California Lovin

On Saturday, our travels took us to the Point Fermin Lighthouse near San Pedro. Lupe and I arrived just around sunset. The ocean breeze was just strong enough to require a jacket. We immediately headed over to the lighthouse to photograph it before darkness fell. The Lighthouse at Point Fermin made us feel as though we were in a seaside town along the Eastern Seaboard. Along the way, we encountered a racoon who decided that he wanted to keep us company. The sun began to set with a glorious, bright orange fire to it. You quickly realize why Point Fermin is considered by locals to be one of the most romantic locations to view a sunset. That's all for now. Our next stop will be a return to Nojoqui Falls Park in the Santa Ynez Valley. From Lupe and I to all the moms out there, a very special and heartfelt Happy Mother's Day!

My Partner in Crime

Hey ya'all! It has definitely been way too long between posts. There are some exciting new changes coming to Rob's Mystery Escapes. Effective today, Rob's Mystery Escapes will now be known as Rob and Lupe's Mystery Escapes. My girlfriend and partner in crime, Lupe, will be joining me on this wild ride. Lupe is a first grade teacher, and has a love for traveling and discovering new locations to escape to. I am very proud and excited to have her by my side. Our blog will now feature photographs depicting the heroic actions of the brave men and women in the fire service and EMS. I have been photographing the fire service for over 15 years. Some of the things I have seen while on the fireline can only be described as remarkable. With summer vacation season just around the corner, we hope to embark on some amazing road trips and experience some breath-taking views. One of our first visits was to the statue of Chick Hearn at Staples Center. Chickie was and will always be the epitomy of Laker's basketball to me. His unmatched style of broadcasting added a certain flavor to the game that has been often imitated, but NEVER duplicated. It is great to have Chick's likeness guarding the home of the team that was so defined by his presence. That is all for now. To all mothers out there, especially the greatest one of them all, my own mom, Happy Mother's Day!!!

Hump Day Hike

Wednesday morning, I took a drive down to Debs Park which lies in between Highland Park and Garvanza. What was originally going to be a quick photo shoot, turned into a rather fun hike. The hiking trail ascends up a hillside to a small pond, and then continues on to some amazing views of Highland Park and Downtown Los Angeles. In the nineteen years that I lived in Highland Park, I never took advantage of this hiking trail. Deb's Park is easy to get to. It parallels the 110 Fwy, and is located off Monterey Road in between Via Marisol and Huntington Drive. Before departing Los Angeles, I stopped over at a Highland Park favorite, Folliero's Pizza, for dinner. I have been eating at Folliero's for almost 30 years. Back when they were located across the street in a little hole in the wall, my brother and I used to always pick up a pizza before watching the Lakers. Folliero's has that old-fashioned pizza parlor atmosphere. The staff is very welcoming, many of them having worked there for several years. The salads are fresh and the pizza is flavorful. Also recommended is their famous meatball sandwich. All in all, today was an opportunity to wax nostalgic. The work week is almost over. Hopefully the weather will be as great as last weekend. Until then, I bid you all adieu!

Tasty Tuesday

On Tuesday, I decided to visit my parents down in Los Angeles. We headed down to the Plum Tree Inn in Chinatown for dinner. A longtime favorite of ours, Plum Tree Inn offers delicious Chinese cuisine and an upscale atmosphere. Most of the dishes I regularly eat are chicken dishes. Their Won Ton soup is a great starter. Our three entrees included Black Pepper Chicken, Cashew Chicken, and a spicy Kum Pau Chicken. The staff is always friendly and accomodating. Plum Tree Inn is a great stop before catching a Lakers game at Staples Center or a Dodger game at the Ravine. I capped my night off with a visit to the Griffith Observatory. Once seen a place just for stargazers, the Griffith Observatory attracts many types of visitors. I came across prayer groups, tourists, and couples wanting to take advantage of the romantic views overlooking the Downtown LA floor. The Griffith Observatory is an attraction that can be visited throughout the year for spectacular views both inside and outside the famed obsewrvatory dome.

I Felt the Earth Move

Hope your Easter was a great one! I spent my day down in my hometown of Highland Park with my family. Everything was normal until I decided to lounge on the couch. All of a sudden, the couch began to move side to side. When it lasted for more than two seconds, I realized we were in the midst of an earthquake. Being the techno geek I am, I immediately brought up my link to the USGS which indicated that there had been a 6.9 earthquake near Baja California. Of course, the quake was later upgraded to a magnitude 7.2. Tragically, the quake has claimed one life so far in Mexicali. There have been several moderate aftershocks, including a magnitude 5.1 near Imperial County. I cannot stress enough the importance of being prepared for a major earthquake in Southern California. Take the time with your family to stock up on supplies and put together a communication plan. Hopefully, the only thing we have to deal with the rest of the night is the rain. Have a great work week!

A Sideways Kinda Monday

Good evening folks! It has been a while between posts. My original plan for today was to go whale watching in Ventura. However, with the sun shining so bright, I decided to continue north on the 101 Fwy into Santa Barbara County. My first stop was lunch at the Beach Grill at Padaro in Carpinteria. This beach side grill is a great stop, first and foremost, for their outdoor seating with the sound of the waves crashing nearby. I tried their Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip sandwich with their seasoned fries. Served on a potato bun, it was quite flavorful and filling. Next on the road trip was Solvang. I never get tired of visiting this Dutch village. Nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley, along Highway 246, Solvang offers quite an array of shopping, dining, wine-tasting, and of course, Danish pastries. I then headed south on Alisal Rd to Nojoqui Falls Park. I believe I found a secret little paradise. The hiking trail to the falls is filled with tall trees, and the waterfall is breath-taking. It is the kind of place that you can escape from the chaos of everyday life. There always has to be a stop at a local fire department for me on a road trip. I visited Santa Barbara County Fire Station 30 in Solvang. They were kind enough to show me their new brush engine, Engine 330. No trip to the Santa Barbara back country would be complete without a stroll through the Santa Ynez wine country. While it is not as large as the Napa or Sonoma wine countries, Santa Ynez is unique all on it's own, as is seen in the movie, Sideways. My road trip was made complete with a brilliant sun set along Shorline Drive in Santa Barbara and a moonlight photo shoot along the shore near Stearn's Wharf. Hope ya'all have a great workweek!

