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Location : Portola Valley, CA Parking : Free parking along neighborhood streets Trail type : Out and Back Trail Length : 6.5 miles Elevation Gain : 1374 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Hamm Gulch Trail > Lost Trail > Anniversary Trail Post-hike pit stop suggestion : Alpine Inn on Alpine Road, Portola Valley This is an excellent hike and a great workout with plenty of variety of rolling hills, mountains and wooded area. This OSP offers a number of trails but the Windy Hill Loop is by far the most popular. As the name suggests, it gets quite windy at the summit, so dress in layers. Parking for this trail is available along Alpine Road and the neighborhood streets close to the trail. At the park gate, follow the Hamm Gulch Trail. This trail, although narrow, is shaded most of the way, but quite steep in some areas. The trail climbs uphill throughout, until it intersects with Lost Trail. Make a right on the Lost Trail. At this point, you are out of the wooded area, and the climb becomes more gradual. Green turns into Golden Brown on Lost Trail The green shrubbery gives way to California brown as you near the second entrance of the park, off Highway 35 (Skyline Blvd). Take a quick break at the restrooms available at the entrance, before you make your way on Anniversary Trail. At the entrance on Skyline Blvd Anniversary Trail is almost flat and takes you, first, to a smaller unnamed hilltop, before winding up Windy Hill. Anniversary Trail is flat and offers a good respite from all the climbing. At 1919ft, Windy Hill provides a birds eye view of the entire Peninsula, and like the name suggests, is quite windy at the top. With a bench or two available to rest your tired feet, this is a great spot for a short snack break before heading back along the same route you just came up on. For a lunch break, or just to wet your whistle, the historic Alpine Inn is close by and offers an expansive outdoor seating while dishing out some great comfort food. Lunch at Alpine Inn

Location : Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, CA Parking : Canyon Meadow Staging Area (free parking) Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 6.4 miles Elevation Gain : 853 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Stream Trail > East Ridge Trail > Canyon Trail If you are looking for a family friendly activity in winter, then check out the ladybug migration at the Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. The migration takes place between November to late February, and get ready to be oohed and aahhed by their cuteness! If going with little ones, it is an easy walk through the forest to the point of migration at the intersection of Stream Trail and Prince Trail. For the avid hiker, you can add more miles by traversing the many beautiful trails in this park. To start the hike, park at Canyon Meadow Staging Area at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. There was no parking fee when we visited in December 2019. From the parking lot, start your hike on the Stream trail. The trail is pretty flat with redwood trees on either sides providing ample shade. Within a mile into the trail, you will see large signs about lady bug migration to the left of the trail. If you see closely, the rust color on the leaves are actually thousands of ladybugs flocked together. The ladybugs clusters can be found all along the trail until you hit the intersection of Prince Trail. At this point, you can turn around and head back to the car, if your main intention was to only check the ladybugs. Looks like a bunch of rust colored leaves at first. But on a closer look, they are covered with ladybugs These ladybugs migrate from all parts of California to congregate in these exact same location, year after year. They are found in the Oakland Redwood Regional Park from Nov - last Feb, with mid Jan - mid Feb being peak. Whats interesting is that these bugs, generation after generation, come to the same spot to breed, just like their ancestors did. They have an internal GPS that brings them to the same spot every year. And whats even more interesting is they have a lifespan of only 1 year. So they never make it back to this spot again in their lifetime. Once it gets warm they fly to other parts of California where they end their life. What looked like an orange stick in the forest from afar was actually a ladybug habitat. If you want a workout, continue on Stream Trail. It starts climbing slightly until it hits the Skyline Blvd parking lot at around 3 miles. At the entrance gate, bear right and continue on East Ridge Trail. This trail takes you over the park with great views of the East Bay hills. There are benches placed at perfect vantage points on the trail which provide excellent views of the entire park. Continue on East Ridge Trail for about 3 miles until you hit Canyon Trail. Turn right on Canyon Trail, which will take you all the way back to the parking lot. We made a 6 mile hike out of our visit to this beautiful redwood forest nestled in the Oakland hills.

