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Read Books: Dates From Hell
Prom Dates from Hell
Author : Rosemary Clement-Moore
Maggie Quinn, girl reporter. Honors student, newspaper staffer, yearbook photographer. Six weeks from graduation and all she wants to do is get out of Avalon High in one piece. A sensible nerd would have kept her head down, done her drive-by photo shoot of the prom, and continued the countdown to Deploma Day. But fate seems to have different plans for Maggie. High school may be a natural breeding ground for evil, but the scent of fire and brimstone is still a little out of the ordinary. It's the distinct smell of sulfur that makes Maggie suspect that something's a bit off. And when real Twilight Zone stuff starts happening to the school's ruling clique—the athletic elite and the head cheerleader and her minions, all of whom happen to be named Jessica—Maggie realizes it's up to her to get in touch with her inner Nancy Drew and ferret out who unleashed the ancient evil before all hell breaks loose. Maggie has always suspected that prom is the work of the devil, but it looks like her attendance will be mandatory. Sometimes a girl's got to do some pretty undesirable things if she wants to save her town from soul-crushing demons from hell. And the cheerleading squad. "Dripping with wit on nearly every page."-School Library Journal "Smart (and smart-ass)."-KLIATT "There is a lot to like in this story that takes on magic, romance, and even clique politics."-Publisher's Weekly "Fans of shows like Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer will relish the unflappable, edgy humor Maggie brings to her fight against supernatural evil."-The Horn Book Magazine "Sharp, sarcastic wit...[This book] will appeal to supernatural fans of Meg Cabot's Mediator series."-VOYA
Dates From Hell
Author : Kim Harrison,Lynsay Sands,Kelley Armstrong,Lori Handeland
She thought her date was out of this world. Actually, he was not of this world . . . We've all been on bad dates, nightmare dates, dreadful experiences that turned out to be uniquely memorable in the very worst way. But at least our partners for these detestable evenings were more or less . . . human! Now Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland -- four of the very best writers currently exploring the dangerous seduction of the supernatural -- offer up dating disasters (and unexpected delights) of a completely different sort: dark, wicked, paranormally sensual assignations with werewolves, demon lovers, and the romantically challenged undead. Sexy, witty, chilling, and altogether remarkable, here is proof positive that some love matches are made someplace other than heaven.
INTERNET DATES FROM HELL
Author : Trisha Ventker
There are close to one hundred million single adults living in the United States. Of those, approximately thirty-five million will look at online dating sites this year alone. Internet Dates from Hell provides the ins and outs of Internet dating from one woman's experiences, ranging from funny to scary to downright shocking. Internet Dates from Hell is not only a guide; it is also a seven-year journey through author Trisha Ventker's dating life as a single kindergarten teacher who relocated from the suburbs to New York City to find her soul mate. Fielding over four hundred responses on a given day, and receiving more than fifty-two thousand hits on her personal ad in an eight-month span, Ventker shares her frightening but true dating encounters in the wonderful world of online dating. Follow Ventker through the trials and tribulations of her quest to find "Mr. Right". Along the path, Trisha Ventker endures hundreds of first dates. Encounters include a conspiracy theorist living in the United Kingdom, a religious fanatic from Texas, a sadomasochistic psychiatrist, and even a pre-op transsexual, to name a few. Ventker's brutally honest memoir lets you step inside her shoes and experience her exciting journey firsthand.
The Date from Hell
Author : Gwenda Bond
"The apocalyptic beach read that everyone needs." - Alix E. Harrow, Hugo Award-winning author on Not Your Average Hot Guy In The Date from Hell, the sequel to Not Your Average Hot Guy, New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond brings the journey of Callie, Luke, and their friends to a wonderful close. This is another laugh out loud, action-packed romantic adventure you won't want to miss. After saving the world and stopping the apocalypse, Callie and Luke are looking forward to a quiet, romantic weekend together. When you're human and dating the Prince of Hell, quiet moments are hard to come by. But their romantic weekend in Hell takes a turn when Lucifer tasks Callie and Luke with chasing a wayward soul around the world. If they can prove it's possible to redeem a soul, Lucifer will allow the two of them to make some changes in Hell. But this wayward soul, Sean, doesn't have any interest in being redeemed. Instead, now that he's back on Earth, he's decided to take a leaf out of Callie and Luke's book and wants to find the Holy Grail. Now Callie, Luke, and their friends—and enemies—must race Sean around the globe on a Grail quest and bring peace between Heaven and Hell before they can finally (maybe) get around to that date.
Prom Nights from Hell
Author : Stephenie Meyer,Kim Harrison,Meg Cabot,Lauren Myracle,Michele Jaffe
Five amazing authors. Five unforgettable stories. In this exciting collection of paranormal tales, best-selling authors Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), Kim Harrison (Once Dead, Twice Shy), Meg Cabot (How to Be Popular), Lauren Myracle (ttyl), and Michele Jaffe (Bad Kitty) take prom mishaps to a whole new level—a truly hellish level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look. From angels fighting demons to a twisted take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux can. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, creepy fun.
Holidays Are Hell
Author : Kim Harrison,Lynsay Sands,Vicki Pettersson,Marjorie Liu
This holiday, spend quality time with family and loved ones—living and dead . . . There's no place like home for the horrordays—unless you'd prefer a romantic midnight walk through a ghost-infested graveyard . . . or a haunted house candlelight dinner with the sexy vampire of your dreams. The (black) magical season is here—and whether it's a solstice séance gone demonically wrong with the incomparable Kim Harrison, a grossly misshapen Christmas with the remarkable Lynsay Sands, a blood-chilling-and-spilling New Year's with the wonderful Marjorie M. Liu, or a super-powered Thanksgiving with the phenomenal Vicki Pettersson, one thing is for certain: in the able hands of these exceptional dark side explorers, the holidays are going to be deliciously hellish!
Kisses from Hell
Author : Kristin Cast,Richelle Mead,Kelley Armstrong,Alyson Noel,Francesca Lia Block
Truly, Madly, Undead-ly This irresistible collection features stories of love amid vampires by five of today's hottest authors—Kristin Cast (Tempted), Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy), Alyson NoËl (Evermore), Kelley Armstrong (The Summoning), and Francesca Lia Block (Pretty Dead). From a fugitive vampire forced to trust a boy who might work for the group bent on destroying her to the legendary romance of two immortals whose love compels them to risk everything, this heart-pounding collection brings new meaning to the words "love you forever." Whether you're into romances that are dark and moody or light and fun, these stories will quench that insatiable thirst for enchanting tales of the beautiful undead.
Weddings From Hell
Author : Maggie Shayne,Jeaniene Frost,Terri Garey,Kathryn Smith
Some marriages are made in heaven . . . Some are not. What happens when "the happiest day of your life" turns into a nightmare? Forget the drunken best man or the bridesmaid dresses from the '80s . . . none of these wedding day disasters can compare to a cursed bride determined to make it down the aisle, or a vampire who is about to disrupt your wedding. Join New York Times bestselling authors Maggie Shayne and Jeaniene Frost, USA Today bestseller Kathryn Smith, as well as Terri Garey in four unforgettable tales of unholy matrimony . . . where the grooms are dark, dangerous, and mostly dead, and to love and cherish till death takes on a whole new meaning.
High school senior and yearbook photographer Maggie thought she would rather die than go to the prom, but when a classmate summons a revenge-seeking demon, she has no choice but to buy herself a dress and prepare to face jocks, cheerleaders, and Evil Incarnate.
Publisher : Top Shelf Productions
Genre : Comics & Graphic Novels
Boyfriends from Hell
Author : Kevin Bentley
ISBN : UOM:49015002940980
Whether you've dated, mated, or just plain slept around, if you're a gay man looking to hook up, you've probably had your share of boy trouble. Was he passive aggressive, a withholder, stalker, or snippy vegan? The one-night stand you thought you'd never escape, the date you couldn't flee fast enough? They may be Hell to live through, but they make for riveting post mortems. Here twenty gay writers have the last word in this collection of sexy, funny, scary, heartbreaking and delightfully vengeful accounts of adventures at the deep end of the dating pool.
Dates from Hell and Other Places
Author : Elyse Russo
Publisher : CreateSpace
Dates From Hell and Other Places is a collection of witty and clever poems describing one woman's hilarious misadventures as she searches for true love. From awkward first dates to bittersweet short-term relationships, readers will laugh out loud as they identify with the author's foray into the world of dating.
