The Hidden Galapagos

The Archipelago’s Most Fascinating Spots Are the Ones Humans Can’t Visit

If you are fortunate enough to visit, the Galapagos is the sort of place that stays with you forever. In the 10 years since I first went there, I have written two books about these islands and hardly a day has gone by when I haven’t thought about them. I still visit them often in my imagination. But where do I go?

In the Galapagos, there are around 70 dedicated sites accessible to visitors, neat trails that weave through this extraordinary landscape. I have been to some of them, but the …

More In: Where I Go

Breakfast on the Beach with Dad

The Joys of Early Mornings at Perry’s Café, Before Work

Perry’s at the Beach Café has nine locations throughout Santa Monica and Venice, but I only really like one—and won’t bother going after 10 a.m.

My dad first introduced me …

Walking Alone After Dark

For a Mile and a Half Each Night, I Make To-Do Lists, Listen to Bruce Springsteen, and Occasionally Find Answers to Life’s Big Questions

After we moved two years ago to Montrose, a Glendale neighborhood tucked against the Verdugo Hills, some friends—all moms like me—found out I walked every night. They wanted to set …

HIV-Positive and in the Waiting Room

Where You Don’t Want Anybody to Know Your Name

The first time I came here was October 2011, after a fairly wild first month at the University of Leeds in England. I’d been laid up in bed for a …

Where Can You Dance to the Washboard in L.A.?

The Louisiana Creole Sound of Zydeco Music Is Tough to Categorize—and Tough to Find Outside of New Orleans, Unless You Know Where to Look

It’s not every day that Angelenos stumble upon a washboard, an accordion, and a pot of gumbo all within the county limits.

Maybe that’s because they aren’t looking hard enough. Hidden …

I Climbed the Golden Gate Bridge

Those ‘No Trespassing’ Signs Are an Invitation to Urban Explorers

Minutes after my plane landed in San Francisco, I took out my phone and texted my friend Andres: “Let’s try the bridge tonight.”

I was back in the Bay Area for …