Location : Brushy Peak Regional Preserve, Livermore, CA Parking : Laughlin Ranch Staging Area (free parking) Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 6.1 miles Elevation Gain : 1175 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Laughlin Loop Trail > Tamcan Trail > Brushy Peak Loop Trail > West Side Loop Trail Pets Allowed : Yes Post-hike Grub Stop Reco : Garre Cafe, Livermore, CA. Each time we would drive over the Altamont Pass on Highway 580 in Livermore, I would always admire the numerous giant wind turbines we would pass and wonder if there was a way to get close to them. My wish was fulfilled when I found a hiking trail in Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore, that would took us close to these turbines. The trail starts at the Laughlin Ranch Staging Area where there is ample parking and clean pit restroom. When we started our hike at 9.30am on a weekend, the parking lot was full and people were beginning to park on the side of the road. The rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Reserve We started our hike in the anti-clockwise direction. If hiking clockwise, the trail starts off pretty steep and continues to climb all the way to Brushy Peak. In the anti-clockwise direction, the climbs are more gradual over 3 rolling hills before summiting Brushy Peak. Wildflowers beginning to bloom in mid Jan. The trail starts off nice and wide with views of the wind turbines throughout the hike. The lush green hillside was strewn with cows lazily feasting on the fresh grass while enjoying 360 degree views of the Livermore valley. Go Away! Let me enjoy my meal in peace! The giant wind turbines accompany you all along the route as you continue on Brushy Peak Loop Trail. At about mile 3, the trail starts climbing steeply towards Brushy Peak. When you reach Brushy Peak at mile 4, the scenery suddenly changes from open meadows to a rocky hillside. This is a good point to enjoy a quick break or a picnic lunch as you admire a birds eye view of East Bay. View along the ascent to Brushy Peak The climb down from Brushy Peak is steep and rocky, which calls for good hiking boots for this hike. Once you reach the bottom, you have the option to add another climb to your workout and turn right on West side loop, and add an extra mile to your hike. Or hang a left at the intersection of Brushy Peak Loop Trail and West side Loop Trail. This will take you past a small lake and all the way back to the parking lot in about a mile. Garre Cafe and Winery on Tesla Road, 6 miles away, is a great stop for an American lunch and vino. They provide spacious outdoor and indoor seating but prior reservations are required. Winter/Spring is an excellent time to hike Brushy Peak, while the hills are still green and the temperatures are mild. Since there is almost no shade, this hike can be treacherous during the summer months. My next goal is to find a drivable path close to these wind turbines so I can photograph these gentle giants during sunset.

Shosha in downtown Sunnyvale, is the latest installment in Bay Area Indian restaurants that focus on molecular gastronomy. Shosha in Punjabi means "Show Off", and true to its name, every dish is a feast for the eyes. And thats as far as I will go with my praise for this restaurant. A poor imitation of SpiceKlub, this establishment is all show and no substance. None of the dishes we tried tasted as good as they looked. The portions were small for the price. Here's a rundown of our experience at the restaurant. We went early on a Friday evening when reservations were hard to come by. The restaurant is located in downtown Sunnyvale, on Murphy Street. Although the inside decor seems very elegant, they seem to have squeezed as much seating area as possible, by placing the tables very close to each other. They had even put tables in the lobby/reception area, where we were asked to sit. Being close to the door, we could feel a chill throughout the evening. The hostess welcomed us with a champagne flute filled with dry ice which sublimated right there and released an aromatic fragrance around our very cramped table. We thought this unexpected display was very cool. Next came complimentary bread sticks served with mint mayo in a very cool bicycle serving dish. The presentation of all the food we ordered was fabulous, but we couldnt say the same for the taste. Here's what we ordered : DAHI PAPADI CHAAT WITH DAHI BHALLA ICE CREAM - The chaat was a little on the sweeter side for our liking. It was bold of them to call the the scoop of frozen, but bland chutney on top as "ice cream". That really didnt add any flavor to the dish. PANI PURI SHOTS - the shots consisted of green pani puri water, sweet tamarind water and watery mango juice. You can mix and match the pani as per your taste. Once again, a Kodak moment, but nothing to write home about when it came to the taste. TANDOORI BHUTTA - This is the chefs take on the desi butta. I give props for using the Indian yellow corn, instead of the American kind. The presentation, once again, was top notch, with the waitress setting the corn on fire at the table. But the chutney that accompanied it was pretty bland, once again. For entree, we ordered their special - M4 accompanied by MIRCHI PYAAZ KI ROTI and LACHCHA PARATHA. M4 tasted nothing out of the ordinary, as it consisted of just peas in a creamy fenugreek gravy. I expected Lachcha paratha to consist of layers, but instead, it was made like regular butter naan. I was so looking forward to trying out their famous dessert, Suhaag Raat. But alas, it is no longer listed on their menu :-( All in all, I give Shosha 2 Solara Stars out of 5, due to the following reason : Lackluster taste Very damaging to the wallet Cramped seating area with tables setup even in the waiting/reception area Terrible wait staff who werent familiar with the menu and had no recommendations. Give this one a miss, and go to SpiceKlub instead!!