Maggie Quinn was expecting to find plenty of trouble with Lisa over Spring Break. Destination: South Padre Island! Give a girl a bikini, a beachfront hotel, and an absent boyfriend, and it's as good as a road map to the dark side. And Maggie and Lisa plan to enjoy every bit of it--just like nice, normal college freshmen. Fire, brimstone, and demonic sorority girls: these ladies are officially off the clock. But Maggie doesn't have to go looking for trouble. Trouble has started looking for her. One dead cow and a punctured gas tank later, she and Lisa are stuck in Dulcina, Texas—a town so small that it has an owner. And--you guessed it--lately life in this small town hasn't been all that peaceful. An eerie predator is stalking the ranchland. Cattle are dying mysteriously, with strange bite marks on their hides. And judging by the rising body count, whatever's doing the killing is getting bolder by the day. Everyone in town has a theory, but not even Maggie's psychic mojo can provide any answers. And the longer the girls are stranded, the more obvious it becomes that something is seriously wrong. Only no one—not even Maggie's closest ally—wants to admit that they could have been forced on a detour down the highway to hell. It looks like fighting evil isn'at a job with vacation time. "A first-rate mystery."--School Library Journal
Author : RC Boldt
Publisher : RC Boldt Publishing, LLC
In Hell Hath No Fury, RC Boldt brings us an unforgettable tale of loss, betrayal, and revenge in this new romantic suspense standalone… Seven years ago, they took everything from me. My father. My husband. My child. When they stole my chance at justice, I vowed to get revenge. Then I met him. He tempts that long-lost part of me, but his presence is a reminder that betrayal lurks around every corner. Their biggest mistake is underestimating my commitment for vengeance. They don't realize that when it comes to a woman like me, hell hath no fury.
More Dates from Hell
Author : Katherine Ann Samon
Publisher : Plume Books
Storytelling is alive and well when it comes to dates from hell, and there's certainly no shortage of lurid tales from the dark side. Samon has put together another collection of 100 true-life, traumatic tales from men and women who lived to tell all. The perfect tongue-in-cheek Valentine's Day gift .
Author : Victoria Witherkeigh,Michael J. Moore,Alexandria Baker
Publisher : Hellbound Books Publishing
We've all had them, those special dates with someone brand new, someone who just might be the yin to our yang, that vital missing piece of our lonely heart... So goes the eternal gamble, the endless game of romance roulette, in which we earnestly wear our hearts upon our sleeves in the thin hope of discovering our soulmate and lay bare our inner selves to find all-elusive true love. But, for some, that potential soulmate can very quickly become the Devil in disguise, and, boy howdy, how attractive and inherently deceitful those nefarious facades can be! Here, we deliver for your delectation twenty-one such tales - read them with caution, and thank all that is heavenly it's not you on these particular Dates from Hell...
Author : Harris Dinga
Publisher : Triggercell Inc
A hand-picked collection of travel photographs and inspirational life quotes for the journey ahead. Traveling has been a life-changing experience and a medium to connect and understand the world around me. It's been the inspiration for this book and a story I would like to share with the world, through travel photos and inspirational life quotes I've collected from along the way. I hope it can inspire you to travel and find the unbound beauty in your life.
Working on a Song
Author : Anaïs Mitchell
Genre : Performing Arts
"Working On A Song is one of the best books about lyric writing for the theater I've read."—Lin-Manuel Miranda Anaïs Mitchell named to TIME's List of the 100 Most Influential People in the World of 2020 An illuminating book of lyrics and stories from Hadestown—the winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical—from its author, songwriter Anaïs Mitchell with a foreword by Steve Earle On Broadway, this fresh take on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice has become a modern classic. Heralded as "The best new musical of the season," by The Wall Street Journal, and "Sumptuous. Gorgeous. As good as it gets," by The New York Times, the show was a breakout hit, with its poignant social commentary, and spellbinding music and lyrics. In this book, Anaïs Mitchell takes readers inside her more than decade's-long process of building the musical from the ground up—detailing her inspiration, breaking down the lyrics, and opening up the process of creation that gave birth to Hadestown. Fans and newcomers alike will love this deeply thoughtful, revealing look at how the songs from "the underground" evolved, and became the songs we sing again and again.
Love Is Hell
Author : Scott Westerfeld,Melissa Marr,Justine Larbalestier,Gabrielle Zevin,Laurie Faria Stolarz
Sure, love is hell. But it,s totally worth it. In these supernatural stories by five of today's hottest writers—Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely), Scott Westerfeld (Specials), Justine Larbalestier (Magic or Madness), Gabrielle Zevin (Elsewhere), and Laurie Faria Stolarz (Blue is for Nightmares)—love may be twisted and turned around, but it's more potent than ever on its quest to conquer all. From two students who let the power of attraction guide them to break the hard-and-fast rules of their world to the girl who falls hard for a good-looking ghost with a score to settle, the clever, quirky characters in this exciting collection will break your heart, then leave you believing in love more than ever.
No Kiss Good-Night
Author : Kevin Zdrill
The day of his thirty-ninth birthday, relationship counsellor Gus Adams was completely alone. He was supposed to have a birthday bash, surrounded by friends and coworkers, but everyone cancelled for this reason or that. Gusleft with a silly Staples birthday banner and chilled champagne, sans companyrealized he had no one upon whom to depend, no one to love. With sudden determination, Gus decided to find lovereal, substantial lovebefore his dreaded fortieth birthday. After all, he knows how to make a relationship work. He spent his career listening to other people talk about their relationships. He knew what worked and what didnt, but Gus hadnt been in a romantic relationship in over ten years, since a heartless vixen tossed him out on the metaphorical curb. A lot had changed over the past ten years; Gus placed all his conviction into fast-tracking his soul mate through the polished hands of a professional dating service. Soon, hed be overwhelmed by free spirits who barely made it past date number one. Following forays into adultery, whip wielding seductresses, extortion, drinks spiked for male enhancement and a mandated admission to John School, Gus wondered if hed ever make it to date number two.
Hell Week
Publisher : Delacorte Books for Young Readers
While working undercover for her college newspaper, Maggie reluctantly endures mixers, rites, and peculiar rules, but soon learns that members of the sorority to which she has pledged have strange powers and a terrible secret.
Diva: Live From Hell
Author : S.P. Monahan,Alexander Sage Oyen
Publisher : Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
As president of the drama club at Ronald Reagan High School and the star of every school play, Desmond Channing spent most of his short life in the spotlight. But when Evan Harris, a hotshot transfer from New York, challenges his throne, Desmond responds, as any diva would, with lethal force. Now, stuck in the Seventh Circle, Hell's most squalid cabaret venue, Desmond is forced to relive his disturbing tale of woe. As he presents his one-millionth consecutive show, Desmond performs with a desperate vigor in the hopes that he can prove he's repented and be freed from this eternal, campy torment.
Publisher : Plume
A collection of humorous tales about disaster dates features Cheryl's encounter with her date's boa constrictor, Jessica's escape from her blind date out the window of the restaurant bathroom, and Tom's Elvis-obsessed blind date. Original. 25,000 first printing.
Tinder Dates From Hell
Author : Chelsea Queen
This is a pamphlet/book that tells about many cases that have occured since the wildly popular Tinder Dating App has came out. This will follow kidnappings, murders, and even cult related cases that have occured from people using the Tinder app to meet each other. This is true stories and events that have happened. I've carefully researched each case to give the most accurate details that I can of each case.
Author : Elizabeth Woods
Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has always been a loner, even more so since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, a few years ago. Cara mostly spends her time avoiding the popular girls who call her 'choker' after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria, and watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her. Then one day Cara comes home and finds Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With Zoe back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and before she can blink, Cara is flirting with Ethan and getting invited to parties. And best of all, she has her best friend to confide in again. But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect ~ including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving very strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to be able to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?
Author : Cormac McCarthy
Reader Reviews : 1030
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • A searing, post-apocalyptic novel about a father and son's fight to survive, this "tale of survival and the miracle of goodness only adds to McCarthy's stature as a living master. It's gripping, frightening and, ultimately, beautiful" (San Francisco Chronicle). A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation. Look for Cormac McCarthy's new novel, The Passenger.
Author : Arthur Rimbaud
Publisher : BookRix
Genre : Poetry
A Season in Hell is an extended poem written and published by French writer Arthur Rimbaud. The book had a considerable influence on later artists and poets, for example the Surrealists. Henry Miller was important in introducing Rimbaud to America in the sixties. He once attempted an English translation of the book and wrote an extended essay on Rimbaud and A Season in Hell titled The Time of the Assassins. The poem is loosely divided into nine parts, some of which are much shorter than others. They differ markedly in tone and narrative comprehensibility, with some, such as "Bad Blood," 'being much more obviously influenced by Rimbaud's drug use than others, some argue. Academic critics have arrived at many varied and often entirely incompatible conclusions as to what meaning and philosophy may or may not be contained in the text, and will continue to do so.
The Splendor Falls
The dark secrets linking two Alabama families and their Welsh ancestors slowly come to light when Sylvie, whose ballet career has come to a sudden end, spends a month with a cousin she barely knows in her father's ancestral home.
