Going forth on the Fourth for bombast and bomb blasts

Allow me to get a little onomatopoeic … ka-boom! The Fourth of July is the summer’s major party in the good ol’ US of A — and the noisiest celebration of the ye... Read More

Coastal Commuter

The Coastal Commuter

By Michael Snyder

Recently, a colleague directed my attention to an organization called Groupmuse, which is dedicated to bringing classical music to people’s homes in the Bay Area via intimate... Read More

Coastal Commuter

Earthquake country

By Michael Snyder

California residence offers so many benefits that the few liabilities can usually be dismissed. This is particularly true the closer you are to the glorious Pacific. If you’r... Read More

Coastal Commuter

Weather or not

By Michael Snyder

I’ve been spending a big chunk of the spring in Los Angeles for a variety of reasons, after being in the area for much of what people still call winter in Southern California... Read More

Coastal Commuter

Home is where the art is

By Michael Snyder

Art is where you find it, and I usually know where to look. In fact, both San Francisco and Los Angeles offer some marvelous fine art museums that allow one to drink one’s fill o... Read More

Coastal Commuter

The Coastal Commuter

By Michael Snyder

Batten down the bouquets! Break out the boxes of chocolate! February is here, and so is the inevitability of Valentine’s Day. And that’s one mixed blessing. Who could b... Read More

Coastal Commuter

The Coastal Commuter

By Michael Snyder

I’m beginning to see San Francisco as a bedroom community. For someone like me who frequently works in Los Angeles, San Francisco has now become my refuge more than my day-in... Read More

Coastal Commuter

A joy of a Cali Christmas

By Michael Snyder

You know the lyrics. You can’t escape the song in December. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Sure it is — unless you harbor thoughts of suicide... Read More

Coastal Commuter

Noir-lit titans straddle mighty cities — ray of moonlight, dash of danger

By Michael Snyder

Listen here, ya mugs! I’m a longtime lover of detective fiction. Naturally, that would include the classics of the genre — and there are no private eyes in the literary wor... Read More

Coastal Commuter

Halloween S.F. vs. L.A.

By Michael Snyder

Uh-oh. It’s that special time of year again, when things go bump in the night — and I don’t mean drunken one-night stands (although there will be quite a few of them ... Read More

Coastal Commuter

A Giants lifer upholds the faith when in LA

By Michael Snyder

One of the few pitfalls of residing in Los Angeles for months at a time is the constant barrage of Dodger Blue that I have to endure throughout baseball season. A significant impet... Read More

Coastal Commuter

The Coastal Commuter

By Michael Snyder

I’ve lost my way station, and it’s going to hurt. My brother has taken on a new job that required him and his family to move from lovely Monterey, Calif. — author Joh... Read More

Coastal Commuter

If you’re going to San Francisco

By Michael Snyder

Ever since I began working in Los Angeles for months at a time, I’ve been noticing profound changes in San Francisco whenever I’ve returned north and settled in at my a... Read More

Coastal Commuter

The Coastal Commuter

By Michael Snyder

You can call me the Beer Hunter. As a college kid, I was laboring under the mistaken opinion that beer was a distastefully sour sort of rice water that gave you a headache if you ... Read More

Coastal Commuter

The Coastal Commuter

By Michael Snyder

For the past few years, due to professional and personal considerations, this dedicated San Francisco resident has had the distinct pleasure of splitting his time between the City ... Read More

Coastal Commuter