Location : Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley, CA Parking : Free Trail type : Out and Back Trail Length : 8.4 miles Elevation Gain : 791ft Difficulty : Easy - Moderate Trails traversed : Nimitz Way Trail Nimitz Way is a popular hiking and biking roadway along the San Pablo Ridge in Berkeley's Tilden Park. With excellent views of North Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline, this has been rated as one of the 27 absolutely stunning hikes in the Bay Area. During the Cold War, it became the guarded entrance to a Nike missile site, remnants of which can be seen at the end of the trail. Birds eye view of the town of El Sobranto from the Nike Missile Launch site Parking at the trailhead at Inspiration Point is free. Overflow parking is permitted along Wildcat Canyon Road. At 9am on a Saturday, the spots were all full, but we found a number of people in the process of pulling out their cars after an early morning hike. The trail starts at the gate and restroom at Inspiration point, is 4.2 miles long, each way and fully paved, end to end. For those who like hiking on unpaved trails there are many unpaved offshoots to take from the main paved path, which rejoin/intersect Nimitz trail at many points. There are many benches strategically placed along the route which tempt the hiker in you to slow down and enjoy the view. Paved trail all the way The trail is almost fully exposed. You initially pass through a few groves of oak, eucalyptus and pine trees. After which the trail opens up to meadows and pastures. During our hike in December, the green meadows were a welcome sight from the California golden brown we are used to seeing the rest of the year. Veering off the paved path to explore some more. Since the trail is along a ridge, the views are spectacular on either side and with every turn. As you ascend the trail you get a birds eye view of the San Pablo reservoir on the right, and the city of El Sobranto in the distance. On the left, you catch sight of the skyline of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz island in the distance, Angel Island and Marin County on the other side of the Bay. The views get even more breathtaking between mile 3 and mile 4 with an expanse of green meadows flanking the Bay views, whilst cows and their young 'uns lazily wander on the pastures. Even the cattle take their sweet time to enjoy the view on this mountain ridge! At the 4.2 mile mark, the paved trail ends and turns into gravel. To the right of the trail is a small hill which leads to the remnants of what used to be a Nike missile launch site. Proceed ahead to explore more, or turn back to follow the same route back to your car. View of Golden Gate Bridge in the distance This scenic hike is best done on a cool summer day or in the winter when the sun is not bearing down on you. Endless green pastures and views along San Pablo ridge.