Fight Like Hell
Author : Kim Kelly
Genre : History
"Kelly unearths the stories of the people—farm laborers, domestic workers, factory employees—behind some of labor movement's biggest successes." —The New York Times A revelatory and inclusive history of the American labor movement, from independent journalist and Teen Vogue labor columnist Kim Kelly. Freed Black women organizing for protection in the Reconstruction-era South. Jewish immigrant garment workers braving deadly conditions for a sliver of independence. Asian American fieldworkers rejecting government-sanctioned indentured servitude across the Pacific. Incarcerated workers advocating for basic human rights and fair wages. The queer Black labor leader who helped orchestrate America's civil rights movement. These are only some of the working-class heroes who propelled American labor's relentless push for fairness and equal protection under the law. The names and faces of countless silenced, misrepresented, or forgotten leaders have been erased by time as a privileged few decide which stories get cut from the final copy: those of women, people of color, LGBTQIA people, disabled people, sex workers, prisoners, and the poor. In this definitive and assiduously researched work of journalism, Teen Vogue columnists and independent labor reporter Kim Kelly excavates that untold history and shows how the rights the American worker has today—the forty-hour workweek, workplace-safety standards, restrictions on child labor, protection from harassment and discrimination on the job—were earned with literal blood, sweat, and tears. Fight Like Hell comes at a time of economic reckoning in America. From Amazon's warehouses to Starbucks cafes, Appalachian coal mines to the sex workers of Portland's Stripper Strike, interest in organized labor is at a fever pitch not seen since the early 1960s. Inspirational, intersectional, and full of crucial lessons from the past, Fight Like Hell shows what is possible when the working class demands the dignity it has always deserved.
Running the Light
Author : Sam Tallent
Genre : Addicts
Debauched, divorced and courting death, Billy Ray Schafer is a comedian who has forgotten how to laugh. Over the course of seven spun-out days across the American Southwest, he travels from from hell gig to hell gig in search of a reason to keep living in this bleak and violent glimpse into the psyche of a thoroughly ruined man. Ex-inmate, ex-husband, ex-father - comedian is the only title Schafer has left. Trapped in the wreckage of his wasted career, Billy Ray knows the answer to the question: what happens when the opportunity doesn't come - or worse - it comes and goes?
Not Your Average Hot Guy
"Fun, funny, hot, and heartfelt...The apocalyptic beach read that everyone needs." - Alix E. Harrow, Hugo Award-winning author A paranormal romantic comedy at the (possible) end of the world. From New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond, Not Your Average Hot Guy is a hilarious romantic comedy about two people falling in love, while the fate of the world rests on their shoulders. All Callie wanted was a quiet weekend with her best friend. She promised her mom she could handle running her family's escape room business while her mom is out of town. Instead a Satanic cult shows up, claiming that the prop spell book in one of the rooms is the real deal, and they need it to summon the right hand of the devil. Naturally they take Callie and her friend, Mag, along with them. But when the summoning reveals a handsome demon in a leather jacket named Luke who offers to help Callie stop the cult from destroying the world, her night goes from weird to completely strange. As the group tries to stay one step ahead of the cult, Callie finds herself drawn to the annoying (and annoyingly handsome) Luke. But what Callie doesn't know is that Luke is none other than Luke Morningstar, Prince of Hell and son of the Devil himself. Callie never had time for love, and with the apocalypse coming closer, is there room for romance when all hell's about to break loose?
Hell's Half-Acre
Author : Susan Jonusas
Genre : True Crime
"Rich in historical perspective and graced by novelistic touches, grips the reader from first to last."—Wall Street Journal A suspense filled tale of murder on the American frontier—shedding new light on a family of serial killers in Kansas, whose horrifying crimes gripped the attention of a nation still reeling from war. In 1873 the people of Labette County, Kansas made a grisly discovery. Buried by a trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property were nowhere to be found. The discovery sent the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy that continued for decades, sparking an epic manhunt for the Benders. The idea that a family of seemingly respectable homesteaders—one among the thousands relocating farther west in search of land and opportunity after the Civil War—were capable of operating "a human slaughter pen" appalled and fascinated the nation. But who the Benders really were, why they committed such a vicious killing spree and whether justice ever caught up to them is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Set against the backdrop of postbellum America, Hell's Half-Acre explores the environment capable of allowing such horrors to take place. Drawing on extensive original archival material, Susan Jonusas introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, many of whom have been previously missing from the story. Among them are the families of the victims, the hapless detectives who lost the trail, and the fugitives that helped the murderers escape. Hell's Half-Acre is a journey into the turbulent heart of nineteenth century America, a place where modernity stalks across the landscape, violently displacing existing populations and building new ones. It is a world where folklore can quickly become fact and an entire family of criminals can slip through a community's fingers, only to reappear in the most unexpected of places.
The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
Author : Kim Harrison
The second novel in the addictive bestselling supernatural series begun with Dead Witch Walking. To save herself and her vampire roommate, former bounty hunter Rachel Morgan must confront six feet of sheer supernatural seduction—the vampire master—and dark secrets she's hidden even from herself.
While We Were Dating
Author : Jasmine Guillory
An instant New York Times bestseller! One of TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Reads of 2021! Two people realize that it's no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down to earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little… Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation? But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them. When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?
Three Blind Dates
Author : Meghan Quinn
"Good Morning Malibu, it's another beautiful day on the west coast! I'm Noely Clark, your host: and I'm in the market for love..." When the publicity team of the new local restaurant, Going in Blind, began their search for a hot, local celebrity to promote the wildly popular eatery, they couldn't have found a better person than me. Outgoing? Check. Single? Check. Open to finding love? Check. I signed up immediately. A hopeless romantic with an exceedingly demanding schedule, I've found it impossible to find the man of my dreams-so Going in Blind seems too good to be true! That's until they start setting me up on dates-three very different, very attractive, very distinct blind dates-and only one thing is for certain . . . I'm in big trouble. Good Morning Malibu, I'm Noely Clark, and I have a choice to make. The question is who will I choose; the suit, the rebel, or the jock.
Short Stories for Teenagers
Author : Christine John
Short Stories for Teenagers is a collection of six short stories about six different teenagers who are trying to survive dating and relationships: Story #1: Prom Date from Hell Pamela - Will she survive her date with a stranger? Story #2: A Baby's Cry Rachel - She Is determined to go to the prom and won't let anything get in her way, not even a baby. Story #3: Making Out or Making Friends? Ryan - He finally got a date with one of the most popular girls in school, but will she give him what he's expecting to get from her? Story #4: Best Friend or Boyfriend? Andrea - People keep talking about her and Jerry which is making her feel very uncomfortable. Should she sacrifice her friendship to end the gossip? Story #5: Get Another Boyfriend Judy - Bob bosses her around and treats her like dirt. Should she stay with him or find someone new? Story #6: The Other Guy Whitney - Jerome has been taking her for granted and she's sick of it. She found someone else who treats her better, but will it last? Find out what happens to these six teenagers in these amazing short stories. Short stories fiction, suitable for teenagers and young adults ages 13+
SEALs of Honor
Method Actor Murder
Romancing the Scot
Aida Time
Bewitched In Time
The Evil We Love
The Dumpster
The Wedding Beat
Molly Moon, Micky Minus, & The Mind Machine
A Fabulous Creature
Atlantis Rain Fields
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
The Secret Agent
Staked
Because She Loves Me
A Peculiar Connection
The Keeping
The Madness Of A Seduced Woman
Promise Of The Wolves
Leverage Point


After five years of unrelenting drought in California, it was pretty much a safe assumption that the 2016 fire season would be one of the worst in recent memory. Although it's only late July and the wildfire season still has many more months to run, that assumption has proven largely correct so far. Here on the Central Coast, the largest and most significant wildfire is the Soberanes Fire burning in the northern reaches of Big Sur in Monterey County.
The fire began in the Soberanes Canyon area in Garrapata State Park on July 22, 2016. As of today (July 27th), it's already burned 23,688 acres, destroyed 20 homes, and, tragically, resulted in one fatality. The fire is currently only 10% contained, although hopefully this will improve quickly over the next few days. While the bulk of the fire is burning in the uninhabited Big Sur backcountry, the fire has nonetheless also resulted in numerous evacuation orders and warnings for residents in the area, including the southern portion of Carmel Highlands. Smoke from the fire has drifted over a large area, including down the Salinas River valley all the way to my home in Paso Robles – 85 miles away.
For hikers, campers, and other visitors, this is simply not a good time to come to Big Sur – at least not the northern part of the area. While Highway 1 and the many local businesses along it remain open, most state parks and a good portion of the Monterey Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest are currently closed, and will probably remain so for quite a while even after the fire is fully contained.
Los Padres National Forest: There is an Emergency Closure Order for the Monterey Ranger District that covers all of the National Forest lands from the Pine Ridge Trail north to the northern boundary of the forest. Be sure to check the current Emergency Closure Order map before visiting.
Stan Russell's Big Sur blog is also an excellent source and is updated frequently with the latest information.
Finally, I should note that the southern portion of Big Sur, including Limekiln State Park and the Silver Peak Wilderness, are currently open with no restrictions. While it's unlikely that the Soberanes Fire will burn far south enough to affect these areas, the potential for a new fire can't be ruled out. Call ahead to confirm the current conditions before your visit, and be sure to follow the current fire restrictions.
