20 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM cal personalities and stories that are inspiring and uplifting (in a not-yank-your-house-up-off-theground kind of way). So, here’s a sprinkling of what you can expect in October PUNCH. In an homage to local culture, learn how Palo Alto’s new Graduate Hotel celebrates the rich storied history of Stanford University. (Page 108) And jump over to The Horse Park in Woodside to see the flurry of activities that create this Peninsula equestrian paradise. (Page 114) In Burlingame, we meet up with Sam and Gloria Malouf to explore the thriving husband/ wife partnership that anchors a family-run upscale boutique. (Page 31) And in Hillsborough, the duo behind TRG Architecture + Interior Design reveal the dramatic transformation of a home previously owned by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron. (Page 85) Here on the Peninsula, October is synonymous with Half Moon Bay’s Art & Pumpkin Festival (October 14-15). Another good reason to head coastside is Tanya Slye Designs for festive botanical styling with succulents and gourds. (Page 92) If you’re looking for a more tranquil seaside escape, PUNCH’s getaway this month is The Sea Ranch. Check out our tips for sliding into Sonoma County’s highly-tuned-tonature community. (Page 45) The ability to expand our horizons without leaving home is one of the Peninsula’s biggest perks. Channeling a Guadalajara cafe, Tal Palo in Los Altos says “Bienvenidos!” to guests (Page 61), and the Belmont team behind Just One Cookbook demystifies Japanese recipes through a popular food blog. (Page 68) In QuickPUNCH, check out reasons (beyond a tornado) to look skyward in our Q&A with Hiller Aviation Museum’s Jon Welte. (Page 28) The seasonal fun is just beginning, so stay tuned to PUNCH! Sheri sheri@punchmonthly.com {editor’s note} for coffee in the hilltop town of Groznjan. We awoke to thunder showers but they cleared sufficiently for a delayed start under an ominous-looking sky. About 20 miles into our ride, a downpour looked imminent. What we didn’t expect was the sudden plunge into darkness. BOOM!! CRACK!! WHOOSH!! Like a scene from The Wizard of Oz, we were caught in a deluge of whipping winds, near-horizontal pounding rain, flashes of lightning and ear-piercing thunder cracks. At the time, I was riding with PUNCH photographer (and longtime friend) Irene Searles and her husband, David Brett. Survival instincts kicked in and we furiously pedaled toward the barely discernible shape of a bus stop shelter. We ducked inside and huddled together, struggling to process the sight of leaves and debris swirling madly in circles. Thunderous booms joined in symphony with the splintering cracks of branches breaking around us. Shielded from the full brunt of the storm, we now frantically wondered: Will this flimsy structure hold up if a tree crashes down? What if there’s a lightning strike? Given that I’m now sharing this account, you can jump to the conclusion that we (and thankfully, our entire group) prevailed through the storm. And indeed, local news headlines confirmed that a rare tornado had swept through coastal Croatia. Although before-and-after photos show our attempts at tenuous smiles, the “during” aspect was, quite honestly, both terrifying and strangely exhilarating. Our trip (including that very memorable episode) surpassed all expectations, but I still found myself emitting a happy sigh when we landed at SFO. As Dorothy once postulated after her own whirlwind of adventures, “There’s no place like home.” And there you have it. The link back to PUNCH—and our convivial setting here on the San Francisco Peninsula. A quick search reveals the occasional tornado touching down here as well, but we can all agree that’s not a common association. What’s more familiar is what we present to you every month—loABOVE: Sheri Baer and Irene Searles in the aftermath of the storm; cycling under a threatening sky just before the wild weather fully swept in. “You’ve got to write about the tornado!” I kept hearing after my recent return from an epic trip to Eastern Europe. Apparently, being unexpectedly caught in the wildest weather imaginable is a line- (or editor’s note-) jumping event. And, of course, there’s that extenuating detail… we happened to be on bikes at the time. But PUNCH Magazine’s mission is capturing the Spirit of the Peninsula—not a freak severe storm along the Adriatic Coast. How could I possibly tie my harrowing story back to PUNCH? Okay, I conceded. I’ll try. To set the scene, we anchored our travels with a Backroads cycling tour through Croatia and Slovenia. On this particular morning, the plan was to head out from Portoroz, Slovenia, cross the border into Croatia and stop PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF DAVID BRETT / IRENE SEARLES
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==