The Vineyards of Santa Ynez

Right after I moved to Santa Barbara, I went on an afternoon trip over the San Marcos Pass... and to the Santa Ynez Valley. I knew a little bit about the vineyards in the area, but had not ventured out there for several years. At the time, I had a rental car, no map, and my phone had just died. Therefore, I thought I would wander around and see what I could find. During that trip, I stumbled upon three vineyards that are still amongst my favorites in the region: Bridlewood, Brander, and Beckmen (just realized that they all begin with the letter 'B').

Bridlewood: Delicious Syrah wines and beautiful grounds. The property was once home to an Arabian horse farm and an equestrian rehabilitation center. The design of the winery pays homage to California's historic missions, with a Spanish-style bell tower, breezy verandas and a fountain surrounded by a stone courtyard.

Brander: Probably best known for their Sauvignon Blanc, they also have some fantastic reds. My favorites are the Cabernet Reserve, Bouchet (blend), and F-Red (Cabernet Franc). The tasting room is a bit cozier that the vineyards in the area, but the great wine and friendly service keeps me coming back.

Beckmen: Specializes in estate-grown Rhone Varietals. This vineyard is tucked away from the main road (not quite sure how I found it)... and the grapes are grown on a 365 acre ranch called Purisima Mountain Vineyard. It is an incredibly beautiful landscape.

Floating Above the Metropolis

One of my favorite things to do when in Hong Kong is to go to the top of tall buildings and look down. A lot of the buildings have rooftop terraces where you can enjoy a drink while floating on top of the city. During my last trip, I packed my high powered zoom lens and focused in on a few interesting scenes. It's nice that many of the rooftops are open air with no glass walls... provides a much clearer view (just have to be careful after having a few drinks).

Sepia Dreams in Hong Kong

During my last trip to Asia (in May 2014), I spent 2 days and 1 night in Hong Kong. I was staying at the Sheraton Hotel in Kowloon and was lucky enough to get a harbor view room. I arrived in Hong Kong a bit later than planned on a Saturday (don't recommend driving across the border from China to Hong Kong on a holiday weekend... ridiculous traffic!!)... and did not get a chance to enjoy the room that day (wanted to get out and do some shopping/eating!). When I finally did get back to my room on Saturday evening, I was too tired to even close the shades and passed out. The next morning I awoke to the sunrise. I had been out late the previous evening and was planning to sleep in... so I got out of my bed to close the shades. However, when I got to the window, I could see that the lighting on the city was spectacular. The sun had just peaked above the horizon and it was hitting the buildings at a nice angle. Therefore, I decided to take a few photos from my room before going back to sleep. As I look closer at these photos, I can't help but be amazed at the apartments and townhouses situated on Victoria Peak (the mountain behind Hong Kong City). If you're lucky enough to have 50+ million dollars lying around, you can put your name in the queue to try purchasing one.

The Glow of the Metropolis

Looking down on the metropolis of Hong Kong as it glows in the night sky. 

The Metropolis - II

In my previous post, I showed some images of Hong Kong from the rooftops. The images in this post were taken over the same couple of days... but from a different perspective (at sea level). All of the shots were taken while on the Star Ferry or while waiting to board the Star Ferry. Looking back at these images, I'm still shocked to see how crisp/clean the air is. There will be days when you can barely see across the harbour.

The Metropolis - I

During a trip to Asia last year, I had a layover in Hong Kong... and was lucky enough to be there on one of the clearest days of the year! Therefore, I made my way to some of my favorite rooftop bars and took some photos. I don't think I will ever get sick of looking at these views.

Man Mo Temple - Sheung Wan

I was looking through some of my old photo albums and noticed these photos I took while traveling in Hong Kong. I was wandering around the streets in Central and stumbled across a temple on Hollywood Rd - Man Mo Temple. My primary reason for going inside was to escape the dreadful heat. However, once inside, I found a very inviting and peaceful environment. Pausing for a moment under the giant hanging incense coils was a pleasant contrast from the hectic pace of the surrounding area.

An Afternoon in the Clouds

During my last trip to Chicago, my mom and I went for an urban hike in downtown (during the start of the polar vortex). I was proud of myself for making it a few blocks before I started complaining. We found ourself at the top of the John Hancock Tower. The sun had already gotten quite low in the sky... it created some cool shadows and provided a high contrast for these photos. I forgot what a nice view it was from up there. Although, I'm still not a fan of the Trump Tower (thought about photoshopping the building out). Enjoy!

The Colonial City of Granada

Granada is a city in western Nicaragua. It has a rich history and is perhaps the most important city, politically and economically. Granada is located on the edge of Lake Nicaragua, which has some scary freshwater sharks (didn't see any people swimming in the lake).

When I first visited Nicaragua several years ago, I wasn't that impressed with Granada. It didn't seem to have much life to it... and when I came back a second time, I wasn't planning to visit the city. However, my body needed to rest from the non-stop surfing (and my mom wanted to visit a market to buy some toursity stuff)... so we decided to make a stop. I was very impressed! The city has come back to life. Apparently, it is in the midst of a "real estate boom". There were a lot of new cafes, art galleries, restaurants, and beautiful hotels. It reminded a bit of the transformation that Todos Santos, Mexico went through over the last several years. What I liked most about Granada is that even with all the renovations, they managed  to preserve the colonial architecture.

These were a few photos I took while strolling around in the afternoon sun (I didn't make it too far before needing a cold Toña).