Yosemite National Park is, of course, one of the crown jewels of the US National Park system, and an extremely popular destination for California residents and visitors alike. While most of the crowds pour into the justifiably world-famous Yosemite Valley, savvy travelers seeking to avoid the traffic jams in the Valley head to the Tuolumne Meadows area in the eastern part of the park. Located about one-and-a-half hours' drive from the Valley, Tuolumne Meadows is the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierras. Trails radiate out from the Meadows in all directions, but only one road (the seasonal Tioga Pass Road) accesses the area. Nonetheless, the Meadows offer a host of services, including a visitor center, gas station, general store, and even a post office. Due to its remote location, most visitors will want to spend the night. Overnight accommodations are limited to just two options: 1) the Tuolumne Meadows Campground, or 2) the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.
The name Tuolumne Meadows Lodge might easily conjure up visions of a rustic (but luxurious), log-cabin style lodge with a huge stone fireplace and a grand dining room filled with exquisite wooden décor. Maybe like one of those lodges built by the CCC back in the 1930s that are found in so many national parks… That's, ah, not quite what you get. Instead, the accommodations consist of canvas tent cabins equipped with wood-burning stoves for heat. The main lodge building, which houses the front desk, dining room, and a small library is a hybrid structure with wood-frame walls and a canvas roof. Luckily, the central bathroom facility is a more-or-less permanent structure.
The main building at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge. Front desk, store, and dining room are located here.
Why is this so? Well, at 8,775 feet above sea level, the Tuolumne Meadows area is usually covered by a deep blanket of snow for over half the year. The Tioga Pass Road, which is the only road that accesses the area, is only open during the summer months, usually from around Memorial Day until sometime in late October. Opening and closing dates for the road can vary greatly from year to year, and are dependent on seasonal variations in snowfall. The area receives a tremendous amount of snow in most years, and with such a short season it's easier and more cost-effective to set up the tent cabins before the season starts and then pack them back up when the season ends with the first major snowfall. Mid-July through the end of August are the safest bets when planning your visit. So, about those tent cabins… There are 69 to choose from, and each cabin can sleep up to four people. The tent cabins are erected over a bare concrete pad, but some carpeting is provided to make them a little more comfortable. The bedding will be instantly recognizable if you've ever served in the military: twin mattresses, stiff white sheets, and a somewhat itchy olive green wool blanket. At least you won't have a drill sergeant telling you to make your bed in the morning. The bedding also includes a nice, thick, synthetic-fill comforter, which is essential for sleeping comfortably at this altitude. Temperatures routinely drop into the mid-30s at night, and you will get cold if your wood-burning stove goes out in the middle of the night (which it will). Bringing extra blankets might be a good idea if you're a particularly cold sleeper.
Interior of the tent cabins at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.
The wood-burning stoves in each cabin do an excellent job of keeping the interior of the tent cabin warm at night. The problem is that the stoves are small enough that they're virtually guaranteed to go out… usually around 3:00 in the morning. Keep an ample supply of fire wood near the stove, and plan on having to get up in the middle of the night to add some wood to the fire. You'll only have to do it once, but you'll be glad you did. Firewood, matches, and fire starter are provided in your room, and the staff will gladly give you as much firewood as you need. Don't make the mistake we did and buy firewood over at the Tuolumne Meadows Store. The tent cabins also include a small table and a tiny clothes closet. A lantern is provided, but you might want to bring your own for extra lighting if you think you'll need it. That's about it. If you haven't guessed already, there's no electricity or running water. There's also (oh, the horror!) no cell service or Wi-Fi. Welcome back to the Twentieth Century… Fortunately, there is a communal power strip near the front desk, so you can charge your electronic devices while you're eating breakfast or dinner in the dining room.
Map of Tuolumne Meadows Lodge. You'll definitely need this, especially on your first visit!
While you won't find a luxurious bear-skin rug stretched out in front of a fireplace, there are plenty of real, live black bears in the woods around the Lodge. Because of this, you'll be subject to the same rules and restrictions that campers in the nearby Tuolumne Meadows Campground have to follow. Basically, this means that you aren't allowed to have either food or toiletries in your tent cabin, or in your car. You'll be assigned a bear locker out in the parking lot, which is where you'll want to store any food that you brought along with you. Toiletries go in a smaller set of lockers just outside the restrooms. This is actually a pretty convenient arrangement – just make sure that you collect all of your stuff after you check out.
These cabins behind the main lodge building are just steps from the Dana Fork Tuolumne River.
Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River, adjacent to the Lodge.
Restrooms are housed in a single, central facility just uphill from the main lodge building. They're rustic, but clean and comfortable. The opportunity for a hot shower after a long day of hiking is one of the more attractive features of staying at the lodge. Surprisingly, the restrooms were never crowded during our visit, despite the large number of people who were staying at the lodge.
The dining room is open for breakfast and dinner, but not lunch. Since most people will be out hiking or sightseeing in the park around lunchtime, the lodge offers a boxed, picnic-style lunch that you can take with you on your adventures. Boxed lunches currently (as of 2015) run $10 each. If you're thinking that you could put something similar together yourself for less money by stocking up at the nearby Tuolumne Meadows General Store, you're probably right. It is a convenient option, though.
Breakfast is first-come, first-served, but you will need to make a reservation for dinner. It's a good idea to make your dinner reservation in the morning when you show up for breakfast. With table space at a premium, the lodge's restaurant will seat random groups of people together. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and get to know your fellow guests. We found that many of the people we met during our meals were repeat visitors who enjoyed the experience of staying at the lodge so much that they came back every year or so.
Meals at the lodge's restaurant were quite good, and featured such High Sierra staples as trout, beef stew, and hamburgers. Because of the lodge's remote location, the menu is necessarily somewhat limited, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding something enjoyable. Prices are comparable to what you would expect to pay back home in a decent three- or four-star restaurant. In other words, it's not exactly a bargain. It is, however, very much in line with what you can expect to pay at most restaurants in the national park system. Service is excellent, and it's a real treat to talk to the employees who live full-time in the lodge's tent cabins during the season when the lodge is open.
Hiking is the main attraction at Tuolumne Meadows, and there are a variety of trails to choose from. The closest trail, which starts right from the lodge's parking lot, connects to both the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails and quickly reaches some truly spectacular scenery along the Dana and Lyell Forks of the Tuolumne River. The very popular trail to Lembert Dome and Dog Lake starts from a large trailhead about a mile back down the access road from the lodge. For trails farther afield, you'll either have to drive or use the free Tuolumne Meadows Shuttle bus which runs between Olmstead Point and Tioga Pass on Highway 120, with a stop in the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge parking lot. Trail maps and bus schedules are available at the lodge's front desk.
Trailhead for the lateral trail to the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail, on the south side of the Lodge's parking lot.
Twin Bridges over the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River on the John Muir Trail.
Although it's not a "hike" per se, you definitely do not want to miss a visit to the Miller Cascade on the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River. Simply walk a few minutes uphill on an informal trail behind the main lodge building, and you'll find yourself at the base of the Cascades, a series of small waterfalls that are very impressive, even after four years of drought. A brief scramble to the top of the Cascade rewards you with a nice view of nearby Lembert Dome, less than a mile to the west.
Miller Cascades on the Dana Fork Tuolumne River, just a short walk up from the Lodge.
Early morning at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.
Overall, it's easy to give Tuolumne Meadows Lodge a glowing recommendation. With a spectacular setting, comfortable (if not exactly luxurious) accommodations, excellent meals, and a wide variety of outdoor activities in the immediate area, it's an excellent choice for an overnight stay in this corner of the park. Just be aware that the law of supply and demand is in full effect here. As the only non-camping option for an overnight stay in Tuolumne Meadows, and both the starting point and finish of the very popular Yosemite High Sierra Camps loop, it's a very popular place to stay. Make your reservations early, as the lodge is frequently booked solid, especially on weekends during its short operating season. Rates are on the high side – about what you would normally pay for a regular hotel room. While the rates for tent cabins in Curry Village down in Yosemite Valley are significantly lower, you won't enjoy the sense of privacy that you'll find at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge. If you'd prefer a solid roof over your head (and solid walls), the only other option in the area would be the rustic cabins at the Tioga Pass Resort just outside the park on Highway 120. Rates are only slightly higher, but you'll have your own bathroom, and you won't have to get up in the middle of the night to put another log on the fire. The trade-off is that you'll have to drive back to Tuolumne Meadows during the day to access the recreational opportunities there.
If you live in San Luis Obispo County, you're probably already aware of the Cuesta Fire, which has been burning near Santa Margarita for the past several days. Due to the spread of the fire, the Los Padres National Forest has issued a closure order for a portion of the forest that is affected by this fire.