Luna is a nice and casual Mexican eatery with an authentic Mexican Adobe feel located along The Alameda in downtown San Jose. It seemed to be a very popular spot when we went on a Friday evening, and had to wait for over a half hour around 6:45pm for a table for two. (The restaurant doesnt take any reservations). What first drew me to this restaurant was its varied selection of vegetarian options in the menu, many of which were a twist from the usual found at other Mexican establishments. Parking behind the restaurant is limited, but ample spots can be found in the neighboring streets and along The Alameda. Although the indoor seating area looked cramped and small, the parking lot was converted into an outdoor seating area, with a number of heating lamps providing a cozy and warm ambiance. This is one of the few Mexican restaurants which still serves chips and salsa on the house - something that many others have stopped after Covid. And they were the best chips and salsa we had eaten in a long, long time! The homemade tortilla chips were thick, fresh and crunchy. But what really stole our heart, er, stomach, was the piping HOT tomatillo salsa. On a cold, cold night, the salsa hit the spot with our very first bite and we knew there were better things to come. The complementary chips also came with a spicy green salsa. We were enjoying this hot treat when our appetizers arrived - Tacos Dorados De Papa, which were three crispy taquitos with pureed potatoes, organic iceberg, crema, queso fresco, tomatillo salsa. Despite the toppings and the fillings, each taquito was crispy and crunchy with every mouthful. Just as we wiped the plate clean, the entrees we had ordered arrived. The first one was Chile Relleno De Calabacitas - fire-roasted poblano chile, roasted corn, squash, chayote, melted jack, salsa ranchera, crema, cabbage, quinoa, epazote black beans, with handmade corn tortillas. We really liked their healthy take to this traditional dish with the addition of multi-colored quinoa, making the entire dish bursting with flavor and not overly cheesy. The green rice it came with tasted like cilantro-peas pulav. Our second entree caught us by surprise. We had ordered the veggie Parrilladas (which is a a fancy word for fajita) - grilled cauliflower, carrot, squash, zucchini, sweet potato with a side of guacamole, salsa fresca, organic iceberg and chipotle cashew crema. Little did we know that it was meant for 2 people, instead of one. The serving was HUGE, and we could hardly do justice to the dish. We were slightly annoyed that our server didnt warn us that the entree was meant for 2. We ended up doggie-bagging most of it (which we relished at home, two days later). Th huge servings didnt leave room for any dessert. Overall, the food, staff and flavors were great. I give this restaurant 4 Solara Stars out of 5, with one star subtracted because the waiter did not communicate the size of the Parrillada order to us and the absence of a reservation system for a downtown restaurant.

Location : Vargas Plateau Regional Park, Fremont, CA Parking : Free Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 5 miles Elevation Gain : 1240ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Cliff Trail > Deer Gulch Trail > Vargas Road > Morrison Canyon Road Pets Allowed ? Yes This is the newest regional park in Fremont, and by new, I mean , 5 years old, as of this writing. While its popular cousin, Mission Peak, offers views of the entire Bay Area, this trail rewards the hiker with a birds eye view of Fremont, including Quarry Lakes and Lake Elizabeth. It is best traversed in winter when the hills are green or in spring when wildflowers are in full bloom. The trail has no shade throughout the regional park except on your way down on Morrison Canyon. So attempt this hike on a cool day. View of Mission Peak over Vargas Plateau's green rolling hills There are two entrances to this park. The official and most popular one, with ample parking, is on Vargas Road, at the Vargas Plateau Staging Area. The hike I have described here starts from the lesser known entrance on Morrison Canyon, a few feet beyond Morrison Canyon and Canyon Heights intersection. There are only a handful of parking spaces in front of this entrance. However, there is sufficient parking on the neighborhood streets on Canyon Heights. Start at the iron gates on Morrison Canyon Road, past the old barn with the interesting sign boards. The first half mile or so of the trail takes you behind some houses (you feel sorry for the folks living so close to a public access trail). Wildflowers separate the trail from the neighborhood homes Then the trail starts getting steep for another mile or so, as the views get better. Green hills with Lake Elizabeth in the distance. As you climb uphill, you come across a small, shaded grove after which the trail becomes less steep. Be ready to encounter lots of cows and cow patties along the way. The trail continues over a few rolling hills and past a few rock formations, This is a great midpoint stop for a quick snack or water break, while taking in the views of the entire city of Fremont. I nicknamed this area "Stonehenge of Fremont" for obvious reasons :-) A quick break at the rocks "Stonehenge of Fremont" Most of the climbing is complete by the time you reach the rocks, after which you start going downhill until you reach the Vargas park entrance. At the park gate, hang a right onto Vargas road. The road takes you past a couple of old barns. Stop and say hello to the horse, if you see one. In a quarter of a mile turn right onto Morrison Canyon Road. This road is blocked off for any vehicular traffic and open to only pedestrians and cyclist. The road is almost fully shaded. Continue on this road until you reach your parked car. This trail provides a great workout and a good way to escape the mad crowds on Mission Peak. Other than a horse rider or two along the way and freely roaming cattle, you will come across very little foot traffic. An excellent way to start or end your weekend. View of Alameda Creek, Quarry Lakes and the Bay in the distance.

