Congrats to the Winners!
FOOD / Judged by Brendan Spiegel
The Finalists:
Charlynv77’s Ritsu Roll, intitika’s Fresh oysters from Drakes Bay in Point Reyes, ulkam’s Peek-a-boo latte at Cafecito Organico
and The Winner is…
Ritsu Roll by Charlynv77 at Blowfish Sushi, located in SF and San Jose
Caption: Ritsu Roll is fantastic! #blowfishsushi #todiefor #foodie #delicious
“Good sushi is one of the most fun things to eat because when you pop a roll in your mouth, each flavor hits you one by one. This photo of Blowfish Sushi’s Ritsu Roll manages to capture that; I can taste the two types of tuna, the masago and the avo, plus the little bits of fried goodness around the sides. I’ve never been to Blowfish but the photo certainly makes me think this is just about as perfect a roll as you can get.” — Judge Brendan
SAN FRANCISCO / Judged by Dan Rosenbaum
The Finalists:
sufster921‘s Ferry at Tiburon, Wasel Choi’s Fujiko Nakaya’s Fog sculpture,Junbugkim’s Presidio
and The Winner is…
Presidio by Junbugkim.
Caption: “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” // John Milton
“A gorgeous photo that shows the scale of the trees and the beauty of the surroundings. It makes me want to explore the Presidio.” —Judge Dan
BOLDEST / Judged by The Bold Italic
The Finalists:
chasenmarshall’s mailboxes, seacheller‘s #adventures in #westoakland, Junebugkim’s de Young Museum
and The Winner is…
Mailboxes by chasenmarshall.
Caption: “Be nice to the mailman.” #bigsur #outthere #venturevibes #youvegotmail
“We picked this one because the water is so incredibly bright and unique. It immediately drew our eyes to this funky and interesting photo.” —TBI
ADVENTURE / Judged by Krista Rossow
The Finalists:
initika’s “Kayak camping under the stars in Tomales Bay,” pixatawny_phil’s Bishop, CA, tresn23’s Yosemite Falls
and The Winner is…
The Glorious Yosemite Falls by tresn23
“I love this photo because it captures the grandeur of Yosemite Falls. The photographer carefully included a couple to give a sense of scale to the image and used the trees to frame the falls and lead the viewer’s eye into the scene. A successful image makes me want to travel to a place and this one does just that.” —Judge Krista
DREAMIEST / Judged by Mary Polizzotti
The Finalists:
charlynv77’s Big Sur, Jesse Miller’s Dusk at Montara State Beach, Fiona Imami’s Sutro Baths sunset
“The Sutro Baths are so dreamy because, among the ruins, you can envision a time past, a time of grandeur, a time when it was the world’s largest indoor swimming complex. What I would do to be transported back to that time to swim in this grand bath house abutting the Pacific Ocean!” —Judge Mary on Imami’s Sutro Baths
“California redwoods are the stuff dreams are made of, they’re monstrous yet fragile, whimsical and beautiful. They belong in fairy tales, yet we are so privileged to have them in our own backyard. A hike through a grove of majestic redwoods is a dreamy, magical experience.” —Judge Mary on charlynv77’s Big Sur
and The Winner is…
Jesse Miller‘s Dusk at Montara State Beach
“Montara is such an amazing beach of golden sand and turquoise water (no grey sand here so typical of NorCal beaches). It’s a rare day that the skies are crystal clear and the air is warm, but when it happens, you feel transported to another world, that’s what makes this spot so dreamy. This photo embodies all the dreamy qualities of Montara, the golden sand, the cliffs dotted with bright colored flowers, the turquoise waves, the rainbow sunset, the wisp of mist, this is definitely one of the dreamiest spots on earth.” —Judge Mary
INSPIRING / Judge Chip Conley
Finalists:
elizaluv‘s butterflies, getfitwithla‘s Headlands, emilychuiee‘s Half Moon Bay
“These trails are like an old friend…just minutes away from the city.” —Judge Chip on getfitwithla’s Marin Headlands
“My hotelier heart just loves a room with a view.” —Judge Chip on emilychuiee’s Half Moon Bay
and The Winner is…
elizaluv‘s butterflies
Caption: #luckiestgirlalive to be able to witness this! Butterfly migration Big Sur, mid-October.