The Cuesta Fire was sparked by a suspected vehicle fire along Highway 101 on Sunday, August 16, 2015. The fire originated on the Cuesta Grade just north of San Luis Obispo and quickly spread, crossing over Cuesta Ridge and threatening the town of Santa Margarita to the north. As of today (August 22, 2015), the fire has burned 3,500 acres, mostly on Los Padres National Forest land.
Here's the good news: the fire is currently 55% contained, and full containment is expected by Wednesday, August 26th. The threat to the town of Santa Margarita has been eliminated and roads in the area have been re-opened. Air tankers that were dropping on the fire earlier this week have been released, and the fire is now being fought with ground crews and water-dropping helicopters.
Now for the not-so-good news: The fire has burned into the Santa Lucia Wilderness, and the Forest Service has issued a temporary closure order for the area in the interest of public safety and to allow firefighters better access to the area. The closure order goes into effect today (August 22nd), and runs through October 1, 2015. You can read the full text of the order here.
A map of the Cuesta Fire Closure Order boundaries.
Now, it should probably be noted that late summer is not the best time of year for outdoor recreation in this area, fire or no fire. Daytime temperatures are normally in the 90s, and can reach well over 100 degrees on occasion. Water sources are few and far between, and with the current drought situation most water sources in the backcountry have dwindled to muddy potholes or dried up altogether. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a day hiking opportunity in the local area, I'd recommend the Cerro Alto Trail network or the West Cuesta Ridge Road.
If you have any further questions about the Cuesta Fire or the closure order, post them in the comments below, or contact the Santa Lucia Ranger District office in Santa Maria at (805) 925-9538.
UPDATE 1: As of today (Monday, August 24th, 2015) containment is now up to 80% and the acreage burned remains at 3,500. Full containment is still expected by Wednesday, August 26th, 2015.
UPDATE 2: The Cuesta Fire was declared 100% contained on Friday, August 28, 2015. Due to better mapping, the number of acres burned was reduced from 3,500 to 2,446. The Closure Order remains in effect to allow for mop-up and restoration efforts, but will expire on October 1, 2015.
San Luis Obispo County is, of course, a great place for hiking enthusiasts. With generally mild weather year-round, an abundance of public lands, and a delightful combination of coastal and mountain ecosystems, it's an ideal destination for everything from short day hikes to longer backpacking trips. These same qualities make it an ideal location for kayaking as well. Featuring about 100 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and numerous lakes, ponds, and streams in the county's interior, it's a excellent place to get out on the water in a kayak.
Up until recently, though, it's been something of a challenge to find detailed information on many of the best places to put your kayak in the water throughout the county. Paddler's Secret Places, Where to Kayak in San Luis Obispo County, written by Andee Allen and featuring photography by Ashala Taylor, solves this problem by offering a thorough guide to all of the publicly-accessible kayaking locations in the county.
Available as an e-book on Amazon, Paddler's Secret Places covers 25 different locations throughout San Luis Obispo County. Kayaking routes range from placid freshwater streams, lakes, and ponds to more challenging saltwater routes along the Pacific coast. Most of the locations profiled are found within the area's numerous state and local parks, while a few (such as Franklin Ponds in Paso Robles) are on private property that is usually open to the public.
Each area described in the book includes detailed driving directions to the put-in, parking information, and a description of the route itself, where applicable. The book also presents valuable information about topics such as kayak safety and the use of tide tables. The book's appendices include a general overview of California's boating laws, other points of interest within the county (of which there are many), and useful contact information for each of the public parks where kayaking is available.
One notable missing ingredient is that there are no maps included with the book. Fortunately, most of the routes are short enough that you won't really need a map, and the directions to the put-in are clear enough to get you where you need to go. I've included an overview map below of the put-ins as described in the book to help you find them.
As previously noted, kayaking routes in San Luis Obispo County include a broad mix of both freshwater and ocean locations. While the routes along the Pacific Coast are subject only to seasonal weather changes and the tides, freshwater routes are a different story. Although it may appear remarkably green and lush during the winter and spring, inland San Luis Obispo County nonetheless has a generally semi-arid climate, with most locations receiving relatively little annual precipitation, even in "normal" years. Also, the Santa Lucia Mountains of the Coast Range that bisect the county are only a few thousand feet high. Snowfall is rare, even at the highest locations, and so there is essentially no snowpack to recharge the area's rivers and streams in the spring and summer as there is in the Sierra Nevada.
As a result of these climatic conditions, freshwater kayaking opportunities in the county are confined to a handful of manmade reservoirs and ephemeral streams. As an example, what should be the largest freshwater stream in the county, the Salinas River, is almost completely dry except after sustained, heavy rains. The stretch of San Luis Obispo Creek that runs along the Bob Jones City-to-Sea Bike Trail down to Avila Beach is one of the more (relatively) reliable stretches of freshwater in the county, and the book's authors caution that it is usually only passable in late winter and early spring after significant rainfall.
It's also a good idea to do some research before you attempt any of the routes in this book, as the current unprecedented drought has severely impacted some of the freshwater routes mentioned in the book. Water levels at reservoirs such as Nacimiento Lake are at historic lows. As an extreme example, Atascadero Lake in Atascadero dried up completely in the summer of 2014, and will almost certainly be dry again this summer.
Atascadero Lake, before the Great Drought.
Note that while this book is specifically geared towards kayakers, many of the routes are also suitable for other types of boats, rafts, and stand-up paddle boards. While the freshwater routes described in the book are suitable for an open-cockpit touring kayak, you'll usually need a closed-cockpit kayak with a spray skirt if you plan to attempt any of the saltwater routes along the coast. Be sure that you've received proper training and know how to safely exit your boat in the event it capsizes before venturing out onto the open ocean.
San Simeon Cove — One of the easiest and most spectacular ocean kayaking routes in San Luis Obispo County.
Oso Flaco Lake is another easy freshwater kayaking spot in southern San Luis Obispo County.
Don't have a kayak? You're in luck, as many of the places mentioned in the book have kayak rentals available at or close to the put-in. Popular spots such as the Morro Bay Estuary and San Simeon Cove at William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach have rental kayaks available just a few steps away from the water. These kayak rental businesses are also a great source of up-to-the minute information about local conditions as well as possible hazards. Most kayak rental shops also offer classes to help you build up your kayaking skills before taking on one of the more advanced routes. For other, less well-known spots, such as Oso Flaco Lake in Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, you'll have to either bring your own kayak or rent one in town and transport it to the put-in.
Paddler's Secret Places is currently only available as an e-book, and only on the Kindle. If you're interested in going kayaking in San Luis Obispo County, but don't have a Kindle, consider downloading the free Kindle for PC app available on Amazon.
If you're interested in more extensive kayak journeys along the coast, the book's authors highly recommend the book 'Adventure Kayaking – Trips from Big Sur to San Diego,' by Robert Mohle. Mohle's book covers a larger area, but sticks to saltwater routes along the Pacific coast. It includes a number of challenging, extended coastal tours along the San Luis Obispo County coast, as well as coastal routes north into Monterey County and as far south as San Diego.
Note that Yosemite National Park is currently proposing to increase its entrance fee to $30.00 per vehicle for seven days. This increase, if approved, will probably go into effect sometime in early 2015.
Parks not listed above, such as Channel Islands National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Point Reyes National Seashore don't normally charge an admission fee. The National Park Service website has a complete listing of all National Park Service units in California that includes a handy interactive map to facilitate planning your visit.
If you're planning to visit a national park outside of California, there's also a complete by-state listing of participating national parks available.
Here's something a little different for your hiking pleasure: a chance to hike on the grounds of a working vineyard nestled in the pastoral Adelaide Hills west of Paso Robles.
While there are literally hundreds of wineries dotting the landscape around the Paso Robles area in northern San Luis Obispo County, Opolo Vineyards is perhaps the only winery in the area that also features a signed network of short trails on its grounds. Opolo Vineyards is located along Vineyard Drive in the bucolic Adelaide Hills west of Paso Robles, a short drive from Highway 101. The winery features a tasting room, outdoor patio (with lunch available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays), a three-room bed and breakfast inn, and three short hiking trails: the Hilltop, Inn, and Zinfandel Trails. The Hilltop and Inn Trails overlap for part of their length and can be combined to form a short, satisfying loop. The Zinfandel Trail is a separate loop that explores the vineyards to the west of the tasting room. All three trails can be completed in about an hour, leaving you with plenty of time afterward for wine tasting and a post-hike pizza at the tasting room.
Don't expect the kind of pristine wilderness experience that you can find in the Central Coast's larger parks and wilderness areas: this is a working vineyard and you'll be walking along orderly rows of planted wine grapes for most of your journey. Nonetheless, this short trail network offers some truly inspiring views of the surrounding Adelaide Hills (particularly in the spring), and you'll probably see a lot more wildlife than you were expecting on such a "civilized" hike. Mule deer are commonly seen along the trail, and there's a flock of wild turkeys living in the riparian corridor along Summit Creek that you're very likely to see (and hear).