Location : Wilder Ranch State Park in Santa Cruz, CA Parking : $10 (within the State Park) or park off Hwy 1 for free. Trail type : One Way Trail Length : 6.8 miles Elevation Gain : 177ft Difficulty : Easy Trails traversed : Old Cove Landing Trail > Ohlone Bluff Trail Pets Allowed ? No Post Hike Grub suggestion : Upper Crust Pizza and Pasta, Santa Cruz. This spectacular trail needs a bit of planning. Since the trail is almost 7 miles long, it will help if you have two cars, so that one of you can park one car at the trailhead at the entrance of Wilder Ranch State Park and the other can park another car 3 miles north at the end of the trail, at Four Mile Beach parking lot. So loop in some friends to do this hike with you. The trail itself is pretty flat and easy and a nice place to ride your bike. Restrooms with flush toilets are available at the State Park, before you embark on your hike. Start off on the Old Cove Landing trail close to the restrooms, heading north-west. The views of the bluffs and the Pacific Ocean are beautiful at every turn. Have you ever seen waves make shadows??? You will pass a number of almost deserted beaches and a couple of cliffs which a number of seals and pelicans call home. One of the beaches that is worth taking a deviation is Fern Grotto Beach. The place gets its name from a sea cave located at the back of the beach, covered with ferns, with water trickling down the face of the cave. It looks and feels like a small tropical oasis right on the beach. Water dripping down from the ferns after the recent rains. Fern Grotto sea cave Continue walking down the trail which turns inward for a mile or so towards Highway 1 and along an old and forgotten railway track. This railway track keeps appearing at different portions of the trail. Old Cove Landing Trail soon becomes Ohlone Bluff Trail which runs along coastal farms growing artichokes and brussels sprouts. Brussel Sprouts growing in abundance along the trail Okey, Dokey, artichokey! Ohlone Bluff Trail takes you past old farmhouses surrounded with ancient farming tools, until the trail finally winds around near Four Mile Beach and takes you to the Four Mile Beach parking lot, where you would have your second car parked. The hike was an amazing experience from end to end and timing it to end at sunset made the views even more spectacular. The trail is fully exposed but the cool breeze from the ocean will compensate for the missing shade. With magnificent ocean views and a variety of birds on one side and farm vegetation on the other, this is one of the most unique hikes in the Bay Area. Post-hike, we stopped at Upper Crust Pizza and Pasta, which is just a couple of miles from the trailhead on Highway 1. Check out this awesome gem of a hike, if havent already, and leave me a comment on what you thought of it. Here are a few more pictures from our time at Wilder Ranch State park.

