12 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM was ravaged by the CZU wildfires in 2020, but instead of remaining a charred wasteland, this local treasure is roaring back to life. This month, find out how to explore Big Basin’s incredibly vibrant, much-altered landscape. (Page 44) Terrestrial treasures take a backseat to off-world phenomena for Andrew Fraknoi. The noted astronomer and educator discovered his passion for studying the stars thanks to comic books that he read as a young Hungarian immigrant. (Page 23) MeeSun Boice shifted gears from a career in finance and tech to find something she’s passionate about, so she teamed up with friend and chef Parke Ulrich to open Hurrica Restaurant on the docks of Redwood City’s beautiful Westpoint Harbor. (Page 51) Michael Sigmon is a Menlo Park chef who left restaurants behind to open Minee Chocolate. He tells us about his inspiration for making bean-to-bar confections. (Page 58) Grab some popcorn and check out our guide to some of Hollywood’s favorite Peninsula film locations. (Page 76) There’s even more to explore this month, from a gorgeously designed Portola Valley hillside home (Page 71) to our Q&A with Half Moon Bay’s big-wave surfer Jeff Clark. (Page 20) I think you’ll find that there’s a lot to love in the pages of this, our February issue. Andrea Gemmet andrea@punchmonthly.com {editor’s note} quietly admire whatever wildlife I encounter, from timid bunnies to noisy woodpeckers. And the best thing about hiking during our all-too-brief rainy season? Being serenaded by the sound of running water while walking alongside a creek. What’s a little mud on my trail shoes when there’s such a limited chance to admire a splashing, gurgling waterway before it turns bone-dry by summer? A trail is an ideal place to let your feet take over while your mind wanders. A short, steep hike above Morro Bay recently got me thinking about the lifestyle of our guide Mandy Davidson, an environmental advocate with decades of outdoor experience. Much of her day is spent in her kayak or on a trail, and she keeps the trunk of her car neatly packed with gear so she can take off on a camping trip at a moment’s notice. If I didn’t hold indoor plumbing in such high regard, I’d be sorely tempted to emulate her. In this month’s magazine, read about Mandy’s kayaking excursions and other tips for making a weekend getaway to the Central Coast beach town just as enriching as it is relaxing. (Page 39) I’ve definitely spent some time thinking about what life would be like if I’d opted for a job in the great outdoors instead of a career that keeps me in front of a computer all day. It’s easy to think of nature as a peaceful, spa-like oasis, but the natural world is full of struggles, calamities and displays of incredible resilience. Big Basin State Park is a prime example of that. Most of California’s oldest state park In between rainstorms, one of my favorite places to be this time of year is on a trail in Portola Valley. Windy Hill Preserve is gorgeous all of the time, but there’s something about the fragile green growth along the trails in late winter that lifts my spirits. Sunset still comes far too early in February, but the promise of spring is palpable on even its chilliest of days. I don’t head to the hills to pound out some miles or count my steps. I’m there for the forestbathing—or meadow-bathing, depending on the route. I applaud the trail runners who go thundering past, but I like to be free to stop and marvel at weird mushrooms, brush my fingers against a dewy patch of tender ferns and
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