California is world-famous for its wine-growing regions, and so it might come as a surprise that none of the numerous varieties of grapes used in winemaking are actually native to the state. European wine grapes were originally brought to the New World by the Franciscan friars who established a series of missions along the California coast in the late 18th Century, when most of present-day California was still part of Mexico, then a Spanish colony. Wine grape-growing in the Paso Robles area dates to about 1790, when the first plantings were made at the Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia, now located on private property on Santa Margarita Ranch, just outside the town of Santa Margarita. Early grape planting activity also occurred at Mission San Miguel, which was established in 1797.
During the Mission Era, the present-day city of Paso Robles did not exist, although a Rancho El Paso de Robles in the same area was established in 1828. The City of El Paso de Robles (which means 'The Pass of the Oaks' in Spanish), was incorporated in 1889, long after the secularization and subsequent decline of the missions. Small-scale wine production in the area dates to the 1870s. York Mountain Winery (established in 1882) is the oldest winery in the area that is still in business, although it is now operated as Epoch Wines. Wine production in the Paso Robles area began expanding dramatically in the late 1980s to early 1990s, and today there are over 180 established wineries in the area.
On December 22, 2003, the 6.5-magnitude San Simeon earthquake rattled the area, causing extensive damage in downtown Paso Robles and resulting in two fatalities. Mission San Miguel also suffered serious damage during the earthquake, and restoration efforts continue to this day.
Opolo Vineyards, established in the late 1990s by two businessmen from Camarillo, is a relative newcomer to the Paso Robles wine scene. The larger vineyard, a 200-acre parcel, is located east of Paso Robles. The smaller, 80-acre parcel on the West Side is where you'll find the tasting room and the hiking trail network described below. Because the West Side property is relatively small, the trails are short and never venture too far from the tasting room. In fact, you'll still be within sight of the trailhead for most of the way. Nonetheless, the hiking is pleasant, the views of the surrounding countryside are outstanding, and there's more wildlife to see than you might expect.
Permits and fees: None required. Trails are only open to the public during business hours (10:00 AM – 5:30 PM Friday & Saturday, 10:00 AM -5:00 PM Sunday-Thursday, closed for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day).
Maps: A free trail brochure, available at the tasting room, is the only map you'll need. The York Mountain 7.5' USGS quadrangle is useful for locating some of the nearby peaks visible from the trail, although neither the winery nor any of the trails are depicted.
Best time to go: All of the trails at Opolo Vineyards are accessible year-round. Spring is probably the best season for a visit due to mild temperatures and abundant spring greenery. Summers are dry and very hot, although the trail is still pleasant in the morning. Winter brings cool (but not particularly cold) weather and frequent rains. Avoid the trail during rainstorms or within several days after a significant rainfall due to muddy conditions.
The quickest approach to Opolo Vineyards from Highway 101 in Paso Robles is to take the Highway 46 West exit (signed for Cambria and Hearst Castle) on the south end of town. Turn left onto Highway 46 West and drive 4.6 miles to Vineyard Drive, on your right. Continue 4.4 miles on Vineyard Drive, where you will reach the well-signed entrance to Opolo Vineyards. Turn right onto a long, paved driveway that leads to a parking area in front of the winery's tasting room and outdoor patio. All three trails start from here.
If you're coming from the north, a slower, but very scenic alternative route is to take the Highway 46 East exit (signed for Fresno and Bakersfield) on the north side of town. At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto 24th Street. Your route passes through town, becoming Paso Robles Road (County Road G14) on the outskirts of the city. After 2.3 miles, bear left onto Adelaida Road. Follow this road for 9.1 miles to the north end of Vineyard Drive (across from the entrance to Halter Ranch Vineyard). Turn left onto Vineyard Drive and continue 4.6 miles to the entrance to Opolo Vineyards on your left.
Trailhead GPS Coordinates: N35-35.498, W120-48.946. Elevation 1210'.
All three trails start from the parking lot in front of the tasting room.
All three of the trails at Opolo Vineyards start near the front of the tasting room. After finding a place to park, your first stop should be at the tasting room, where you can pick up a free copy of a map and brochure for the trail network. The folks at the tasting room can also give you the latest information about the condition of the trails and any special events that might be going on at the winery. If it has rained recently, you'll want to know if the trails have dried out yet, or are still a muddy mess. The Hilltop Picnic Area is occasionally used for wedding ceremonies, so you might want to avoid hiking up there if a wedding is scheduled during your visit.
For the Hilltop and Inn Trails, walk back down from in front of the tasting room to the gravel parking lot below and to your left, just across unseen Summit Creek. This gravel lot is used for overflow parking and also accesses The Inn at Opolo, a three-suite bed and breakfast, which you can see in front of you on a hillside overlooking the tasting room.
A wooden sign marks the start of the Hilltop and Inn Trails.
At the far side of the gravel lot, look for an elaborate wooden trail sign that identifies the start of both trails. The Hilltop and Inn Trails follow the same path here, climbing gradually up a wide gravel road. As you climb, stop occasionally and turn around to admire the increasingly scenic views out over the vineyards and the oak-studded Adelaide Hills that surround them. Also, be on the lookout for vehicle traffic along this road, which allows vineyard workers easy access to this part of the property. The Inn at Opolo also uses this road from time to time to take guests on a driving tour of the vineyards.
The Inn Trail branches off from the Hilltop Trail near the crest of a ridge.
Shortly before reaching the crest of a ridge, you'll come to another wooden sign that marks the junction of the Hilltop and Inn Trails. While the Hilltop Trail continues straight ahead on the gravel road you've been walking on, the Inn Trail branches off to the right, heading out into the vineyards themselves.
The Hilltop Trail features great views of the vineyard and the Adelaide Hills.
If you're doing the recommended combination loop of both the Hilltop and Inn Trails, continue straight on the gravel road, which climbs to the top of the ridge and then curves left to end at a large, open gravel parking lot. At the far end of the parking lot, several picnic tables mark the location of the Hilltop Picnic Area. Although unshaded, the spectacular views to the west make this a very attractive place to take a break. Most of the Opolo property is visible from here, and beyond Vineyard Drive you can see numerous other vineyards and patches of oak woodlands in the rolling Adelaide Hills. Out of sight beyond the western horizon, the Pacific Ocean is only about seventeen miles away. Despite the close proximity to the ocean, the Adelaide Hills effectively block the cool, moist coastal air, creating a microclimate that is only slightly cooler and more humid than the hot, dry conditions found down in the Salinas River Valley and the area east of Paso Robles. You'll notice that the area is greener than down along Highway 101, with actual forests of oak trees rather than scattered, grassy oak woodlands. This microclimate is also ideal for growing wine grapes, which is why the west side of Paso and the area along Vineyard Drive in particular has become so popular with winemakers.
The most expansive views are found at the Hilltop Picnic Area.
When you're done enjoying the sweeping views from the Hilltop Picnic Area, return back down the Hilltop Trail to the signed junction with the Inn Trail. Make a sharp left turn here and pick up the Inn Trail, which runs west along a fence line. Don't be alarmed if it seems like there's no trail here – the route of the Inn Trail simply follows an informal path between the fence on your left and the rows of grapevines on your right.
The Inn Trail doesn't look much like a trail where it runs along the fence line.
The Inn Trail climbs a short, but steep hill while running along the fence line, then descends to reach the back of the Inn at Opolo. Near a small outbuilding just behind the Inn, another wooden sign directs you to turn left onto a gravel driveway that passes around the rear of the Inn.
A wooden sign directs you around the backside of The Inn at Opolo on the Inn Trail.
The trail continues downhill, curving right to follow along the edge of a lovely oak forest. A small flock of wild turkeys calls this forest home, and there's a good chance you'll see and/or hear them during your visit. The trail continues curving to the right, passing below the front of the Inn and soon reaching the gravel parking lot where your loop trip began. Continue uphill back to the tasting room to finish the hike.
Wild turkeys are a common sight on the Inn Trail.
Now that you're back at the tasting room, it might be tempting to head in and enjoy some wine tasting. However, there's still one more trail that you'll want to hike, and it's short enough that it won't delay your wine tasting plans for too long. The 1.2 mile Zinfandel Trail forms another loop, this time around the western part of the vineyard. The trail starts at the edge of another gravel parking lot, this one on the right side of the tasting room (as you're facing the entrance). Again, there is no formally maintained trail, but there are signs along the way to keep you on the correct route. Find the start of the Zinfandel Trail at another wooden sign on the edge of the gravel parking lot.
The Zinfandel Trail starts from the gravel parking lot behind the tasting room.
Hike uphill on a wide path that runs between the vineyard on your left and a fence on your right. The fence keeps you from wandering down into the riparian corridor that runs along Summit Creek, but it's probably just as well due to the abundant poison oak found in this area. At the crest of a small hill, the "trail" turns sharply left to follow along another fence line. Follow the fence line west, enjoying wide views of the vineyards and the surrounding countryside. Owl boxes, mounted on long poles, have been placed here to provide nests for the local owl population.
