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10 + 5 Music & Film Festivals in California in 2020
The Oscars 2020 nominations have just been announced and, as a film enthusiast, I’m already very excited about the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, due on the 9th of February 2020. But, as much as I’d like to write about my favorite films this year, today I’m going to follow on from last week’s post and make a list of music, as well as of film, festivals due to take place in California in 2020. So, without further ado, here are my lists of upcoming music and film festivals in California: Music Festivals in California in 2020 Most of the music festivals on my list are outdoors. This comes as no…
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Music, film & wine: 12 days in California
It all started in September when I went on a musical journey to California to attend the Kaaboo Del Mar festival. This is an annually held festival that takes place in Del Mar, a beach city near San Diego, in southern California. Getting there was easy; from LA, I took the train to San Diego and got off at Solana Beach (the journey took about two hours) where I stayed for the duration of the festival. After the festival, I returned to Los Angeles, and after spending a few days there, I rented a car and went on a road trip to California. My itinerary included Santa Barbara, Big Sur,…
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My California wine-tasting road-trip
I was certainly amused when the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) asked me if I’d brought any alcohol into the US. Why would I do that, I wondered. I had just flown for 10 hours across the Atlantic and was about to embark on my California wine-tasting road-trip from LA to Santa Barbara and the Central Coast, and from there to Big Sur and San Francisco (with a detour to the Yosemite National Park). I was planning to drive on the Pacific Coast Highway and visit as many vineyards and wineries as I could (the fact that I would be driving was…
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Napa Valley: Wine, food & film
Worldwide famous as a fine wine-producing region, Napa County (not to be confused with Ayia Napa, in Cyprus), along with the neighboring Sonoma County and the perhaps somewhat lesser-known Mendocino County, is part of the so-called Wine Country, in Northern California. Napa County is part of the San Francisco Bay Area, which also includes San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and the Silicon Valley, Sonoma and other neighboring counties. Home to Michelin-starred restaurants and to the Napa Valley Film Festival taking place every November, Napa County is the perfect destination for foodies and wine fans with a love of the big screen. Even if you visit San Fran at a different…
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I Left My Heart In San Francisco
I left my heart in San Francisco High on a hill, it calls to me To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars The morning fog may chill the air, I don’t care Originally recorded by Tony Bennett, ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’ perfectly captures how I felt after my first visit to one of the most iconic American cities. Perhaps I am being a bit melodramatic, but few would argue with the charm of San Francisco. Despite the very large number of homeless people sleeping on the streets of this Californian city, San Fran is the highest rated American city on world liveability rankings.…
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Los Angeles: 3 days in La La Land
La La Land. City of Angels. City of Stars. The Big Orange. These are some of the most common nicknames for Los Angeles, or simply LA. The iconic city is not only the most populous in California, but also the second most populous in the United States (after New York City). When I first visited California, I stayed in Los Angeles for only two nights, so I simply had to go back and spend more time in La La Land. If you have never been to LA, I would recommend staying there for at least 3 days, and here’s how to make the most of them: Day 1: DTLA (Downtown…
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A musical journey to California
When I launched this blog last year, I said that I loved traveling the world. In fact, traveling has always been an important part of my life. As well as enjoyment and pleasure, traveling provides huge learning opportunities, helps us widen our horizons and opens us to different perspectives and viewpoints; all these can lead to a better appreciation of our own lives. As a Psychiatrist, I am passionate about optimal work-life balance and wellbeing, and I try to lead by example. So, I travel whenever I have time off work. A music lover, when I travel I get to discover new music, artists and songs I’ve never heard of before.…