“Eliza has beautifully captured the Monarch’s collective effervescence in Big Sur. The festival of butterflies is a take-your-breath–away inspiring experience, and I’m equally inspired by the photographer’s expression of gratitude for being in this moment.” —Judge Chip
To see the best photo entries, visit oM’s Pinterest boards.
Grand Prizes
Best Food Photo
Cocktails and Dinner for Two at the Chef’s Table at Haven Restaurant | $200
Located in Oakland’s Jack London Square, Haven is the third restaurant from the Daniel Patterson Group. Haven’s menu features craveable, technique-driven food including whole animal and vegetable preparations, shareable plates, sweets and hand-crafted cocktails. The winner will receive a secret cocktail recipe to take home.
Adventure Photo
Create your perfect San Francisco look on nau.com. | $500
Nau blends the tailored and the technical to craft modern, eco outdoor apparel. Nau challenges assumptions to design beyond trends to create style that will live long after the season is over. No logos. No fleeting hues. Just simple, clean, well-crafted silhouettes built to perform in the elements, but still look sleek in the city.
Inspiring Photo
The Bolton Street Camera Backpack by ONA | $359
This water-resistant backpack is designed to protect your gear while making it available in an instant with two convenient side-access pockets. The main interior is fully customizable and can carry a camera and up to five lenses. A back pocket protects up to a 13-inch laptop, with pockets for things like a smartphone and lens cap. A front pocket can be used for small everyday essentials.
SF Bay Area Photo
Save Me, San Francisco Package for Two at Hotel Diva | $225
Enjoy overnight accommodations, a bottle of “Save Me, San Francisco” Pinot Noir released by the band Train, two Limited Edition “Save me, San Francisco” Ghirardelli Chocolate bars, and late check out. This Personality Hotel in Union Square features four artist-designed diva lounges, free wi-fi, 24-hour fitness room, a tea lounge, and Sake hour in the lobby 5pm-7pm daily.
Boldest Photo
4 VIP tickets to David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition at de Young museum | $130
Celebrated British artist David Hockney returns to California with an exhibition assembled exclusively for the de Young. Renowned for his use of traditional materials as well as evolving technologies, Hockney has created new art in an array of media, from watercolor on paper to iPad drawings, and oil on canvas to digital movies. Prize includes exhibition catalogue.
Dreamiest Photo
Two-night Retreat to the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz | $450
The iconic 50-year-old Dream Inn offers views of Monterey Bay from every room and is located on Cowell’s beach, adjacent to the wharf and historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Enjoy a two-night getaway plus a $50 food & beverage credit, to be used at on-site restaurant Aquarius or for in-room dining. For ideas on things to do, read oM’s story on a romantic escape to Santa Cruz.
Weekly Prizes
Best Week 1 Photo Winner: @burgerwayne‘s Mt. Tam
Finalists: @klauz74‘s Mendocino coast & @darlingbird‘s Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve
The Prize: A Box of 100 CLIF Mini Bars | $160
The great taste and nutritional goodness of the original CLIF Bar packed into a mini-sized bar, for life’s smaller adventures. Keep them in backpacks, bike bags, desk drawers and pockets. Savor a variety of flavors: Crunchy Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Brownie, White Chocolate Macadamia, Maple Nut, more.
Best Week 2 Photo Winner:
@christyyrosee‘s Berkeley Hike
Finalists: @cruzerz_mom‘s Mendocino Bluffs and Pierce Larick‘s Great Golden Gate at Dusk
The Prize: Two VIP tickets to The Art of Buglari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond at the de Young | $123
The Art of Bulgari presents approximately 150 showstopping pieces from 1950–1990, along with sketches and other materials from the Bulgari archives. The exhibition takes a decade-by-decade look at Bulgari’s innovations in jewelry design and includes several striking pieces from the Elizabeth Taylor collection.
Best Week 3 Photo Winner:
@pixatawny_phil‘s Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery
Finalists: @ulkam‘s quiet path on Sunset Boulevard and @tresn23‘s Port Costa hike with labrador
The Prize: An Off the Beaten Path Adventure for Two with Urban Hiker SF | $90
Visiting San Francisco and want to get the most out of your time here? Or maybe you’ve been living here a while but just want to get away from the daily grind of bumping Timbuk2 messenger bags with other passengers on a crowded BART train. Either way, there’s more to this city than you think.
