The Last Sunset of 2011, Palm Springs

When I glanced toward the San Jacinto Mountains I realized I was watching the last sunset of 2011. I'm reminded of the question, "What's the best camera?" The usual response is "The one you have with you." In this case, I'm happy I had a phone with a camera.

Between Storms

The combination of setting sun and dark background clouds gave the city an other-wordly look.

Late Fall in Sonoma County

Came across this scene while wine tasting at the Stuhlmuller winery in Sonoma's beautiful Alexander Valley.  Oak barrels are temporarily outside to dry after workers finished cleaning them.  

Arizona Biltmore

For a recent trip to Phoenix I thought the Arizona Biltmore would provide a pleasant place to stay, primarily for its good architecture and striking natural setting.  

Although the hotel bears a strong resemblance to the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, it's not one of his buildings.  The architect was Albert McArthur, who worked at one time as a draftsman for Wright.  

The original portion of the hotel opened in 1929, with many consecutive additions over the years.  I stayed in the newest addition, the Ocatilla building.  There were a few kinks with the room, but overall the Biltmore served as a comfortable refuge for the few days I was in Phoenix.                

Arizona

Every now and then I'll visit a place that manages to mesh exactly with how I envisioned it looking.  This saguaro cactus was on a hill just beyond the edge of a Phoenix parking lot.

Giant Dipper

I watched the cars zip up and down the tracks, trying to determine whether my reaction to riding would tend more toward thrilled or terrorized.  As fun as it looked, I couldn't quite make the decision to ride San Diego's Giant Dipper Roller Coaster.          

Waning Days of Summer

The view from the San Diego beach house provided a vantage point to watch the ever-changing groups of people playing volleyball, from sunrise to sunset.    

Palm Springs Modernism

The cluster of houses at Park Imperial South in Palm Springs serves as a living museum of 1960s modern architecture, with signature visual elements such as the zigzag folds of the roofs and the patterned block walls. The owners have been meticulous about maintaining the original design of the few dozen houses that make up the neighborhood. I'm curious to see what lies behind these largely opaque walls.

Palm Spring's Mesa Gatehouse

At the entrance to Palm Spring's Mesa neighborhood there's a small masonry structure that looks like it's out of the Wild West. I've heard two stories about it, one that's factual and the other that might be embellished with a bit of romantic embroidery.

The gatehouse was built in the 1920s-1930s as an initial flourish for a housing development situated at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. This timeframe is also when Prohibition was in force in the US. I've been told by a resident that the gatehouse served as a lookout for a speakeasy located up the street. I'm not sure whether this tale would pass the fact checking department of a newspaper, but I thought it was too charming of a tale not to pass along.

Sunflower Power

The wedding hosts were thoughtful to arrange for a single sunflower to brighten an otherwise generic hotel room in Hopland, California.

Red, White, and Blueberry

Quite by accident I managed to gather together three of my favorite summer berries during separate trips to the farmers market and the grocery store. I had my first real taste of summer when I discovered the proliferation of fruit in the refrigerator and was able to throw together an assortment of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Happy Fourth of July.

Frozen Assets: Hand Cut Ice

I've heard passing mention of hand cut ice but figured it was simply the stuff of mythology. I finally encountered a gorgeous rectangular block of it in a pre-dinner drink at Bar Agricole. There may be practical benefits with manually chiseled ice, but as far as I'm concerned it's all about the clink and dazzle.

Summer Fog

A warm and sunny weekend in the Wine Country rapidly became a memory as we drove through Marin toward the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge.

Russian River Wine Tasting

The tasting room at the Gary Farrell winery, in western Sonoma County, provides the vantage point for a sweeping look across the Russian River Valley.

Russian River Morning

Rental kayaks ready for an excursion on the Russian River.