I Love LA!

Good evening folks! Today was my day to spend at Laker Fan Jam. I was fortunate to hold an 11am ticket, as it became crowded shortly thereafter. There were many interactive games such as the 3-point shootout. I attempted a shot from half court, but it was as the late great Chick Hearn would say "In and out..heartbreak!!!". One of my favorite attractions was the Laker Girl photo area. They must have taken over 500 pictures with fans during the time that I was there. It was great to see AC Green and Norm Nixon. It brought back great memories of the Showtime era. After exiting the Laker Fan Jam area, I then headed down the Convention Center hall to Telemundo's Feria de Salud (Health Fair). The room was rockin with an aerobic dance class with a Latin flavor. Of course, there were some very attractive instructors to motivate the crowd. Also at the expo was Dr Ana Maria Polo from Telemundo's Caso Cerrado (Case Closed). She is Spanish Television's version of Judge Judy. I ended my day with a stop at The Oinkster in Eagle Rock. Hope ya'all have a great workweek!

It's Your Birthday!

Friday night was spent celebrating my old friend, Rey Dong's 50th birthday. The surprise birthday party was held at Steven's Steak House in the City of Commerce. During the first hour, there was karaoke on the main stage. Surprisingly, the majority of the volunteers were not half bad. No, yours truly did not participate. I am far more tolerable behind the turntables than behind the mike. Of course, there were many trips to the bar to check out the Los Angeles Lakers taking care of business against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dinner included steak and chicken marinated in a citrus sauce. It was great to catch up with former co-workers from LA County Fire. Most of the music played was either salsa or meringue. Many of us just sat in awe, watching some of the couples show off their salsa dancing skills. I want send a special shout out to those who took the time to plan the celebration and for inviting me to partake in the festivities. Enjoy your sunny Saturday! Tomorrow, it is off to the Lakers Fan Jam in Downtown LA!

Night at the Mission

While still in Carpinteria, I decided to make the trek up into Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Mission was my first stop. The temperature was a balmy 70 degrees. There is definitely a sense of beauty and mystery at this mission. At times, you could hear a pin drop which added to the serenity. My final destination was Stearns Wharf for dinner at Longboards. Longboards has been a longtime favorite of mine in Santa Barbara, mainly for their seafood and friendly staff. I enjoyed the fried shrimp, and most importantly, sitting in front of the bar, watching the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the the Golden State Warriors. That's all for now! Enjoy the warm weather, and take time out to prepare for any additional earthquake activity that may follow. Consider the 4.4 earthquake in Pico Rivera this morning a wake-up call.

Stopover in Carpinteria

On Monday, my travels took me to Carpinteria, which lies on the southern tip of Santa Barbara County. My first stop was at Carpinteria Fire Station 61. A special thanks to Captain Baker and the crew for their hospitality and the tour. I decided to have lunch at Danny's Deli. Oh wait, it is actually known as Danny's Deli, Bait, and Tackle, and Car Wash. Talk about being a jack of all trades. I tried their famous tri-tip sandwich which was absolutely delicious. The tri-tip was full of flavor, and the barbeque sauce was tangy. I would definitely recommend this place for a quick, tasty lunch. I then headed over to the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve located near Bailard Ave south of the 101 Fwy. Visiting during the week is probably the best time because it is less crowded, and the photo opportunities are more plentiful. The seals were lounging at the bottom of the bluffs as the sun was shining bright. My final stop in the Carpinteria Summerland area was Lookout Park. The sunset here was fantastic. Located off the Evans exit from the the 101 Fwy in Summerland, it is the perfect beach to lay out and watch the sun set.

Happy Sunday

Good Sunday morning everyone!!! Did you set your clocks forward? Having to work on the morning after the time change is no fun at all, especially after a little night of clubbing. I ended up at Luminaria's in the city of Monterey Park. They had a classic high energy party going on. Stepping inside was like going back in time, perhaps about 25 years ago. You could smell the Aquanet in the air. Many of the DJ's were from clubs that were popular in the Los Angeles area in the 1980's, clubs like Fantasia, Pepper's, Caddies, and Quiet Cannon. This was my third visit to one of these parties, and I have to say, I have been pleasantly surprised. The crowd was festive, and the music was bumping the entire time I was there. This was not your KBIG 104 style disco. You were dancing to classic high energy tracks from artists like Lime, Arpeggio, Sylvester, and Tapps to name a few. For me, this experience was definitely a treat because it gave me an opportunity to see what partying was like when my brother was DJing during the Disco era. So, for all my peeps out there that want to relive the high energy/freestyle days, check out: www.backtodisco.com. Enjoy your Sunday!!!

Happy Friday

Happy Friday ya'all!!! The sun is shining and, warmer days are ahead! Spent yesterday in Pasadena photographing new Engine 39 at the Rose Bowl. I ended the day with a stop at Clearman's Northwood's Inn in San Gabriel to stock up on their cheesebread spread. Northwood's Inn along with Clearman's Steak and Stein Inn in Pico Rivera are great restaurants to visit when you are craving a king-sized meal. The steaks and chicken are very tasty, and of course, the cheesebread is out of this world. Hope everyone has a great weekend, and GO LAKERS!!!