Best Week 4 Photo Winner:
@myfangalicious‘s Fireside at Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
Finalists: lindartulett‘s Asilomar sunset and @ptizaphenix‘s Thoughtful Mendocino
The Prize: A wine country getaway for two with Tower Tours | $158
Enjoy touring three of TT’s favorite wineries in Sonoma and Yountville to observe firsthand the techniques used in the wine making process. Savor the body and refinement of barrel-aged wines sampled at each estate. Tastings and bus transportation included.
Partners
Celebrity Judges
 | JUDGE OF THE MOST INSPIRING PHOTO Chip Conley | Founder, Joie de Vivre Hospitality & Fest300, Airbnb Head of Global Hospitality Chip Conley turned a seedy inner city motel into the second largest boutique hotel brand in the world. The New York Times bestselling author of Emotional Equations and Peak is a passionate and seasoned world traveler. His experiences at some of the world’s most transformational festivals inspired him to launch Fest300 based on his belief that, “The more virtual we get, the more ritual we need.” He is now also sharing his brand of hospitality with Airbnb hosts in nearly 200 countries. Explore the world with Chip on his travel blog and find out more at chipconley.com. |
 | JUDGE OF THE BEST WEEKLY PHOTOS Lauren Matison | offMetro Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief Lauren runs offMetro’s New York, San Francisco, and Way Off websites. A New York native with Southern California roots, Lauren also contributes to The Huffington Post and Bicycling Magazine, and was named a top 10 female blogger by Cosmopolitan. Lauren writes the “Car-Free Traveler” column at Budget Travel, and in her spare time, works with the non-profit organization Transportation Alternatives. Lauren can be found on two wheels wherever she goes. |
 | JUDGE OF THE DREAMIEST PHOTO Mary Polizzotti | Online Managing Editor at 7×7 Magazine Mary runs the website for 7×7. Mary is also the digital director at California Home+Design. A Boston native, Mary traveled to 41 countries in between stints at the East Bay Express, Denver Westword, Lonely Planet, NileGuide.com, 10Best.com and a non-profit gig in Uganda. You can find her in the Lower Haight when she is not wrangling freelancers. |
 | JUDGE OF THE BEST BAY AREA PHOTO Dan Rosenbaum | Community Manager for San Francisco Tourism Board Born in New York City, raised in Los Angeles, and living in San Francisco. Dan currently works at San Francisco Travel running their social media channels. When Dan’s not working, he’s hosting people for his underground dinner series (#dinnerwithdan), traveling the world and always exploring San Francisco. |
 | JUDGE OF THE MOST ADVENTUROUS PHOTO Krista Rossow | National Geographic Photographer Currently living in Cape Town, Krista Rossow is a travel photographer, photo editor, and educator from Eugene, Oregon. A photographer for @NatGeoCreative, Krista is a former photo editor for National Geographic Traveler magazine and a yogini who fell in love with San Francisco in 2012 during a shoot for @NatGeoTravel. |
 | JUDGE OF THE BEST WEEKLY PHOTOS Suzanne Russo | offMetro SF Managing Editor Born and raised in the Bay Area, Suzanne’s a bi-coastal gal who splits her time between SF and NY. She has contributed to EuroCheapo.com, Brides Magazine, CBS Watch! Magazine, MarieClaire.com, National Geographic, and other publications, and she runs the New York (San Francisco-originated) literary pub crawl, Lit Crawl NYC. |
 | JUDGE OF THE BEST FOOD PHOTO Brendan Spiegel | Travel Writer Brendan Spiegel is a writer for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, The Village Voice and offMetro.com. He is the managing editor of Narratively, an online publication dedicated to in-depth storytelling about New York. He is also the publisher of Endless Simmer, an independent food website that draws 300,000+ monthly readers. He got his start as a political reporter and editor at Congressional Quarterly. |
 | JUDGE OF THE BOLDEST PHOTO The Bold Italic The Bold Italic is an online magazine, shop, and events hub in San Francisco. It’s a chorus of voices that celebrates the free-wheeling spirit of the city, supports local businesses, and incites conversation. The Bold Italic inspires readers to live life out in the city. |
Contacts
Media Inquiries | Suzanne Russo | suzanne@offmetro.com
Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries | Lauren Matison | lauren@offmetro.com