The Zinfandel Trail circles around the winery's zinfandel grape vines.
The route follows an undulating course along the fence line, gradually climbing and descending before reaching a sign for the Zinfandel Trail under a large oak tree. While it appears that the trail continues west toward Vineyard Drive, you will actually want to turn left to walk down a wide, grassy pathway between the rows of grapevines.
A wooden sign marks an important turn on the Zinfandel Trail.
As you're descending the grassy pathway toward the paved entrance driveway that leads into Opolo Vineyards from Vineyard Drive, look for a small 'picnic table' sign about halfway down. The sign directs you on a brief detour to your left over to a picnic table. Located under a huge, ancient oak tree, the Zinfandel Picnic Area has a single picnic table. Although it's relatively close to the driveway, this spot is nonetheless very secluded and quiet. If no one else is using it at the time, it makes a perfect spot for a quick lunch or rest break.
The single picnic table at the Zinfandel Picnic Area.
Returning to the main route, continue down to a crossing of the entrance driveway. On the other side of the road, turn right and walk along the driveway back out to the Opolo Vineyards entrance gate. Here, turn left and pick up a path near the fence line, walking south. The route here runs parallel and quite close to Vineyard Drive, so it's a little noisier than what you've experienced so far.
The Zinfandel Trail runs next to Vineyard Drive before returning to the trailhead.
As you're walking along this part of the trail, look for the intriguing Willow Creek Mennonite Cemetery on the opposite side of Vineyard Drive. Dating back to 1911, the cemetery still serves the Mennonite community in the Paso Robles area. At the end of the open field you've been walking through, the route makes a sharp left turn near the property boundary. Staying near the trees on your right, the route gradually climbs uphill along the edge of the Summit Creek riparian corridor. Mule deer frequent this area, and you have a good chance of seeing them here. The route eventually climbs up and curves left to intersect the winery's paved entrance driveway again. Cross the road and turn right, continuing along the left side of the driveway. You'll soon reach the tasting room and your vehicle. Now it's time to enjoy a well-earned glass of wine!
There is ample parking near the tasting room, including a number of paved parking spots and two gravel parking lots. Opolo Vineyards is a popular stop for bus and limousine tours on the weekends, but most visitors head straight to the tasting room. You'll usually have the trails all to yourself.
The trails at Opolo are very well suited for small children due to their short length and easy grade. Be sure children (and adults!) stay on the trail.
Potential hazards include gopher holes, rattlesnakes (!) and poison oak. While you're unlikely to encounter a rattlesnake, there is a lot of poison oak in the riparian corridor along Summit Creek. It's easily avoided by staying on the main trail.
Wear sturdy footwear that's appropriate for hiking. The Inn and Zinfandel Trails in particular have some rough stretches where they run through the vineyards, so you'll want to wear trail-running shoes or lightweight hiking boots at a minimum.
Be sure to pick up a copy of the trail map at the tasting room before starting your hike. While you really can't get lost and you'll rarely be out of sight of the trailhead, there are a few confusing junctions where you might miss a turn.
Looking for other hiking opportunities while you're in the area? Unfortunately, you won't find anything very close to Opolo Vineyards. That's kind of a shame, since the Vineyard Drive area is really quite beautiful. For better or worse, almost all of the area is private property, much of it committed to wine making, farming, and ranching. If you're staying in the area for a while, there are several trails available on public land that aren't too far away. The closest is the Salinas River Parkway, located back in downtown Paso Robles. The parkway is a multi-use path suitable for hiking or biking. It's mostly paved, but there are some sections that are dirt. The Salinas River Parkway is now also a designated section of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. It's about 12 miles and 20 minutes' driving time from Opolo.
Farther afield, but still within a relatively short drive is the Santa Rosa Creek Trail, located on the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria. This short, but lovely trail near the ocean seems a world away from Opolo due to the differences in microclimates, but it's only 26 miles and about 35 minutes' driving time away. There are other trails on Fiscalini Ranch if you have extra time.
Last but not least, Lake Nacimiento, operated by Monterey County Parks, offers a few hiking trails in addition to a plethora of camping and water sports activities. The 4.6-mile Shoreline Trail and the 1.5-mile Oak Knoll and Quail's Roost Trail provide excellent views of the lake and are lightly used. Note that as of this writing (September 2014) the lake level is extremely low due to the ongoing drought. Lake Nacimiento is 22 miles and 45 minutes' driving time from Opolo.
Car-camping opportunities are likewise very limited in this area. Although there are a couple of RV resorts in Paso Robles, the nearest place to car-camp is at Lake Nacimiento. If you'd prefer to camp closer to the ocean, I highly recommend the San Simeon Creek Campground at Hearst San Simeon State Park, just north of Cambria. It's 30 miles and 40 minutes' driving time from Opolo.
If you'd prefer to have a solid roof over your head and enjoy a little more luxury, The Inn at Opolo, a three-suite bed and breakfast, is located right on the grounds of Opolo Vineyards. While it's quite pricey, the rates are comparable to most of the other winery-sponsored B&Bs in the area. Don't need a remote-controlled fireplace to make your stay complete? Not to worry — there are dozens of other hotels to choose from back in Paso Robles. Check Trip Advisor or Yelp to find one that best matches your needs. Be aware that many of the more popular hotels are booked solid on the weekends, and may be completely sold out during any of the city's numerous wine-themed festivals. The Harvest Wine Weekend (usually in mid-October), the Zinfandel Festival (mid-March), and the Paso Robles Wine Festival (mid-May) are the busiest times of the year, so plan ahead!
For a post-hike meal, you can't beat the convenience of having food and drink available right at the trailhead. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Opolo offers their Pairings on the Patio, where you'll have a choice of either one of several varieties of wood-fired pizza, or cevapi, a Croatian sausage. Meals are paired with a glass of Opolo wine, of course. For a full-course meal, head back into town. For a town of only 30,000 people, Paso Robles has an incredible variety of restaurants and cuisines from which to choose. Everything from simple, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants to elegant five-star dining is available.
Of course, you wouldn't want to go hiking at a winery without stopping by the tasting room to sample Opolo's selection of wines. Opolo offers a broad variety of estate-grown red and white wines. Their zinfandel, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon selections are made from grapes grown on the vineyard you've just been hiking on, as these grapes do best in the west side microclimate. Opolo currently charges a $5.00 tasting fee, but you'll get to taste a lot of different wines for this price. Also, the tasting fee is waived with a two-bottle purchase.
To gain a better understanding of the region's early history, be sure to include Mission San Miguel on your itinerary while you're in the area. Nestled in the tiny town of San Miguel just north of Paso Robles, it has the distinction of being the only mission in the United States that still retains its original fresco paintings. Although restoration efforts to repair the damage from the 2003 San Simeon earthquake have yet to be completed, most parts of the mission have re-opened to the public. The mission is 20 miles and 30 minutes' driving time from Opolo Vineyards.
Another highly recommended special attraction while you're in the Paso Robles area is River Oaks Hot Springs & Spa, nestled out of the way in a quiet residential neighborhood on the northeast side of town. River Oaks features a complete set of spa services, including private outdoor tubs (fed by natural hot springs on the property) that feature sublime views out over the vineyards adjacent to the spa. Although you're unlikely to be sore after hiking the trails at Opolo, soaking in the tubs is the perfect way to end a full day of hiking and wine tasting. River Oaks is 15 miles and about 25 minutes' driving time from Opolo Vineyards. Be sure to call and reserve a tub ahead of time, as they can get very busy on the weekends.
While there aren't any published guidebooks that cover the trails at Opolo, The California Directory of Fine Wineries: Central Coast: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles is an excellent coffee table-style book that includes a chapter about Opolo Vineyards and several other notable wineries in the Paso Robles area.
For general information about visiting the Paso Robles region and its many wineries, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance website is your best one-stop source of information. It includes a calendar of local events and a directory of all of the region's participating wineries, with links to each winery's website. This is one site you'll want to bookmark and refer to often when planning your visit to Paso Robles.
To kick off the start of National Park Week, the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees for all national parks this weekend (April 19-20, 2014). While you'll still have to pay for campground reservations, this is nonetheless a great deal — especially for California residents who only want to spend the day in their local national park and neither want nor need a seven-day pass. California is blessed with a wide variety of national parks throughout the state, so there's probably a beautiful national park somewhere near you!
Consider visiting a less-crowded park. For example, in Central California, Sequoia/Kings Canyons National Parks attract far smaller crowds than the better-known Yosemite National Park to the north.
Get there early. If you can enter the park before 9:00 AM, you'll avoid waiting in line at the entrance station, and it will also be much easier to find a parking spot at any of the scenic attractions along the roads. You'll also have more time for hiking.
Hit the trail. For better or worse, most national park visitors rarely wander more than a few hundred yards from their cars. While you'll rarely experience complete solitude, especially on the more popular trails, you will usually find that the number of people you meet on the trails drops dramatically once you've gone a mile or so from the trailhead.