The Columbia River Gorge is a 75-mile canyon through the Cascades, with the picturesque Columbia River cutting through it and dividing the states of Washington and Oregon. As you head East from Portland on I-84 and head towards Hood River, where the Gorge ends, you will experience some of the best vistas Oregon has to offer. With numerous falls and even more hiking trails, this area is an outdoor adventurers delight. The Vista House at Crown Point - This is a popular viewpoint you will first pass on your way to Multhnomah Falls. A steep, windy drive uphill takes you to the historic Vista House, which was closed when we went, due to Covid. Along the way, you will pass Portland Womens Forum Scenic Viewpoint, where you can stop for a quick phot op of the breathtaking view of the Vista House sitting atop a cliff nearby. There is ample free parking around the Vista House, and no admission charge to enter the House, when open. With a view of the Columbia River for miles, it gives a great perspective on the enormity of the river and the valley below. This place is best visited around sunset when the whole valley is aglow with the warm light of the setting sun. Multnomah Falls - 15 miles east of the Vista House is everyone's famous Falls, the Multnomah! This majestic two-tiered waterfall plummets over 600ft and lets you experience the power and beauty of nature up close. As you drive on I-80, you will hear the roaring thunder of the falls from a couple of miles away. According to Native American lore, Multnomah Falls was created to win the heart of a young princess who wanted a hidden place to bathe. Although the parking lot is quite massive, due to the popularity of the falls, finding a spot can be hard later in the day. Many times the traffic gets backed up for a few miles on I-80 due to cars waiting for parking. As you enter the Falls area, you will encounter a gift shop, a restaurant serving Northwestern cuisine and well maintained restrooms. The falls viewing area is just a few feet from the gift shop which will give you your very first mind-boggling perspective of the sheer magnitude of the falls. For an even closer look, walk another several hundred feet up the paved trail to reach Benson Bridge, which spans the falls at the first tier's misty base. Standing on the bridge, you will have the perfect, although wet, view of the top-tiers full height and the second tiers sheer drop. If you have the time, follow the trail to hike to Multnomah Falls upper viewpoint, with splendid views of the Columbia River Gorge along the way. Wahclella Falls - Another two-tiered falls, less than 10 miles east of Multnomah Falls is Wahclella Falls. An easy 2.4 miles out and back trail will lead you to this falls in the Cascade Locks area. The trailhead, just off of I-84 is easy to access with ample parking and pit toilets.

Diwali is a time of making and eating your favorite sweets and savories. From bhujias to chaklis to burfis and milk cakes, the list is endless. If you want your Diwali thali to stand out from the rest, then try this easy chocolate diya recipe which is sure to wow the receivers of your thalis. You can use it as a festive, yet edible centerpiece to your plate or presentation. This recipe is a twist to the classic peda recipe. It is simple and can be made under 15 minutes. If you still have peda dough left over, or are pressing on time, then you can easily convert the dough into regular pedas. INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp Ghee 1 condensed milk can 1.5 cups Milk Powder 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder 2 tbsp Cocoa powder Sliced almonds Food coloring (optional) Saffron strands (optional) Crushed pistachios (optional) DIRECTIONS In a microwave safe bowl, mix ghee, condensed milk, milk powder and cardamom powder. Out of the above mixture remove 2-3 tbsp of the mixture and keep separately to use as wicks for the diyas. To the rest of the mixture, add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder and mix well. Now microwave this for a minute. Remove from microwave give it a stir and again microwave for a minute. Repeat this two more times, for a total of 4 mins stirring in between every minute. Make sure the peda mix doesnt dry out and is still soft to touch. While this mixture cools, follow the same technique to microwave the one that you have kept aside for making wicks. Once the peda mixture feels warm (not hot) to touch, divide the chocolate mix into small portioned balls. Shape each ball into diyas, using your thumb, ring finger and palm of your hand. Make a small spout for the wick and flame. Grease your fingers and palm with some ghee, if the mixture is sticky. Roll the white mixture into small wicks and place it in the diyas. (optional) Dip the sliced almonds in yellow/orange/red food coloring to resemble a flame. Place the sliced almonds at the end of the wick. Press it in firmly so it doesnt fall off. (Optional) Dip a toothpick into food coloring and create designs on the diya. Keep the diyas in an air-tight container until ready for presentation, as they can get chewy otherwise. If there is more of the peda mixture left over, mold them into regular round pedas. Press saffron strands or crushed pistachios into the center of each peda to give them a decorative look. Wow your friends and family by using the diyas as centerpieces in your thali, or as mithai.

