On April 10, Gogobot will be hosting their first-ever Travel Salon in San Francisco! If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to become a travel writer, while receiving tips from established authors and networking with other travelers, this is the event for you. It’ll be held at Monarch, a beautiful new lounge in SoMa.

Note: I’m currently working with this awesome company, so I may be slightly biased in determining the event’s expected awesomeness. Additionally, I will be there myself, so I can assure you the event will be awesome.

Here’s the info: read more »

I recently wrote a post for the Gogobot Blog entitled, “The Best of San Francisco’s Lower Tenderloin,” where I highlighted my favorite places in the lower half of the TL. I spent the day wandering through the neighborhood, capturing photos for the article and associated guide. Many of the pictures, particularly those of the scenery and the beautiful Heart of the City Farmers’ Market, were unused, so I’m sharing them now.

Here are a few of my favorites.

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The California Palace of the Legion of Honor consistently ranks as my favorite museum in San Francisco. Up in the hills at the far west end of the city, it offers dramatic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. The architecture of the museum, with its striking courtyard and Rodin’s The Thinker, inspires photographs almost as much as the artwork inside.

Currently on exhibition is Pissarro’s People, an examination of the individuals that inspired French impressionist Camille Pissarro. I particularly liked his depictions of the marketplace. To describe his paintings as “bustling” feels odd, though accurate.

Finally, San Francisco is offered a chance to gaze upon Bernini’s Medusa, on loan from the Musei Capitolini in Rome. What makes this piece particularly unique is how he depicted her as sad and in pain, rather than utilizing the usual monstrous images others would. read more »

Last night was the opening night of New Italian Cinema Event’s New Italian Cinema Festival. The week of premieres, hosted at Landmark’s Embarcadero Center Cinema, celebrates new additions to Italian film.

Opening the event was a presentation of La nostra vita (Our Life), by renowned director Daniele Luchetti. One of my favorite films, Mio fratello è figlio unico (My Brother Is an Only Child) was also directed by Luchetti, so I was particularly excited to see him in person. He offered his own thoughts on his film—touching on current cultural trends in Italy—which I found very insightful as a preface for the viewing.

To paraphrase: “People in Italy only care about money now, and the only institution that keeps people together is the family.”

Correspondingly, La nostra vita is a film as heavy as it is beautiful. Filmed in the documentary style with minimal direction, it’s much like looking into a real person’s life. It’s no surprise that actor Elio Germano received Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his role as the protagonist in this film. His portrayal of a man struggling to support his children was very honest and believable.

Calendar and tickets of upcoming premieres for the New Italian Cinema Festival

Before and after the film, I took some photos of San Francisco at night. With the full moon out and the crowds gone, it was the perfect time to capture a few shots.

Chinese Man Records | Facebook | Twitter

You get Chinese Man, the French trip-hop collective and my newest musical discovery. I was enjoying the night at Muka, a hip underground French wine bar in San Francisco, when I heard “Miss Chang” (video is below) off the owner’s playlist. Utilizing influences from around the world, it’s some of the best genre fusing I’ve ever heard. Each track on their 2011 release Racing With the Sun is unique and inspired.
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