The Wonderful World of Santa Barbara - Sunset Over the Mesa

Relaxing on the Santa Barbara pier as the sun dips over the Mesa.

The Wonderful World of Santa Barbara

This picture summarizes Santa Barbara: beaches, palm trees, beautiful sunsets, and rolling hills. It's unlike any other place I've lived... and always makes me look forward to coming home after a long trip. 

Looking Up

Looking up in Los Angeles... these are some things you might see.

Shining Down

I liked the effect that the sun was having on this building... as you go higher up, it becomes brighter and brighter (until you get to the sky). 

Creepy Statue in Los Angeles

For some reason, this statue creeped me out. I didn't like the look on the guy's face... and it kind of looks like he's growing a third leg in the mid-section. 

The Urban Landscape

Looking up in downtown Los Angeles. I thought the shiny metal cylinders in the foreground were interesting. 

Light and Shadows

I enjoy walking around cities late in the afternoon or early in the morning. When the sun is at low angles, it creates unique lighting opportunities. You can play around with the shadows or reflections in the building's window (in this case, I did both). 

Escape Pods

I'm not sure why, but looking closely at this photo makes me a bit dizzy.
What you're looking at is the side of a hotel building in downtown Los Angeles. The windows remind me of mini-escape pods. I guess this is where you would want to be if the world was coming to an end. 

LA Sky

Looking up at the US Bank building with a crisp sky in the background. I will always remember this building as being one of the first to get blown up in the "Independence Day" movie (am I showing my age by remembering that?).

Los Angeles - "The City of Angels"

A few weekends ago, I met friends for some pre - New Year's Eve festivities in the City of Angels (Los Angeles). I went to school in LA, but never ventured too far east of the 405... tended to stay in the beach towns. Therefore, I'm not familiar with the downtown area (was warned to stay away).

However, on this specific weekend, we decided to see a show in downtown LA and stay overnight. Los Angeles is actually a pretty cool city (just be careful not too wander too close to skid row at night). There is good food, fun bars, nice museums, and the architecture in the city is very unique... it's a mixture of old, modern, and has some art deco thrown in.

The morning after the show I walked around the city in search of a Starbucks that didn't exist (wouldn't you think it would be easy to find a Starbucks in LA?!?)... and decided to take some photos along the way. I wish I had a bit more time to wander around this day. The sun was just starting to come up and was creating some cool shadows on the buildings. I will have to go back again soon. 

A Walk in the City

Here are the last few images I took while strolling around Chicago with my parents on a cold/windy December evening... didn't want to spend much time out of the car this evening, but still managed to take some photos.

Star Gazing at the Planetarium

When I was young, I went on many field trips to the Planetarium in Chicago. I remember enjoying the trips and being excited about them... but don't remember too much from inside the building. Therefore, I'm not quite sure if I was actually interested in the Planetarium... or if I liked just not being in school? 

Swimming With the Fishes

Looking towards the aquarium in Chicago. Apparently, it's one of the better aquariums in the world. However, I wouldn't know... I was never a big fan of aquariums (or zoos). Although, I went through a bit of a "zoo phase" when I was younger. Going inside places like that always seemed a bit depressing to me... especially if you've been around the same animals in the wild. Being a surfer, I see dolphins, seals, whales, and all sorts of sea life (hopefully not sharks) swimming freely in the ocean. It's difficult for me to imagine what their life is like locked up in a small pool or cage. Anyways, it still makes for a pretty picture at night! 

Chicago Panorama

I recommend clicking on the image to expand it. One thing that I think is really interesting about this photo is that you can see a striking contrast between the old and new buildings. The old buildings are out in front (along Michigan Avenue) and have a brownish/yellow tint to them... the new buildings tower in the background and have a greyish/black tint. The older buildings almost look like they are fortress walls protecting the city behind it.

It's really interesting to look back at old photos of the Chicago skyline and see how much it has changed over the years. 

An "Eery" Skyline

I like how this photo of the Chicago skyline came out... makes it feel dark and mysterious where I'm standing... while the safety and bright lights of the city shine in the background. The wind was blowing hard this night... and the moving branches created a "blurred" effect as I took the photo. 

Rivers and Cities

Some of the most stunning architecture in Chicago is located along the river (excluding the Trump Tower which I do not like). Marina City is probably my favorite. I recommend going for a walk along the Chicago River (or boat cruise) if you have some free time in the city.

