{A special Northern California edition of SoCal Vignettes : the drive to and from Big Basin Redwoods State Park}

The images below are driving down the other side of the mountain a few hours later …

Elephant seals visit the coast

Another slice of Southern California living ….
The Humane Society chapter where my cousin works in San Luis Obispo …
{I wish we could have a cat}

From our trip along Route 66 to Las Vegas.

(I have so many pics like this. Chasing Hazel is one of Andrew’s favorite things about living here)

It is becoming springtime in Southern California ….
… I had no idea how much I missed this!
I haven’t experienced a SoCal spring season since 2002 … 7 years? The couple days of a Phoenix spring season don’t even compare.
Perfect weather. Cool enough that I still need a sweater. Warm enough that I don’t need anything heavier.
Spring makes me want to drive out on the 101 in the afternoons. All the way to agora hills or thousand oaks. With my window down.
Spring makes me want to go buy flowy, colorful dresses. …

these are all downtown somewhere .. I forget. By the Walt Disney concert hall and Staples Center.
I love the city. I love the way some streets are so dark because the tall buildings block out direct sun. I love all the brick and concrete. I love it.

All photos taken from a moving vehicle.

Waaaaay back, Oct 5th, we happened to go to Seal Beach on the day of a kite festival. It was pretty neat. I didn’t get a ton of photos cause we were hanging out w/ family … but still fun.

images all taken within a couple blocks of home…
all pretty much straight out of the camera…

Next-door neighbors.

We think they’re going to rumble in their shared suburban driveway.

Future personal photo project: On the way to Bishop are several small towns. Small small. Sometime, we’re going to take a trip up to Bishop and stop at all the small towns so I can take pics of the motel signs. There are a lot more than you would expect in a town that size (although, it is near Mammoth and Mt. Whitney). Plus the vast majority are very vintage. Very 1950s or ‘60s. and I LOVE them.
I guess this is the only movie theater in town, and they only …

Monday we made a special trip to Malibu to see the Wave of Flags on Pepperdine’s front lawn.I first heard about this 9/11 memorial here, on Sunday afternoon. One of the many reasons I love keeping up with blogs.
I don’t know why I hadn’t heard about this anywhere else. The only news article I could find on it was this little tiny LA Times blog.
Sounds like it was only up for a week (which means it is probably gone by now), and intended to honor the 3000 dead on …

The other day, at Leo Carrillo beach, at Malibu, we saw scuba divers.
In full regalia.
Walking down the beach.
fantastic.
God bless California.

I love people watching.
Especially with my camera …
Really? His wife must not have seen him leave the house in those socks.

Ugg boots? In August? with that dress? I don’t understand fashion.

spot the pink purse:

And the giant in a kilt you (may) have been waiting for …