Back to business, now that the 4th and festivities are behind us. It was a quieter affair here in south San Jose, possibly a combination of the poor economy, cooler evening breeze and extra security our community hired to patrol the hill. In the past, revelers walked the streets and fireworks went off until the early morning hour. Not so this time. We admit it was kind of nice to enjoy a subdued evening.

For those interested in adventurous world travel, check out Carl’s entertaining series on his trip to Bhutan which features the worst cyclone to hit Para in 140 years!

Plus, a wonderful story from Brytanie and Kyle who celebrated their honeymoon in Loreto and wrote a special article on their trip. They had written in to SSC a few months back, and we traded emails about their upcoming trip. And it sounds like they enjoyed all that is the beauty and charm of Loreto.

July is shaping up to be one of the busiest months on record for StarkSilverCreek in terms of event coverage. We’ll be heading up to wine country including Napa, Sonoma and Livermore several times. On the Arts scene, there are some opening nights and premieres we’ll be attending as well. At the end of the month is the Wine Blogger’s Conference in Sonoma which is shaping up to be an influential event, if even only in its second year.

All Things Wine

• How to pour wine in a tasting room
• Murphe Goode contest: Field narrows to 50 starry-eyed, wannabe wine bloggers
• Zinfandel Grand Tasting 2009 ticket winners announced for Seattle and Portland
• Chardonnay history and battonage demo at Wente Vineyards with winemaker Karl Wente
• Boon Fly Café, Napa: Kobe beef burger, yes! Tortilla soup, no!

Special Travel Series: Bhutan by Carl Orthlieb

• Bhutan 2009: Bangkok -> Calcutta [STOP]

Loreto Baja Sur News

• A Wonderful Honeymoon in Loreto! by Brytanie and Kyle Marshall
• Beck International launches its new Loreto Bay project website

Home and Garden

• Solar Update: June 2009, solar stats and PG&E’s SmartAC program
• DIY tips: Caulking baseboards

Recipes

• Baja-style piña colada recipe for a hot summer day
• “Spoil and pamper me, darling” steak marinade recipe

San Francisco

• Cable Car Museum, San Francisco: A detour into history on Mason Street

Tech News and Gadgets

• Google Voice: One number to rule them all

Clinton Stark

Clint writes about new media, arts, wine, indie film, and tech (including his trusty Droid). An aging ice hockey player, he tries in vain to direct Loni in SSC videos. He's held executive marketing roles at tech companies including Cisco, EMC and Salesforce.com. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, he now lives in Silicon Valley. More »

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