Born and raised in Boston, Rachel Levin hightailed-it out to San Francisco after college with California dreams — and a suitcase filled with tank-tops, fleece, and flip-flops. Which she would, rather unprofessionally she realizes now, wear to work: at Backroads, an adventure travel company where, c'mon!, guys wore Spandex bike shorts; at San Francisco magazine where her Manhattan-hip co-workers would make fun of her; and later at Sunset magazine, where they soon outlawed such attire. She recently gave up a bad commute (and her great job as a senior travel editor) for the more flexible world of freelancing. (And flip-flops, if she so chooses). You can read more of her stuff in San Francisco magazine, Sunset, and The New York Times.