It has been 25 years since the worst terrorist attack on American soil. We’ve seen the eyewitness videos. We’ve watched the documentaries. We’ve even watched dramatized films set around September 11, 2001. For those of us who are middle-aged and older, we watched it unfold live on our television screens. We remember where we were when... It was just after 6:00 AM, and I was getting ready for work with the TV on so I could monitor the morning traffic report. I saw one of the t

The Martini. Generally associated with the Roaring Twenties, at a time when imbibing was taboo…and illegal. Thoughts of speakeasies, New York mobsters, jazz, the Charleston…and, of course, that conical cocktail glass. An icon in its own right. But what most people don’t know is that the story of the Martini goes much further back than the 1920s; and much further west than New York. In fact, Martinez has long claimed its place in cocktail history as the birthplace of the Marti

If you spent any time in Downtown Martinez during and immediately after the pandemic, you probably remember when Main Street looked a little different. When indoor dining shut down, downtown businesses adapted. Main Street closed to traffic on weekends, restaurants moved tables outside, and suddenly dining in the middle of downtown became the norm. Then the bands showed up. I don't mean music coming from inside the restaurants. Bands were set up right in the middle of Main St

It’s been hot lately. Really hot. But once evening rolls around and the temperature starts to drop, it becomes much more pleasant to get outside. One of my favorite ways to enjoy a summer evening in Martinez is simply to get on my bike and ride. No real destination is necessary, although I usually find myself heading toward the waterfront. An Evening at the Waterfront The waterfront is especially nice toward the end of the day. There’s usually a breeze, people are out walking

You don't have to wait for Art in the Park to find art around Martinez! Take a walk through downtown and you'll find it in all sorts of places—murals, paintings, window art, sculptures, and other pieces tucked throughout the streets and storefronts. Some are hard to miss. Others are the kind of thing you might walk past a dozen times before finally noticing them. Art Around Downtown One of the best ways to see it is simply to walk. Start along Main Street, wander down the sid

One of the things I enjoy most about exploring Martinez by bike is stumbling across things I didn't know were there. On my ride home from yoga one morning, I discovered a public bike repair station in the parking lot at Escobar and Ferry Streets. It's one of those little downtown amenities that's easy to overlook—until you're on a bike and actually need it. The station includes a bike pump, wrenches, screwdrivers, and other basic tools for quick adjustments while you're out r