Spider, man

This is the horror that awaited me last week when I climbed into my GMC. Thing is, living in the country means every animal thinks they have squatters rights to everything. Every. Thing.

ACTION ITEM: Check first.

Weary

One of our vacation destinations this past week was Death Valley. We stopped at Father Crowley Overlook to drink in the view. A nearby Park Service ranger told us the Navy practiced flying jets through the narrow canyon, bordering the Overlook, called Rainbow Canyon. We waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing. This young feller next to us grew as tired of waiting as we did.

ACTION ITEM: One more minute, I promise

Pretzel Logic

I know my family agreed to limit gift-giving this year (instead we spent holidays on an adventure tour of the California deserts), but this was under the tree tagged with my name – the bag of pretzels the in-laws got on the plane from Phoenix.

ACTION ITEM: Mmmmmm. Nom nom crunch crunch

Just Brew It

Joined friends for beer and burgers at Moonraker Brewing Company this weekend in Auburn, CA.

Foodtruck catering was provided by The Dive (a small family restaurant just down the road from us). We’re pretty amazed at the number and variety of breweries here in town, plus they all seem equally buzzing with hipsters, kidsters, and friendly pupsters. Reminds me of pubs in the UK.

ACTION ITEM: Tip your brewmaster

My Bob Ross Moment

 

Captured this image of the North Yuba River while on my way to a site survey near Downieville, CA. Not inventive or unique, but pretty nevertheless.

ACTION ITEM: Enjoy

Empty Plane

Had another one of those weird flights (London Heathrow to SFO) where the plane is almost empty. Love getting a row to myself, but it’s a little bit creepy, too.

ACTION ITEM: Spread out

Coffee Pot Museum

I spent the last month on virtually non-stop US and international travel – the rest of this week are a few items from that trip.

Outside the location in which I was working (the Washington Hotel) is the little-known but wide-awake American Coffee Pot Museum (warning – autoplay)

ACTION ITEM: Cream, two sugars

Farm to Bar to Rehab to Farm…

A favorite client took Lisa and me to a trendy Santa Barbara bar where they create “farm-to-bar” cocktails where you really don’t know what you’re going to get until the produce wagon rolls up (you do get to specify your poison). Like having salad followed by a hangover 😉

 

Wall O’ Sodas

Passing through Martinez, CA. last Tuesday on my way to a shoot, stopped in to grab a bite at Luigi’s Deli and Market (recommended, BTW). I found this wall o’ sodas to be as dazzling as it was tanta-tanta-tantalizing.

ACTION ITEM: Grab a soda

Officially Tired of Summer

Every year, right about this time, I am officially and thoroughly done with summer. I do not like heat, sun, sweat, or sand – yeah, I’m a real delight at the beach 😉

ACTION ITEM: I work hard – really hard – throughout the summer to see the brighter side of my least-favorite season. Such as cool mornings, outside on the deck, with a cup of coffee.