Mary Charlebois

PUBLISHED 05/23/17 - IMMERSION TRAVEL MAGAZINE
In a human-powered whale boat, on a glorious Saturday afternoon, eleven of us set out from Dolphin Isle Marina and began navigating the Noyo River. Our trip would take us through the harbor, under a 90-foot bridge and into open water. Commercial fishing boats passed our craft. Seals lounged on bell buoys and paid us little mind. We were a small bobbing dot in the great Pacific Ocean...

PUBLISHED 05/01/17 - GoNOMAD
Sail at sunset, or greet the bay at sunrise. Explore an urban temple, or stroll a secret beach. An organ powered by waves performs at hightide. Have a long, lazy lunch at a sidewalk café, or picnic by the yacht harbor. Savor dinner in a laidback bistro, or roam Fillmore at Greenwich for the buzzy nightlife zone. Tour-bus free Marina is an overlooked, hidden gem with an authentic San Francisco vibe...

PUBLISHED 04/28/17 - EAT YOUR WORLD
Ethereal tonkotsu, silky ramen. Tangy, crisp pickles. Sushi, sashimi, spicy sweet ginger and sake. Sweet, light, yummy mochi. Soak it all up with 36-hours in San Francisco’s Japantown.
Six square blocks embody Japanese food, history and culture. Traditional and modern ideals thrive side-by-side. Kimonos and coz play, silk paintings and anime, antique bowls and $-store plastic. Japanese language signs describing produce at the corner market. Noodle shops and hibachis, tea and sake. A pagoda made of cement. Lattes and matchas served at the same counter. Youngsters and elders walk together from school. Victorian mansions cozy-up to glass front cubes. It’s a neighborhood of contrasts...

PUBLISHED 03/31/17 - INDEPENDENT COAST OBSERVER
Sheep and horses made the move to Casari from their Valley Ford home in spring of 2016. A caravan of trucks and trailers moved sheep and the mill equipment to 532-acres spread between the Pacific and Mendocino County Forest.
Today Casari is home to four breeds of sheep. Navajo Churro are an endangered breed. Rare Horned Dorset and Shetland sheep are heritage breeds. Rambouillet are treasured for their wool...

PUBLISHED 04/01/17 - FORT BRAGG-MENDOCINO COAST PACKET
April opens Mendocino County Almost Fringe Festival. Theater, music, dance, art, craft, poetry, food, gardens, ranches, historic motorcycles, even giraffes are featured in events around the county.
What is a fringe festival? It started in 1947 in Edinburgh ...

PUBLISHED 03/20/17 - SHORT WEEKS, LONG WEEKENDS
Healdsburg Plaza is made for an easy-going escape. Arrive and no more driving is needed. Down to earth, friendly, eclectic, surrounded by world-class vineyards and organic farms, Healdsburg has it all. You’ll find unique lodging, recreation, entertainment, scrumptious food, local wine, tranquil spas and out-of-the-ordinary shopping. And best of all, you arrive at the plaza, park your car, and leave it till you head for home. At Healdsburg Plaza, everything is within walking distance, even a hot air balloon flight...

PUBLISHED 03/19/17 - MARYGO
Yesterday, I became a stringer. The Independent Coast Observer, published in Gualala California, asked me to replace a retiring reporter. I’ll be researching, writing and photographing feature stories. Wow, I feel like I’ve finally earned the journalist badge I wear.
April 2017 will mark 48-years this small-town weekly has served Mendonoma coast. (Mendonoma is a nickname for Mendocino and Sonoma Counties where they touch and the county line blurs a bit.) ICO is the only source of local news in the area, covering the coast from tiny Elk, to Jenner, about 70 miles...

PUBLISHED 03/13/17 - EPICURE & CULTURE
Turning east on Curly Road from CA Hwy 1, the gravel path passes rolling hills and pastures bordered by forest and wetlands. Flocks of sheep graze meadows and laze in the shade of Cypress trees. Horses roam in the distance...

PUBLISHED 03/07/17 - MILES GEEK
Climb into a canvas covered touring jeep and explore the Savanna-like pastures of B Bryan Preserve. Zebras, giraffe and antelope are abundant on the guided tour. You’ll stand eye-to-eye with Rothschild Giraffes in their specially built barn. From a loft, you’re on eye level with the tallest of all giraffes and the tallest land animal on earth. Their gentle grace is enchanting.
B Bryan Preserve is a 110-acre breeding and conservation preserve for African hoof stock. Founder, Dr. Frank Mello, and his wife, Judy, raise, breed, and study...

PUBLISHED 12/22/16 -
IMMERSION TRAVEL MAGAZINE
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head north. Ninety minutes later you’re in Mendocino County, America’s greenest wine region.
A tour of Mendocino County’s green and organic wineries is an unplug, unwind trip. The laid-back region operates on Mendo Time, a slower pace. The natural beauty is world renown. Climates range from Mediterranean coasts to hot interior valleys. Towns are small, people are welcoming, businesses are locally owned. There are more pickups than Porsches. Jeans, fleece and flannel never go out of style...

PUBLISHED 03/01/17 - WORD OF MOUTH MAGAZINE
Take a tour of the property with Ariana and you’ll learn about sheep and their life on the ranch. Hold on tight and be ready for a bumpy ride. The 4-wheel run-about crosses sheep-filled pastures, deep green ravines and wind-swept hilltops. Say hello to donkeys, horses and lamas, ravens, hawks and gulls. Take in an ocean view or watch fingers of fog reaching toward the headlands from the Pacific. Arianna will take you to a..

PUBLISHED 02/20/17 - BYWAYS MAGAZINE
In the days before roads and trucks could do the job, the Redwood Route was king. The 131-year old Skunk Train made it possible to move gigantic redwoods from remote mountain forest, to lumber mills in coastal and inland towns.
Today the train is classified as historic. Excursions vary from a 1-hour Pudding Creek Express, roundtrip from coastal Fort Bragg, to the magnificent 4.5-hour Northspur Flyer, roundtrip from inland Willits. The trains nickname, Skunk...

PUBLISHED 01/22/17 -
IMMERSION TRAVEL MAGAZINE
Over 100-miles of coastline form the west side of Mendocino County. Most is remote, skirted by CA Hwy 1 and inhabited only by Mother Nature. It’s said you come here for wildlife, waves, wilderness and wine and you return for the people. On the Mendocino coast, you’ll unplug, unwind and slow down. There’s lots to do at your own pace...

PUBLISHED 08/01/16 - FORT BRAGG-MENDOCINO COAST PACKET
Mendocino County leads the nation in organic vineyard acreage. We are often called America’s greenest wine region. 3,950 acres of vineyard are California Certified Organic Farmers. 690 acres of viticulture are...

PUBLISHED 03/09/17 - MaryGo
What could be worse than a cold or cough on that vacation you've waited all year for? Or the business trip that you couldn't cancel? My favorite treatment is mint inhalation for a cold or cough. At home, I get a large bowl of steamy water, add mint oil, cover my head with a towel, lean over the steam and inhale. On the road – not so easy.

You can make a mini steam and mint inhaler almost anywhere...