (for a fee) at Worksite Labs locations near LAX and SFO. United Airlines followed suit with onsite testing at SFO for $250. Oakland airport (OAK) has announced that starting October 15, 2020, it will offer a free test for passengers bound to Hawaii. A negative test result gives tourists a way to escape the mandatory 14 day quarantine in Hawaii. I talked recently with Chef Greg Gaspar at the Sheraton Maui Resort…

Story and Photos by Lee Daley.  In terms of size, you could tuck all of Amsterdam, a city without skyscrapers, into a corner of Tokyo or Los Angeles and it might pass for a village. But that would be an oversight. Culturally rich, aesthetically beautiful, easily navigable, tiny Amsterdam stands tall among cities of the world. In fact, its size contributes greatly to its sensuality. The music box chime of church bells, the ring of trams jostling along metal tracks, the cry of an overhead heron, the low hum of a water taxi as I stroll across a curved bridge;…