Los Angeles - November 2015

Yours Truly at the Santa Monica Pier

Like most people from Northern California, I have been through Los Angeles many times. It is a convenient stop on my way to Disneyland or Arizona, but I never really took the time to stay a while and really experience the area. Us NorCal people have a typical view of SoCal people, but spending a week in Los Angeles has really opened my eyes up to the other side of the state I call home.

View from my Rental Apartment

I purposely designed this trip to be unique. First, I would rent an apartment in Downtown Los Angeles, or DTLA for short. Second, I would use public transportation for most of my exploration. Finally, I would hit all those special places people usually miss when rushing through the area. Wait, did I really explore Los Angeles without driving? Yes. Los Angeles has quietly developed an extensive network of rail and bus networks that really do allow you to explore the region without being stuck in their notorious traffic jams. Staying downtown allowed me to use the rail and subway extensively.

Preserved Skeletons at La Brea Tar Pits

Contrary to the popular song, it actually does rain in Southern California. My first day had rain and clouds, so it was a great opportunity to head to some of the great museums. Opening early on a Monday was the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum. This simple museum houses many of the preserved remains of animals that were excavated from the naturally occurring tar pits in the region. Los Angeles was blessed with major oil resources including tar oozing to the surface long used by natives and settlers before being refined into modern fuels.

Exterior of Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is located right next to the tar pits on Wilshire Boulevard - future home of the Purple Line Subway - and is one of the best art museums I have ever visited. This massive complex houses extensive collections of art from all periods and styles. They have special exhibits including a popular rain room and architecture exhibit. After a long day exploring the museum, the clouds finally parted and began one of the most beautiful weather weeks I have experienced.

Space Shuttle Endeavor

Another day, another museum. This time I took light rail to Exposition Park, home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, California Science Center, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. I did not have time to enter the historic coliseum, but you can walk around the massive exterior. The California Science Center was a great stop with lots of interactive space and science exhibits, but the real draw is the permanent home of the Space Shuttle Endeavor. They built a hangar for the impressive shuttle and plan to have a permanent installation in the near future.

Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a classic museum with displays of stuffed animals and dinosaur fossils straight out of the movies. I was impressed with the quantity and quality of the exhibits, especially the gem and mineral section with a lot of real gold nuggets and gemstones on display. One of the dioramas recreated one of my favorite landscapes near Flagstaff, Arizona, so they get an extra gold star for that!

Tommy the Trojan at USC

Right across the street from Exposition Park is the University of Southern California. This private university is a football favorite and rival to the University of California at Los Angeles. As expected, the campus is very beautiful and packed with young college students ready and eager to tackle the major problems in life, or at least make a lot of money. After a quick sushi dinner and a ride back downtown, it was time for a little hockey.

Exterior of Staples Center

It so happened that the week I spent in Los Angeles was also the week that my Arizona Coyotes were playing hockey in Southern California. Coming off a win against the Anaheim Ducks, the Desert Dogs were ready to take a bite out of the Los Angeles Kings. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to wear my Coyotes sweater, but there were a few visiting fans in attendance anyway. The amazing and upscale Staples Center is home to the Los Angeles Kings, Clippers, and Lakers and often has to switch between teams within 24 hours. Even the displays in the team store are on rotating columns to make the switch easier. My Coyotes ended up winning the game 3-2. Go Yotes!

Griffith Observatory Exterior

Just north of DTLA lies the extensive Griffith Park. I visited the park including the otherwise ordinary Los Angeles Zoo and the impressive Griffith Observatory. This iconic building has been used in movies and television and provides am excellent view of Los Angeles and the entire region. I arrived just before sunset and was treated to a special view of the sun setting over the Pacific, bathing the area in a warm golden glow before leaving the sky. Back inside, the observatory has a large amount of exhibits related to the sun, moon, and other celestial objects. After dark, you can linger outside to see the bright lights of the big city sparkle as another day comes to a close.

Panoramic View of Santa Monica Pier

You made it all this way without heading to beach. So did I, waiting until the end of my vacation to finally greet the Pacific Ocean. On the warmest day of the week, I ventured to the queen of the beaches - Santa Monica - to explore and enjoy the beauty. Santa Monica is very rich and very beautiful. Driving there is a challenge, but the new Expo Line light rail will take people from DTLA right to the end of the old Route 66 at the pier. Despite the beauty and wealth, I prefer Venice Beach for a more real experience, but Santa Monica is still quite impressive and worthy of its status.

