I grew up in the rural green belt of London, England where I fell in love with literature and literary history. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Kent in Canterbury, and namely an exchange year abroad at UCLA, that love for literature transitioned into a passion for journalism and California sunshine. I moved to Los Angeles in 2007 to pursue an MA degree in journalism at USC and continue a freelance career in multimedia storytelling. And I have never looked back.
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My experience includes local, national and international reporting for news outlets such as the LA Weekly, Southern California Public Radio and the New Zealand Herald Tribune. My fascination with hyper-local journalism spawned a thesis about the future of the industry (titled, Can Grassroots Journalism Help Underserved Communities?) and, in 2008, led me to help found a hyper-local website covering South Los Angeles. I was managing editor until early 2011, when Patch became my next adventure.
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Now I live in Concord with my husband, reading, writing, exploring the Bay Area and continuing to drink my tea with milk.
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Beliefs:
1. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. - Plato.
2. Never discuss religion or politics at the dinner table.
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Politics: I am a registered Democrat with an open mind to all opinions and factual arguments. I believe that the mind should be a thoroughfare for all thoughts and not a select party.
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Religion: Non-denominational Christian, with an almost pantheistic love for the outdoors and a strong appreciation for being still (Psalm 46:10.)
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Local Hot-Button Issues: Social justice issues that affect quality of life or access to opportunities, including education, immigration, health care and social welfare.
Caped crusaders have been flying onto the big screen in droves since the 1980s. Now, there are more superhero movies being made than ever before. The question is — why?
Caped crusaders have been flying onto the big screen in droves since the 1980s. Now, there are more superhero movies being made than ever before. The question is — why?
Caped crusaders have been flying onto the big screen in droves since the 1980s. Now, there are more superhero movies being made than ever before. The question is — why?
Caped crusaders have been flying onto the big screen in droves since the 1980s. Now, there are more superhero movies being made than ever before. The question is — why?
Caped crusaders have been flying onto the big screen in droves since the 1980s. Now, there are more superhero movies being made than ever before. The question is — why?
Caped crusaders have been flying onto the big screen in droves since the 1980s. Now, there are more superhero movies being made than ever before. The question is — why?
Economist Nouriel Roubini, renowned for his doom-and-gloom predictions as well as accuracy, says that economic recovery in America is a "pie in the sky" notion. What do you think?
A total of 235 children have been reunited with their families thanks to the Amber Alert system.
An invasive weed called Spartina can strangle other plants and cause flooding. The city will host a public meeting about weed removal at the shoreline on Aug. 2.
On Monday's agenda: a new classroom for St. Joseph Elementary and parceling up a vacant lot on Versailles Avenue. An item on the Draft Bicycle Design Guidelines has been moved to the Aug. 27 meeting.
West Wind Solano has upped security following the movie theater shootings in Aurora, Colo. Movie-goers arriving to watch movies like The Dark Knight Rises will have to pop their trunks for a search.
West Wind Solano has upped security following the movie theater shootings in Aurora, Colo. Movie-goers arriving to watch movies like The Dark Knight Rises will have to pop their trunks for a search. Will more movie theaters follow?
West Wind Solano has upped security following the theater shootings in Aurora, Colo. Movie-goers arriving to watch movies like 'The Dark Knight Rises' will have to pop their trunks for a search.
Here are a couple of videos from a recent show at Fridays on the Main, when a crowd toe-tapped to Jim Caroompas and a few even ventured to start a dance party.
The Islamic community will celebrate the end of Ramadan with the festival of Eid, which falls on Aug. 19 this year. The Islamic Center of Contra Costa is based here in Concord.
The Main Street deli has pulled out the stops, and the tablecloths, for a by-night transformation into a wine-and-nibbles bar.
Bask in the glow of the full moon on Mt. Wanda by taking a stroll with the rangers at the John Muir National Historic Site on Aug. 1.
From the slides and rides of Waterworld in Concord to local parks and neighborhood oases, find out where you can make a splash this summer.
Another Saturday of mobile meals comes to the South Shore Center, with cupcakes, falafels and more at Alameda's Off the Grid.
From the slides and rides of Waterworld in Concord to local parks and neighborhood oases, find out where you can make a splash this summer.