My Trip to the San Francisco/Alameda area

After living in California for 4 years, I FINALLY got to go to the San Francisco area at the end of July. We took the Coast highway up there. What a beautiful drive!

Here are some pictures from my trip.


Scott and I north of Big Sur on the drive up.



I spotted these old pilings sticking out of the water during low tide as I was taking a stroll around Coast Guard Island my first day there.



Later that afternoon on my first day, we went to Fisherman's Wharf for dinner. We put the top down on the convertible so I could take pictures as we drove across the Bay Bridge into San Francisco. Took this picture of Scott as he was driving.



After dinner, we went to the Golden Gate Bridge. We walked out to the first set of towers. It was a freaky walk out there! When would stop to either take a photo or look over the side, with all the traffic going across, the bridge vibrated! *LOL* Here's Scott on the bridge.



Later in the week, we made a trip to Napa Valley. We got stuck in traffic and didn't make in time to do any wine tasting. I was quite disappointed, but I did manage to get a couple of shots.

This is the tower at Robert Mondavi Winery. It's the same one that is on the bottles of Robert Mondavi wine bottles


And this windmill is right across the street from Robert Mondavi Winery.

San Pedro High School Class of 2009

On the afternoon of Thursday, 18 June 2009, San Pedro High School had their 152nd Commencement ceremony. It was a joyous occasion for my husband and myself. Our youngest graduated! We are very proud of our daughter!

Congratulations to the Class of 2009! YOU MADE IT!!!!

Cloud Formations

Yesterday afternoon there were some amazing cloud formations over the South Bay area. I first started taking pictures as I was leaving the Coast Guard base. Then my husband came home, he changed out of his uniform and we grabbed our camera bags and headed out to take more pictures.

I took this photo from Friendship Park.

Los Angeles Zoo

A few pictures from my visit to the L.A. Zoo last week!

Tiger



Giraffe and Baby



Gerenuk


Gorilla


Zebra


Meerkat

Angel's Gate Lighthouse

This evening I went thru some files of photo's that I had taken last summer(2008). I came across this one of Angel's Gate Lighthouse (built in 1913, it sits at the entrance of the Port of Los Angeles) and decided I'd play around with it. When I first edited the original last summer, it is way too blue! Again, inspired by the photos I've seen of San Pedro from the early 1900's, I just had to convert this picture!


Here is the photo after I did the editing last summer. TOO BLUE!!





After the re-edit tonight. I prefer this one!

Playing with Overlays

I took this photo a few days ago while walking around downtown San Pedro. I was inspired to convert the picture to black and white and to do this overlay to give it an aged effect when I saw old photos of San Pedro from its "hayday" as a bustling port.

Fiery Sunset

Taken on the evening of 6 May 2009. The warm colors are courtesy of the smoke and ash in the air from the wildfires burning in Santa Barbara, California.