Apple Fritter from Randy's Donuts

Part of the fun of exploring Los Angeles is the food. On my trip, I visited several wonderful places to eat including Randy's Donuts, Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, Zankou Chicken, Langer's Deli, Bottega Louis, and Farmers Market. Randy's simply makes the best classic donuts around. Roscoe's chicken and waffles are legendary. Zankou makes amazing Middle Eastern food and may be the inspiration for the famous Palestinian Chicken episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Langer's Deli is famous for their awesome pastrami and other deli specialities served in a classic setting. Bottega Louis is rocking DTLA with French pastries and other goodies. It was good that I was walking over 7 miles per day just to burn off those delicious calories!

Queen Mary in Long Beach

One of the last stops on my vacation was Long Beach. This town is known mainly for the massive port which handles a tremendous amount of cargo and is well known in my industry for being a major source of pollution in the area. After dodging the recently cleaned trucks at the port, I found my way to the Queen Mary. While impressive on the outside, I passed on the steep admission fee and opted for some pictures instead. Afterwards, I crossed the channel to the Aquarium of the Pacific for much better experience. This aquarium is large and extensive with a lot of fun exhibits and interactive experience and served as a perfect end to a beach day.

Downtown Los Angeles Skyline

I had a simply amazing time in Los Angeles. Using public transportation saved me time, money, and my sanity. Los Angeles in my opinion is no longer the evil step child of California, but rather the cool brother having fun and making the whole state better. I cannot wait until High Speed Rail is complete in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics and connects the entire state to the beauty of Southern California. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Long Beach Harbor

Hot Pastrami on Rye at Langer's Deli

Real Subway System in Los Angeles

Mastodon Skeleton at La Brea Tar Pits

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Automobile Interactive Art Exhibit

DTLA Traffic in front of my Apartment

Grand Macaron from Bottega Louie

View of DTLA from my Apartment

Unique Sculpture in DTLA

Light Rail to Exposition Park and Santa Monica

Figueroa Cheese Steak with Nacho Cheese Sauce

California Science Center Exterior

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Exterior

How You Die in Space

Transfer Order for Space Shuttle Endeavour

Galena and Calcite at Natural History Museum

Real Gold Nuggets at Natural History Museum

Unique Bike Sign at USC

Main Campus of USC

Fountains at USC

Fried Chicken and Waffles at Roscoe's

Chicken Tarna at Zankou with Hummus and Tahini

Asian Elephant Exhibit at Los Angeles Zoo

Iconic Santa Monica Pier Sign

End of US Route 66

Santa Monica Beach

Sunbathers at Santa Monica Beach

Jellyfish at Aquarium of the Pacific

Exterior of Aquarium of the Pacific

Central Coast of California - November 2015

Exterior of Mission Santa Barbara

There is a world between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Central Coast of California is often overlooked by visitors and natives alike. Prior to the construction of Interstate 5 and development of air travel, US Highway 101 was the primary connection between Northern and Southern California hugging the coast connecting Gilroy, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara. Today, the highway still serves as a true California treasure worthy of exploration.

Chapel Interior of Mission Santa Barbara

Long before settlers found gold in California, Spanish missionaries set up shop on the California coast with a string of missions. The El Camino Real connected these missions along the "King's Road" with modern Highway 101 following most of the original route. You can still see bells along the route to commemorate the storied history of the California Mission system. One of the best missions is in Santa Barbara which provided the name for the modern beach community. This mission is a true beauty in classic style with well preserved exhibits and architecture - along with a somewhat rosy history of Junipero Serra.

Winery Exterior at Justin Winery

On my trip, I left Interstate 5 after stopping at the iconic Kettleman Hills In-N-Out Burger for lunch heading for Paso Robles. This part of California has some impressive wineries, and this was a perfect opportunity to explore them. I stopped at a few wineries including JUSTIN Winery and Laetitia Winery which were excellent. JUSTIN was at the end of a long and winding road with wonderful French-style blends, and Laetitia blew me away with amazing Pinot Noir and sparking wines. This region is often overlooked, but the unique geography and climate make for some impressive wines. Just ask the guys from the movie Sideways.

Santa Maria Tri Tip Sandwich

Santa Maria is an inland city along the coast that is famous for their tri tip. Their seasoning and cooking technique rely heavily on the Mexican influences in the region. The above sandwich was from Rancho Nipomo BBQ and is one of the best with lots of meat on fresh baked bread and sauce. This was also a nice place to stay overnight and prepare for another day of travel.

Fresh Aebleskiver with Raspberry Jam

I have Danish heritage, so I was immediately drawn to the unique town of Solvang. This town has turned into a model Danish and European showcase with half-timber houses and Danish pastries and food. Aebleskiver are a family tradition, roughly described as a fried pancake ball. I have a pan and can make them, but it is far easier to order some fresh from the professionals. Solvang was also a good stop for some Danish Butter Cookies to take for the rest of my Southern California adventure. Overall, the town is very touristy and is only good for a few hours and pastries, but it would make a great base for exploring the region. Alas, it was time to finish digesting the fried sugar and cross the mountains into Santa Barbara.