Location : Foothill Nature Preserve in Palo Alto, CA Parking : $6 Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 4.4 miles Elevation Gain : 705ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Coyote Trail > Panorama Trail > Bobcat Pt > Panorama Trail > Vista Hill > Chamise Trail Foothills Nature Preserve is fast becoming one of my favorites park to hike, as almost all the trails are shaded, well-marked and hardly crowded. Coyote Trail is a beautifully well-maintained trail which starts close to the Interpretive Center, where parking is available. This park gets crowded during weekends, so come early! The A-line building which holds the Interpretive Center. The trail starts a little further down the Interpretive Centre, as you walk away from the parking lot. We hiked the trail on a beautiful fall morning just as the fog lifted over Boronda Lake and the sun came up above the mountains. We passed by a numerous cob webs covered with dew drops and stunningly lit up by the morning sun. The inclines are gradual and the views of Palo Alto and beyond at Bobcat Point and Vista Hill are stunning. The trail is fully shaded and lined with oak trees and manzanita shrubs. Yet another great feature of Foothills Park is the number of benches strategically placed to catch your breath or to just rest awhile and take in the view. Overall, this is a lightly-trafficked, pet-friendly hike, perfect for a Fall morning or for a hot summers day. Bring along a picnic basket in your car to picnic at beautiful Boronda Lake after your hike.

Want quick and easy DIY decoration ideas for Halloween, without breaking the bank? Here are a few sinister looking crafts which will get you maximum adulation from your ghouls and goblins with minimum effort from your part. All Halloween supplies listed below are available at the Dollar Store. 1. Spider Web Vase SUPPLIES Glass vase of any size Black Sharpie Hot glue gun Black metallic spray paint White acrylic paint (optional) A plastic spider INSTRUCTIONS With a Sharpie, draw a spider web on the glass vase. Using the hot glue gun, slowly trace the spider web on the vase. Let it cool down and dry for 30 minutes. Next, in a well ventilated area, spray paint the vase, making sure you give the entire vase, including the bottom, even coverage. Give it a few coats if needed. Once the vase has dried, you will notice the raised portion of the spider web above the paint. At this point, you can leave it as is, or paint the raised spider web white, to give the vase a pop of color. Stick a spider on the side with the hot glue gun. Pop in some dried/droopy flowers or a creepy eyeball bouquet (see below), and there you have an eerie looking vase! 2. Creepy Eyeballs Bouquet SUPPLIES Pack of Halloween eyeballs Artificial black rose bouquet Hot glue gun INSTRUCTIONS Hot glue the plastic eyeballs to the center of each rose in the bouquet. Place the flowers in a Halloween themed vase or in the spider web vase (see above) 3. Finger Food SUPPLIES Plastic bloody hand Bloody fingers A medium sized pot (of the garden variety), with soil Cobwebs INSTRUCTIONS Firmly push hand and/or fingers into the soil in the pot. Wrap cobweb around the hand and/or fingers to give it a scary look. This makes a great centerpiece for your appetizer/finger food table. 4. Witches Parking Lot SUPPLIES 3-4 witches hats Cobweb (Optional) 3-4 witches brooms INSTRUCTIONS Hang the witches hats from your chandelier or fan or ceiling Wrap cobweb around them to give a sinister look. Optional : Place just as many witches brooms somewhere close by to give the illusion of a "witches parking lot" 5. Skeleton Crew SUPPLIES 5-10 mini skeletons Hot glue gun Glass vase with straight sides Twine INSTRUCTIONS For the climbing skeletons: hot glue one of the hands of each of the skeletons arrange them against a fireplace or a light pole or a table. For the skeleton vase : hot glue the skeletons around a vase with straight sides. Tie a twine around them Fill the vase with dried/droopy flowers or the creepy eyeball bouquet (see above) 6. Dracula's Specimen Lab SUPPLIES A collection of small plastic critters and reptiles like bats, snakes, lizards, mice, etc. Mason jars Food coloring Water Halloween creepy cloth INSTRUCTIONS Fill mason jars with water and add food coloring to give it a formaldehyde / lab chemical look. Stuff the reptile or critter into the jar. The tighter the fit, the more creepy the jar will look. Shut it tight so the water doesnt leak. Arrange the jars on a table covered with Halloween creepy cloth, in a dark corner of a room. Add some light effects to give it an ominous effect.