John Metcalfe

1 week ago | mercurynews.com | John Metcalfe

Pomella, a spot for bright and affordable California-Israeli fare in Oakland, will close at the end of May. The reason given was lagging finances, chef and owner Mica Talmor wrote in an email: “Unfortunately, Pomella has not been able to sustain itself financially for a while now, and it is truly with a broken heart that I am forced to shut it down.”Pomella opened in 2020 just as the chaos of the pandemic was falling upon world and its suddenly imperiled restaurants.

2 weeks ago | mercurynews.com | John Metcalfe

Balloons are light, fun and airy – until all of a sudden they’re deep. An art exhibit that recently opened in San Francisco examines the profound side of these rubbery joy-blobs, from nostalgia to personal reflection to emotional longing. Yes, all that in… balloons. “EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel” runs until September 7 at the so-called Balloon Museum, which is more of an international traveling association of curators working in the medium of air.

2 weeks ago | gmtoday.com | John Metcalfe

When planning a trip to Italy, you can almost push a pin randomly in the map and leave it at that. There’s such a wealth of delicious food, deep history and vibrant culture that no matter where you go you’ll be happy — from the top of the boot to the bottom. In fact, there’s so much to do in Italy that it can be a little overwhelming to decide. The travel gurus at Lonely Planet offer a ranking of “The top 15 destinations in Italy.” These include cities, parks, beaches and even an active volcano.

2 weeks ago | sacbee.com | John Metcalfe

When planning a trip to Italy, you can almost push a pin randomly in the map and leave it at that. There's such a wealth of delicious food, deep history and vibrant culture that no matter where you go you'll be happy - from the top of the boot to the bottom. In fact, there's so much to do in Italy that it can be a little overwhelming to decide. The travel gurus at Lonely Planet offer a ranking of "The top 15 destinations in Italy." These include cities, parks, beaches and even an active volcano.

2 weeks ago | telegraphherald.com | John Metcalfe

With everything happening in the world, sometimes you just want to get away. And for folks who don’t want to leave their significant other or children behind while they take their dream vacation, you’d better get away somewhere family friendly. Fortunately, the travel wizzes at National Geographic have you covered. The magazine’s Taryn White recently put together a guide to 10 family-friendly vacations in the United States, with some rather surprising choices.