Art
Stephen McMillan makes aquatint etchings, many of them showcasing scenes from California and the Bay Area outdoors. They have a dreamy yet realistic quality thanks to his process working from photogrpahs. His site - itself a time capsule of the internet how it used to be - has a detailed inventory of his works and fascinating deep dives into the process which he has developed. Nancy Dodds Gallery in Carmel has a nice selection of his work available to view and purchase in person. The pieces range in size from small to quite large.
At home
Mungo is a South African company that makes beautiful home textiles with a purpose. I have several of their kitchen linens by way of Sarza in Rye, NY. I love the intricate and detailed geometric designs and they're the towels that I reach for first.
Food
RX Bars are hardly an underground find. The brand is about ten years old and through a series of acquisitions and spin-offs, is now owned by Mars (famous for M&Ms and many other candies). I have a personal preference for bars that don't include chocolate, which can be difficult to find. RX Bars fill that niche reliably.
Kiln (SoHo, London) is Thai inspired, but it's miles away from what you get at a typical Thai restaurant. I was already a fan of the food, but this crowded little restaurant won me over when they pulled out MF DOOM from the record collection.
Outdoors
Limekiln trail and the extensions off of it are my go-to weekend hikes in the Bay Area. Just a half mile or so down the road from the much more crowded St. Josephs Hill Preserve, the Limekiln trailhead gives access to a network of steep and challenging trails that are great for efficient training. The upper stretches are quite exposed and can be tough on a hot day, but there are pockets of shade. In the Spring, wildflowers and butterflies are ample distraction from the elevation gain.
Mt. Whitney sits at the South end of the Sierra Nevadas and is the tallest mountain in the lower 48. Some may be surprised to learn that the trail to it is well-built and requires no technical climbing. A short drive from the Eastern Sierra town of Lone Pine brings you to the trailhead. Starting early in the morning, I've done it twice as a long day hike. Some people choose to backpack and camp overnight, but I find the fast-and-light approach wonderful. It's my all time favorite day hike.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is a film festival for "mountain culture", with an emphasis on outdoor sports, storytelling, and communities. Their World Tour brings select films to other cities and makes an annual stop at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, hosted by Snowlands Network.