Concord, California, September 2007

Lest you all start to think that my entire photographic life has occurred in just the early part of 2009, confined to Los Angeles and Orange Counties, I decided to post up some earlier visits to other parts of the country.

These shots were taken in Lime Ridge Open Space, a little City Park in Concord, California. Concord is part of the East Bay region, aptly named for being East of the San Francisco Bay.

An area known for its rolling, yellow-grass covered hills, Concord and the surrounding communities have a unique and tranquil beauty thats not found in any other region. This yellow grass actually does turn green for a few months once the rains start to fall in the Winter, but during the summer, this golden hue is what you see all around you.

A fitting location for all of the multi-million dollar mansions of nearby Alamo and Danville, it's just as comfy a setting for the more modest dwellings and inhabitants in Concord.

Truly a gorgeous location.

Redondo Beach, February 2009

After breaking away from Newport one evening and discovering the beauty of Hermosa Beach, I figured that there must be more beautiful places to explore along that western shore just south of LAX.

So I took another drive out there a couple of nights later and went poking around Redondo Beach. It's hard to believe that such a ruggedly beautiful coastline can exist just outside of such a huge and thriving metropolis. Redondo Beach is a virtually untouched paradise just a twenty minute drive from Venice Beach and it's noisy parade of humanity.

I highly recommend that everyone take an evening stroll there at some point in their life.

Hermosa Beach, California, February 2009

It was nearing sunset, and I had a rare moment where Newport Beach had grown boring. I needed some new scenery, so I headed west, watching the sun dip further and further in the sky, timing it so I could be closer to the seashore as it finally kissed the horizon. As luck would have it, I ended up in Hermosa Beach. Hermosa is spanish for "Beautiful."

Aptly named.

Newport Beach, January-February 2009

This past winter was a long one for most of the United States. Frigid temperatures, gusty winds that cut right through you... it was brutal. And it never seemed to want to end, dragging well past the end date for most winters, well into normal spring and even summer months, still dropping snow and blowing frigid winds, making life slushy and wet and miserable.

But not in Newport Beach, California. I had the good fortune to be working on an assignment nearby all winter, and once work let out every afternoon, I drove straight down to the water and walked along these peaceful, breezy shores, sometimes for up to three hours, past sundown. The Temperature never dropped much below 60, even at night, and the weather was damn near perfect.

It was a wonderful and therapeutic winter.

For me, anyway.

Pepperdine University, January 2009

On a pleasant day in early January of 2009, I took a drive out to Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Located on a beautiful grassy hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, these Eucalyptus trees are elegantly beautiful and starkly lonesome on the outer rim of the University grounds. I snapped a few shots, and the beauty of it all took my mind off the fact that the wind hyper-extended my driver's side door and cost me $1100 to fix.

Weekend at the Beaches, January 2009

Well, while the rest of the nation suffers through a record-breaking artic blast, we here in Southern California are enjoying a mild 80-degree week, with a little aggravation brought on by the Santa Ana winds, but nothing we can't handle. Of course, what good is it to sit on the beaches in the heat while everyone else is fighting off hypothermia, if you don't post up pictures of it to aggravate them further? So for all of my friends up north, enjoy! And know that I thought of you while I sat on the sand. (Pictures were taken in Oceanside and Malibu, California, on January 10th and 11th, 2009.)

Big Sur!

If any of you are ever looking for a cheap, easy vacation option that provides you with some of the most breathtaking beauty you could ever conceptualize, then I'd highly recommend taking a drive down the Big Sur region of the California coast. Running roughly from Carmel-By-The-Sea to the north, to about Santa Barbara or so on its south end, this is a drive that you could do all in one day (as we did) or that you could just as easily, and enjoyably, cut up into 2 or 3 days worth of Jimmy Buffet-esque coastal wandering.

Whether you like mountains, or beaches, or mountains rudely pushing beaches out of the way... whether you're into Redwoods, Sea Lions, or delicate flowers that smell like licorice... whether you like vigorous hikes through the woods, or relaxing naps on the beach... whether you're into fine dining on seaside baloconies, or choking down some grub at greasy-spoon cafes... whether camping's your bag, or covorting with the high-lifers at a $2000-a-night coastal resort... Big Sur offers it all. You can pick and choose as you please, and set your budget as best suits your bank account, and however you decide to go about it, you will thoroughly enjoy yourself.

Bring along someone you enjoy being with. That'll make it even better.