The Professional Californian

05/26/2014

Happy Memorial Day America! A HUGE thank you to all our men and women who have kept us safe throughout the years. Today is your day!

These four distinguished gents are WWII Vets, and docents at the Palm Springs Air Museum. They each have stories about the planes in the museum, having flown many of them in the war, and their personalities and passion for the history make this museum a "must see" when visiting Palm Springs, CA.

04/23/2014

Shout out to the Long Beach Airport for the massive upgrades! Looking good!

04/02/2014

There are so many beautiful places to watch the sun set in California. I took this in San Diego, while sitting on a boat with a light breeze blowing in off the water. Doesn't get much better than that. Haven't been there? Start planning now at Visit San Diego. There's a reason we call it "America's Finest City."

01/22/2014

Bodega Bay, California, is a beautiful place to watch the sun dip below the horizon. Located on the coastal (western) edge of Sonoma County - an easy drive from San Francisco - this quaint little town is the perfect place to get away from city life. Whether you're whale watching, tide pooling, or just indulging in the fresh seafood, you'll find a number of activities to help you wind down here.

I spent a long weekend with our entire family here over the summer, and we had a great time. We rented a beautiful home with golf course and ocean views, and spent most of our days either sipping wine on the deck, or exploring the beach. The seafood is spectacular, and of course, the salt water taffy in a million different flavors is a must!

One word of advice though, if you are the type of person that likes to cuddle up and watch movies on vacation, bring them with you! You'll find no Redbox or rental stores here. Or better yet, turn of the TV and just enjoy the sunset.

Mother nature always puts on a good show!

www.bodegabay.com

12/06/2013

This is a lonf overdue post, but I grabbed a few shots of a great performance by CRSB at the Aloha Festival at the end of the Summer. These guys do great island style music, which is kind of a blend of Hawaiian, reggae and R&B. Look for them around CA and HI.

11/19/2013

I wanted to share a few shots of Fall in Sacramento, the capital city of California. It really is one of the most beautiful places to watch the changing of the seasons, and it should be, as it known as "The City of Trees". The best time to see the colors change is usually October through November. There are also plenty of Fall festivals and Halloween celebrations to attend while you're here. The weather is pretty mild, so a light jacket as a layer will usually be all you need.

For more info on travel to Sacramento, be sure to visit the Sacramento CVB's website:

http://discovergold.org/

11/16/2013

Another "Only in California" moment, brought to you by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the fine people of San Francisco.

11/16/2013

http://www.sfgate.com/file/632/632-SFChronicle_Batkid_Edition.pdf

11/16/2013

Another reason to be a proud Californian. The City by the Bay making magic happen for a very special kid.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/ #/0

San Francisco Chronicle - breaking news and exclusive coverage of the Bay Area

10/06/2013

Shot this at the 11th Annual Firefighters Memorial this morning here in Sacramento. The event was held to honor 22 firefighters who lost their lives in service to the people of California. Their names will be inscribed on the memorial, along with the more than 1,250 names already listed.

This beautiful, yet solemn memorial included a large procession of uniformed firefighters, bagpipes and drum corps, speeches (including Gov. Jerry Brown, and a traditional "Last Alarm" bell ringing ceremony.

It was a fitting tribute to the lost, as well as a great reminder of what these men and women do for us on a regular basis.

Thank you, California firefighters!

10/01/2013

Happy 123rd birthday to Yosemite National Park! By far, one of my favorite places on the planet, today marks 123 years that Yosemite has operated as a national park. Unfortunately, due to our governments inability to function correctly, the park is closed today. It doesn't matter though. Yosemite is still worthy of celebrating every day of the year. If you haven't been lately, or have never been at all, put this on your "to do" list. You won't regret it.

https://www.facebook.com/YosemiteNPS?fref=ts

The official page of Yosemite National Park.

09/22/2013

The incredible disappearing bridge! Love this shot I nabbed of the Golden Gate on a mixed foggy/sunny day in San Francisco. Where else do you get THAT combo?