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NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Otter update, trick or treat expectations, high stakesOtter update: My role model, Otter 841, has resurfaced once again in the waves of Santa Cruz. She initially rose to prominence after videos spread of her aggressively...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Nov. 1, 2023There are no comments yet. 1743 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Owl be there for youDuring the pandemic my partner and I would go on long walks through our neighborhood at night after dinner. On one of these walks we stumbled on a tall palm tree...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Oct. 18, 2023There are no comments yet. 1843 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Condors in CaliforniaOf my partner's many talents, one of the most impressive is her ability to spot hawks while on drives, daily walks, or hikes. Anybody can look in the sky and see...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Oct. 11, 2023There are no comments yet. 1902 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Let's get a move onThe hardest part of moving is getting used to where everything is in the kitchen. The packing, taking down pictures, loading, coordinating movers, driving, unloading,...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Oct. 4, 2023There are no comments yet. 1814 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
A trip back eastI don’t particularly love to travel. Airports were never my favorite place in the world and it seems like over the past few years they have only gotten more difficult...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Sep. 13, 2023There are no comments yet. 4155 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
The simple joy of eating fruitWhen we first started dating my partner once asked me to grab fruit on the way home from work. After I wrapped up my last meeting I stopped by a local grocery store,...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Aug. 30, 2023There are no comments yet. 2300 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Donate blood if you can to save livesOn a weekend many years ago I was hosting my brother and partner (then girlfriend) at my apartment. After grabbing some drinks outside we came back to spend the...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Aug. 24, 2023Last comment by Jennifer, on Aug 25, 2023 at 9:52 am | 1 comment | 2122 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
A journey down to Point Lobos
When I think of taking off time from work it usually falls into two buckets. The first is an obligation that I have to attend. Things such as a...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Aug. 16, 2023There are no comments yet. 2165 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Once in a blue supermoonEarlier this year my partner and I were driving home after visiting some friends who lived in San Francisco. As we exited the Bay Bridge, we noticed a gigantic moon...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Aug. 9, 2023There are no comments yet. 2123 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Don't press your luckThis past week California lottery officials confirmed that the winning ticket for the $1 billion Powerball prize was sold in Los Angeles. In addition, three lucky...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jul. 26, 2023Last comment by Mike Danson, on Jul 26, 2023 at 11:58 am | 2 comments | 2549 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Otterly delightful: Bringing otters back to the bayThis past month a delegation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) visited cities...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jul. 12, 2023There are no comments yet. 2860 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Effortless and eco-conscious: exploring e-bikesWhile living in Davis and then San Francisco I became an avid biker. I would bike to work and to places around town when doing errands. A practice I try to maintain...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jul. 5, 2023Last comment by Jason Peck, on Jul 7, 2023 at 9:14 am | 3 comments | 3121 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
A space center in our backyardThis past weekend my partner and I drove down to a friend's wedding in Mountain View. To avoid the Dumbarton bridge toll we took the five minute detour around the...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jun. 28, 2023There are no comments yet. 2332 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Cities should not subsidize sports teamsI’ve never been a particularly big fan of baseball. I didn’t grow up playing catch with my dad or hitting dingers in Little League. Basketball and football were...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jun. 21, 2023Last comment by Beatrice Lambert, on Jun 25, 2023 at 10:49 am | 20 comments | 3311 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Buzzworthy brilliance: the saga of the Scripps National Spelling BeeAs the Pleasanton Weekly recently reported,...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jun. 14, 2023There are no comments yet. 2172 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Taking an electric car on a northern California road tripMy partner and I are in the market for a new car. The lure of an electric car is high with their much lower maintenance costs and not having to worry about gas prices....
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Jun. 8, 2023There are no comments yet. 2746 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Expanding access to Yosemite's wondersOne of the most awe inspiring treks I’ve been on in California is located in Yosemite National Park. The Mist trail is a seven-mile round trip which takes hikers...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on May. 24, 2023Last comment by Erin Miller, on Jun 3, 2023 at 8:11 am | 8 comments | 2909 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
A tale of sister citiesIn April, Pleasanton welcomed more than two dozen officials and community representatives from Tulancingo, Mexico. As Jeremy Walsh documented in a
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on May. 17, 2023Last comment by Carole Lee Manning, on May 18, 2023 at 10:14 am | 1 comment | 2560 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
Strawberry trails foreverThe lower trailhead of the Strawberry Canyon fire trail is easy to find. The road touches the south eastern edge of the Berkeley campus and then takes you through...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on May. 3, 2023There are no comments yet. 2518 Views
NOTES ON THE VALLEY
The rich history of Reinhardt Redwood ParkThe beautiful weather over the past week finally managed to pull me out of a cold funk. This winter was so long there were moments that I thought I would never be...
Original post made by Monith Ilavarasan on Apr. 26, 2023There are no comments yet. 2686 Views
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