Point Cabrillo Light Station

It was an overcast morning at the coast, setting up the mood of leaving and wanting to come back some time in the future. Hopefully not too long.

Driving Across Alexander Valley

Monday morning, after another delicious breakfast at Glendaven Inn, I was on my way back home. The drive through Alexander Valley is rather enjoyable, sunny, breezy.

Learned some techniques about using f stops this morning. Guess this picture would show the focus and the depth of the field.

Stopped at Roederer Estate for the beautiful vineyard, the gorgeous view from the tasting room and the tasty bubbly.

Beautiful terrens.

Ranches at Alexander Valley

Driving through Alexander Valley and passing through numourous wineries.

The Architecture at Mendocino

Mendocino County was one of California's original 27 counties, created in 1850 by the State Legislature.

The Mendocino Presbyterian Church is one of the famous landmark in town.

The Masonic Hall is one of Mendocino's oldest buildings, and the sculpture atop it is one of the town's most recognizable landmarks. Below is a picture of the roof top. Not sure what the scuplture means. But, when I did not look at it closely enough, I thought the guy behind was beheading the woman!!!

Water towers like this one are a characteristic part of Mendocino, and you'll see them scattered all over town.

This last building is one of the many bed-and-breakfast in Mendocino.

This one seems to have some history too.

Not sure about this one either. But,at least it looks old and gives you the weight of history.

Mendocino Botanical Garden

Mendocino botanical garden is under-rated, I thought at the moment I walked into the gate.

Just like anyother botanical gardens that you may imagine, it's cute and lovely.

A perfect place for macro photo-shooting.

Knock your own socks off! Till you would not want to even touch a macro lense for a month. :)

Till you see that even a bug can look so beautiful. Then, you want to pick up the camera and keep shooting.

Mendocino Coast Line

I miss my dad. It has been a full year, since he left mom and me. While I believe he is happily in heaven doing his oil-paintings, I wish he were here with my on this trip to Mendocino.

Dad had always encouraged me to see the world in my own eyes. Probably that's why I don't mind taking on a road trip on my own, just like what I always did even in college.

I told mom over the phone that how much I appreciate dad's influence on my life. Immediately, mom gets jealous. "Hmm...you don't give me any credit?" Funny, I often do need to deal with parents that compete with each other for the credits of raising a daughter.

There are awekward moments though. Very rare, you may find a single woman travling in Mendocino. This seems to be a place for families, for couples,even for gay lovers, just not for a single woman. I wish I were a single guy who could travel to some random places, legitimately sitting in a pub, drinking beer and looking for sex. All those behaviors are more acceptable to a single guy. It's not that I want to be as irrespoinsible as those single guys. I don't. I don't have that desire at all. However, sometimes, it's a bit awkward when some old fat married woman would look at me with a sense of pitiness, and her eyes would say, "Oh, so sorry that you are alone....".

Oh, well, this is not a perfect world that's completely designed and intented by God.

Be a Real Photographer?

At the casual wine gathering with the inn keepers, I was asked whether I am doing photographing for my living. Not to be too carried away by my own big coconut head, I am aware that the only possible reason I would be remotely considered as a photographer is my look equiped with a huge camara and a sleek carbon-fiber tri-pod. Not because of my picitures. Not even slightly.

The answer is "I am afraid not." It's not that I could not get better at photographing. I know I can if enough money and efforts would be invested into this. But, the real issue is that I don't think I am tough enough to be a real trooper. This point has become more and more obvious to me during my trip to Mendocino. I complained (of course to God and myself) the whole way through.

Being a real photographer, one needs to suffer through many ordeals. Just imagine this. Getting up at some ungodly hours for a sun-rise? Waiting endlessly for the right lighting from a sunset? Feeling hungry and cold out at a bluff for that perfect view? Tirlessly setting up the camera and the tri-pod for hundreds of times? No,the answer is no, no, no....

Oh, BTW, the inn keepers at Glendevan Inn are the absolute local celebreties at Mendocino, of course, along with their 6 lovely Llamas. Llamas is the type of a strange animal with a look of sheep except bigger, camel's hair, goat's legs and rabit's heart and courage.

The Kelley House Museum at Mendocino

The Kelley House Museum is an historic house museum in the heart of Mendocino. The home was built in 1861 by William Kelly (sp), one of Mendocino’s founding fathers, and now contains 19th Century furniture.

The elegant door nob.

An old style timer used in the kitchen. The Kelley Old House still kepted everything orginal. So nothing in the house is powered by the electricity. I personally found the old-time kitchen toys facinating.

Guess this is how they baked cookies long time ago. In at 12, and out at 3.

Old style waffle maker.

Heavy-duty cast iron.

The Breath-taking Ocean View From Mendocino

Life can be an elegantly bound book that may have many chapters that we don't understand or wish to skip. However, becides all the down-wards turns and confusions, the book does have many highlights along the way.

The roadtrip to Mendocino is definitely going to be one of the highlights in 2010.

The first time I heard of this place is from Steve, the architect I used to work with, who not only taught and quized me on many things about B2B catalog management but also mentioned a couple of back-road destinations. One of them is Mendocino.

So here we go. I am now Sitting in a lovely bed-and-breakfast, watching the fire glowing in the fireplace and feeling the warmth, sipping the rose tea imported from China and editing my pictures.

Life is good, isn't it?!

A very nice and scenary drive-in across the hills of northern part of San Francisco and the redwoods. Many wineries to stop. Even a little cafe in a very random city apprantly in-the-middle-of-no-where, offers tasty gourmet thin-crust pizza with organic ingredients!

I know the composition of this picture is slightly problemetic, missing something in the front. I have a few neurotic friends. I know one of them would position a big rock or a sheep, or something alike to make the composion work.