Mission Santa Barbara

Beyond the mission, Santa Barbara does not have much else to offer except being a fun and upscale beach town. This is a great place to spend a lazy weekend or venture out for wine tasting, but the city lacks a lot of real draws. Nevertheless, it remains a popular vacation destination and wealthy address for those living in Southern California. After a quick chicken stop, it was time to continue down the 101 to Los Angeles and points beyond. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Landscape near Paso Robles

Solvang Light Pole

Downtown Solvang

Various Storefronts in Solvang

Copenhagen Drive in Solvang

Mission Santa Barbara Breezeway

Central Garden and Fountain at Mission Santa Barbara

Cactus Display at Mission Santa Barbara

Laetitia Winery Exterior

San Jose: Past, Present & Earthquakes - October 2015

Allenwood Drive in San Jose, AZ

Everyone was born somewhere. I was born in a little town called San Jose, California. You may have heard of them by now with the whole Silicon Valley thing, but the area used to be more famous for orchards instead of Internet millionaires. San Jose and Silicon Valley are the core of the modern Bay Area with lots of computer industry which has greatly transformed the area.

Mineral Springs in Alum Rock Park

On my recent trip, I was able to arrive early enough for a hike through Alum Rock Park - a large park nestled in a valley on the east side of San Jose. I lived near this park for the first seven years of my life, and my mother was a park ranger his as well. This park was also where I was baptized. Besides holding a special part of my childhood, the park itself is gorgeous with a lot of history and near wilderness near one of the biggest cities in the United States. Hiking here was a treat, even with the strong sulfur smell from the mineral springs!

Cambodian Beef Kabobs

My old neighborhood has seen a wave of new immigrants and different communities since we left nearly 30 years ago. San Jose has always been a cultural melting pot with large communities of Latino, Asian, and Eastern Europeans coming for a better life and more opportunity. Old school burger joints are now all night Pho restaurants, but the neighborhood still brings back memories of the shopping malls, churches, and other fragments of my childhood memory.

Apple Corporate Headquarters

After reliving some memories, it was off to experience the current state of San Jose. Most of the big tech companies - Apple, Google, Facebook - are not located in San Jose, but rather in the western suburbs of Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino. My first stop was the Apple Headquarters which is located on the former site of one of my father's early Silicon Valley employers. Growing up in San Jose with a parent in the computer industry put me front and center in its development and explosive growth. We always had an Apple computer at home and at school, and I still write this blog on an iMac. Due to all us fans, Apple has set up a special Apple Store at the facility, and their attractive campus is always a fun stop for tourists.

Are you a Mac or a PC?

The Computer History Museum in Mountain View has become one of the best museums in the world displaying and showcasing the advance of computing technology in the world. I toured this museum on a free museum day, saving my admission for a tasty espresso in the lobby. The museum has a tremendous amount of historical archives and equipment, from early mechanical computers, through the punch card and tape days, all the way to present video games and Internet. If you are a tech person, this is the hall of fame.

Game Day at Avaya Stadium

The San Jose Earthquakes have been playing soccer since 1974, and are one of the teams in Major League Soccer. This is their first year in the new Avaya Stadium, so I decided to see at least one of their games in the inaugural season. I like watching our local Sacramento Republic FC, and the hope is that Sacramento will eventually land a MLS team with a new stadium. Hopefully, Sacramento will have a stadium like Avaya. Even on a chilly and windy night, the design of the stadium was modern and clean with great views and an eclectic mix of food trucks and pre-game activities. Our stadium should be much closer to rail though, since parking and getting out was more challenging than settling for a 1-1 tie for the game.

Hiking Trail in Alum Rock Park

San Jose is not the most interesting place in the universe. While it has its history and culture, many other California cities have a more storied past and present. As the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose settles for the industrial hub and major suburban destination more similar to Houston or Phoenix. Still, it is my hometown, so I will always have a special connection to San Jose and the whole Silicon Valley experience. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below:

Fall Colors at Alum Rock Park

Picnic Pavillon at Alum Rock Park

Path to Mineral Springs at Alum Rock Park

Hiking Trail through Alum Rock Park

History of External Storage Media at Computer History Museum

Nintendo Shrine at Computer History Museum

Interactive Pong Display at Computer History Museum

Dot Com Bubble Memorabilia at Computer History Museum

Children Playing Soccer before San Jose Earthquakes Game

Main Mezzanine at Avaya Stadium

Game Action with San Jose Earthquakes v. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Fans cause an Earthquake after a Wondo Goal