Seek out the lesser-known, "secret places" in the parks. Even in high-traffic parks like Yosemite, there are plenty of not-so-well-known trails that attract few visitors. Your chances of solitude are much higher in places like these. Just be aware that the less popular trails in the national parks are less popular for a reason — they often lack the dramatic scenery and stunning views that makes the other trails so popular in the first place. At the same time, having fewer people on the trails often means you'll see more of the local wildlife. Hiking guidebooks (and, of course, the internet) are good sources of information in seeking out the "hidden gems" in the national parks.
Parks not listed above, such as Channel Islands National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Point Reyes National Seashore don't normally charge an admission fee. The National Park Service website has a complete listing of all 26 National Park Service units in California that includes a handy interactive map to facilitate planning your visit.
If you're planning to visit a national park outside of California, there's also a complete listing of participating national parks available.
In honor of Veterans Day, the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees for all national parks this Veterans Day weekend (November 9-11, 2013). This will be the last fee-free weekend of 2013, so get out there and enjoy your national parks! Campground reservation fees still apply, of course, but this is still a great deal — particularly if you are planning to make a day trip to your favorite local national park. California is blessed with a wide variety of national parks throughout the state, and most Californians live within a few hours' drive of one or more national parks.
NOTE: Parks not listed above, such as Channel Islands National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Point Reyes National Seashore don't normally charge an admission fee. The National Park Service has a complete listing of all 26 National Park Service units in California that includes a handy interactive map to facilitate planning your visit.
It's also worth noting that Giant Sequoia National Monument (administered by the US Forest Service) and Carrizo Plain National Monument (administered by the Bureau of Land Management) don't charge entrance fees, either.
Finally, as an added bonus California's National Forests are participating in the fee-free weekend, too. In southern and central California, this means that the Adventure Pass won't be needed in most areas of the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests. There are a few exceptions — you'll still need the Adventure Pass at the Lower Santa Ynez Recreation Area in Los Padres National Forest, for example.


"I am English. I do not have an accent." This is supposed to be a humorous swipe at Americans by Brits. Not that there is one standard way of speaking the Queen's Language even in the isles where the language spawned.
Of course, we Filipinos do have our own way of speaking this adopted language, brought to these shores by our former colonial masters, the Americans.
Not all sounds in the complicated English language were present in the national language Filipino; although linguistic experts have since made adjustments to include these foreign sounds into our alphabet.
Still, we Filipinos do have our own way of speaking the language our own way with an accent all our own. If you look at the things this way, then there are really NO mispronunciations. We can just say it is the Filipino accent.
However, there are certain words that are mispronounced if we compare our pronunciation with that acceptable to both the Brits and the Americans. Here are a few of those.
It is very Filipino to place the accent on the second syllable whereas native English speakers actually place the accent on the first.
From elementary students to professionals, this word is frequently mispronounced with accent on the second rather than the first syllable.
I was totally unaware that I was mispronouncing this word until an American visitor to the school where I used to work pointed it out to me. You cannot argue with a native speaker.
This word is frequently slaughtered by policemen interviewed on national television and sometimes by news reporters themselves, who probably hear the word mispronounced by the cops and think the pronunciation is correct.
Not really a mainstream word because of its technical nature, but when used is also frequently mispronounced around these parts.
This is one word that is almost universally mispronounced around these parts. My opinion is that most people are aware of the "i" preceding "a" but either miss or do not know how to deal with the "i" that comes after it.
The crown jewel of the males of the specie is, of course, among the most mispronounced of English words.
I had a heated argument with a classmate in college who corrected me about the pronunciation of this word; and it turned out he was correct all the time. Not the first time I had to taste humble pie.
Another word I frequently hear mispronounced in the evening news, frequently by those in the law enforcement profession as well as lawyers themselves.
This is a tricky one because I think most people are reluctant to believe that the first "a" is actually of the long "a" sound. The word's noun form, vacation, is mostly pronounced hereabouts as "vication" with the short "i" sound. The Brits will pronounce the word similarly; but Americans prefer the long "a" sound.


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Nigeria gets 'comfortable' group as Cameroon faces four-times winners Ghana
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Nigeria's Super Eagles have been handed what some have termed a comfortable group at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after being drawn against Guinea, Madagascar and Burundi.
The group is seen by some analysts as comfortable, in that Madagascar and Burundi are debutants at the AFCON, hence the Eagles are expected to get an edge over these teams based on experience.
Though Madagascar was actually the first to qualify for the 2019 AFCON with two games to spare, Nigeria has won the competition three times and the Eagles will be making their 18th appearance at the AFCON.
Meanwhile, Africa Cup of Nations host, Egypt, winner of the competition a record seven times, was grouped with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Zimbabwe at a spectacular draw ceremony held in Giza on Friday.
Group F in the 24-team tournament brought together the second and third most successful sides in its history.
Cameroon, who won their fifth continental crown last time and were originally set to host the competition, will face four-time winners Ghana.
Group D has been dubbed by some as the group of death, it has three former winners, Morocco, Ivory Coast, and South Africa, as well as Namibia in it.
Below is the full draw for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as made in Cairo on Friday:
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— Top two finishers in each group and four best third-place teams qualify for the second round
— Tournament starts on June 21 and ends on July 19
— Six venues will be used: three in Cairo and one each in Alexandria, Ismailia, and Suez
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Today, I was invited to the press conference of Jim Block im Bikini in the West of Berlin. Being a true hamburger connoisseur, I decided to dedicate a real special to celebrate the arrival of the finest burger flipper of Germany. Part 1 of 3 starts with a short interview with Ms. Kristine Putzke, chief of the Jim Block chain.
The restaurant, located right next to the recently reopened Bikini Haus near Zoologischer Garten, has made its debut in the German capital, but is certainly not a novice on the hamburger market. Its first branch was opened in 1973 in.. where else.. the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. Thriving force behind Jim Block is the Block Group, famous for their Block House steak restaurants. Six years later, the city was host to three Jim Block burger restaurants, and it wasn't until 2006 that Eugen Block decided to expand its quality fast food chain. The first restaurant outside of Hamburg was opened in Hannover in 2012. The Block Group are careful investors: just like with their meat, they prefer quality over quantity. It took them two years to make the big step to Berlin. I do think this shows that a sustained growth will provide you with the right foundation for future success.
I had the privilege to sit down with Ms. Putzke for quite a while: she is quite passionate about the Jim Block concept and obviously knows what she's talking about – from baking burgers to designing a business concept.
OutBerlin: The successful Block Houses have hamburgers on their menu as well – what made the Block Group decide to erect a separate chain of hamburger restaurants?
Kristine Putzke: While we already gained a lot of know-how on the preperation of meat, thanks to our private butcher of South-American beef, we felt that there was an audience out there that would appreciate a quick meal that would be on par with our Block House quality. This made us belief that our formula would benefit from a separate chain of hamburger restaurants: one that would take fast food to a higher level, so that our visitors would never have to compromise on the quality of their meal.
OB: How will Jim Block distinguish itself from famous Berlin competitors like Burgermeister in Kreuzberg, The Bird in Prenzlauer Berg and Burgeramt in Friedrichshain?
KP: What really makes the difference is our decades of experience when it comes to meat preparation: we have a strong position on the market of steak restaurants throughout Germany, so the art of grilling a filet mignon or a hamburger comes natural to us. We are also one of the few who will offer you fresh salads to accompany our burgers.
OB: What made you decide to open the first Jim Block branch in West Berlin? You could have opted for the über-commercial Alexanderplatz.
KP: We could have done that, we could have chosen for Potsdamer Platz – but we decided to start at a location that is being rediscovered by both locals and internationals. West is booming: exclusive shops, KaDeWe, Kurfürstendamm, the reopened Bikini-Haus.. We feel at home here. Starting our Berliner journey in West felt like the right thing to do.
OB: Are you not afraid that Jim Block will compete with its own brother, the Block House, right above this branch?
KP: (Laughs) No, we believe that the two will actually reinforce each other: those who want take some time out to enjoy a high quality steak and a glass of wine, will visit the Block House. Guests who are in more of a hurry or on a tight budget, will gladly go to Jim Block, where they will be served a good hamburger without spending more time or money than they want to.
OB: Can we expect a location in East Berlin anytime soon?
KP: Oh yes: we are embarking on a real expansion tour in the capital. By the end of 2020, we hope to have opened ten Jim Block restaurants. The popular bezirke (districts) are definitely on our list.
OB: If you had to give one golden tip to all our hamburger chefs at home, what would that be?
Grill on a smooth surface: no ridges!
Use the highest temperature in the beginning: you want the meat to sear right from the start, so that you preserve the juices.
Use our Block House pepper: available at quite a lot of supermarkets, or in our restaurants.
Check out Part 2 of the Jim Block Special: My Ceasar Hamburger review!
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