Via - January/February 2015 - California - (Page 3)

January February 2015 VOL. NO. inside 136 1 AFTER THE R AIN F E AT U R E S 28 36 Going to Extremes Hottest, steepest, flashiest- where to go for truly superlative experiences this side of the Rockies. by chris woolston London vs. Paris A tale of two cities: Europe's longtime rivals vie for visitors' hearts and vacation dollars. DE PA RT M E N T S 7 9 10 by christopher hall IN THIS ISSUE RANDI HIRSCHMANN 46 Annual Meeting Notice 49 52 Connect Vote for your favorite natural and man-made wonders of the West. President's Page When conditions are right in Death Valley, native plants such as the desert rock nettle (beware its stinging hairs) start to bloom in the spring. Page 28. Less paper, more pixels in 2015. On the Road Monterey's Cannery Row; inviting fireplaces; where to slurp ramen; picturesque Point Reyes, Calif. Spotlight Gravity-defying feats in Berkeley, Calif.; sea lions in San Francisco. Mystery Spot What 18th-century structure's real star power shines on the solstice? O N T H E C OV E R , wildflowers add color to the shrubland of Rhodes Wash in the Black Mountains of Death Valley National Park. Page 28. COVER PHOTOGR APH BY FRED HIRSCHMANN AAA I VIA 3

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Via - January/February 2015 - California