Cutting Open a City

One of the things that amazes me about Chicago is all the different levels of the city. There is a whole underground section that you don't normally think of (out off sight, out of mind)... however, the locals utilize the underground areas to avoid traffic (Lower Wacker Drive is a modern architecture marvel in my opinion) and stay out of the elements.

In this particular photo (taken along the Chicago River), it looks as if someone has cut a line through the center of the city and opened it up. You can see 4 different levels. 

Chicago Dreaming

The city of Chicago has one of the best skylines in the world... and there is no better place to enjoy it than from the park in front of the Planetarium. When I was young, my parents used to take me and my brother for picnics here and we would watch planes fly overhead. The park is still there (as is the beautiful view of the city), but Meigs Field has been gone for a long time.

This photo is a self portrait of me enjoying the view (it was a bit chilly that night). 

The Holiday Blur

In my mind, the holidays always have a slow start... there's a lot of anticipation and planning involved (especially if you're hosting an event or traveling somewhere). However, once they get started, they go by rather quickly and can be a bit of a blur. These are a few photos representing that "Holiday Blur".

Miniature Christmas

Each year, my brother, father, and myself would purchase miniature North Pole figurines and buildings for my mom. My brother and I would be responsible for building the village... and each year it kept growing (to the point where we had to add an extra table). My mom still keeps the tradition alive, but to a much smaller extent.

Best Moments of 2012

2012 was definitely an interesting year for me. I had a lot of changes in my life (mostly good), met a lot of new/interesting people, surfed a lot of different waves, and experienced many unique cultures. These photos are a representation of the different moments that impacted me throughout the year.

Happy New Year!

January 2012

Ringing in the New Year with my parents in Huntington Beach, CA. Little did I know that later in the year I would be moving back to the West Coast.

February 2012

Morocco was an amazing place... great surf, beautiful scenery, delicious food, and friendly locals. This was also my frist experience in a Muslim country. It's a very beautiful culture with respectful traditions (also managed to sneak away to Marrakech for a day). 

March 2012

My last trip to Asia while working for New Balance (definitely miss all the people I worked with and learned from over the years)... I also finally managed to capture a photo of a family of 5 on a motorbike while in Vietnam! 

April 2012

My last spring season in Boston... spring and fall are definitely the best time of year to be in New England. It's awesome to see everything coming back to life in April. 

May 2012

Peru is a country of contrasts and extremes... giant mountains, lush jungles, barren desserts, and waves that can be measured in miles. This was definitely one of the best "surf trips" I've been on. 

June 2012

My last night in Boston. 

July 2012

Welcome to my new home in Santa Barbara!

August 2012

Fiji reminded me of many places, but was unlike anywhere I had ever been. It reminded me of Hawaii because of the plant life and polynesian culture. It reminded me of the Caribbean because of the crystal clear waters and beautiful coral reefs. It reminded me of the Maldives because of the tiny islands and because your main source of transportation was boats. It was also one of the only surf trips I've been on where I was hoping for the waves to get smaller (still have scars from hitting the reef during this trip). 

September 2012

A walk through the Golden Gate State Park. It's awesome to be a short drive from San Francisco and so many other cool places. Given Santa Barbara's location, it feels like every weekend is a mini vacation. 

October 2012

My first trip to Asia with UGG. I was lucky enough to go on a side trip to the Shaolin Temple while visiting. It was great hanging out with the new team and getting to know everyone a bit better. 

November 2012

"A Very Tropical Thanksgiving" (in the Dominican Republic). I successfully convince my parents to go on a little holiday to the Dominican... and we happened to stay right in front of the one of the best waves in the Caribbean!

December 2012

Christmas time with the family in Chicago. 

Stockings Hung On the Chimney With Care

Waking up on Christmas morning, the first thing I would do was run down the stairs and look at all presents that had been "delivered". It was definitely one of the most exciting times of the year. This was the first view I would get of the Christmas tree and fireplace in the background. My brother and I were allowed to open up any presents in our stockings... but had to wait until later in the day to see what was under the tree. It definitely helped build up the excitement. 

Oh Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree is the centerpiece of a house during the holidays. However, when I was young, it was my least favorite item to decorate (which is probably why I've never gotten one for my own apartment). We would spend hours putting the tree together, hanging lights, replacing broken lights, unwrapping ornaments, hanging ornaments (there were hundreds upon hundreds). My brother and I would actually go in shifts. Each year I tried to convince my mom to reduce the amount of ornaments... but each one had special meaning to her and brought back memories. Therefore, I was never successful.

These are a few photos I took of my parent's tree this holiday. Can you see the tree underneath the ornaments?