Monday, January 22, 2007

Santa Monica Pier Photos 2007

Here's a couple of new photos. Taken at the Santa Monica Pier during sunset and dusk.




Sunset from Underneath the Santa Monica Pier





Twilight at Santa Monica Pier's Pacific Park

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

San Francisco




Arriving in downtown San Francisco, you'll notice one thing.... it looks like New York, it feels like New York. It's a crowded, compact city. People are everywhere, businesses are everywhere, homes are everywhere. Cars, cable cars, trolleys, rail cars, muni cars all are tangled together in traffic down Market Street. It's busy, everyone has somewhere to go. Just remember one thing, Three Rights make a left. :) This is a shot from high atop TWIN PEAKS part of San Francisco. It's amazing how little effort it took to reach this altitude. Well, thanks to Market Street turning into Portola and providing a gradual incline to the top. If you blink, you'll miss how high you've traveled. It's a gorgeous view of the city and bay. It's sorta like what the Griffith Observatory is to us Angelino's.



In the background, you can see a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge. This was taken high atop Twin Peaks in San Francisco.




Another photo from Twin Peaks. In the background you can see Alcatraz, better known as THE ROCK.

Silicon Valley Part 2: Cupertino & Santa Clara



Part of this trip was to stop here and say hello. Don't know where 1 Infinite Loop is? or what it's about? LOOK CLOSER!




Apple Computers Headquarters in Cupertino, CA. It's a HUGE campus. This is where the best Unix Programmers, Engineers and OS creators do what they do best: Apple Software and hardware. It's such a beautiful place to live. Multimillion dollar homes and beautiful greenery.




Part of this geek trip also included a last minute trip to INTEL headquarters in Santa Clara. This is their logo and Intel was inside :)





Yes! The Intel museum. It's an interesting museum showcasing the birth of computer transistors and of course how Intel came to be along with nicely setup kiosks and chip samples, etc.

Silicon Valley: San Jose


Day 2: Downtown San Jose

Downtown San Jose is quite interesting. In just a few blocks (more than a few actually), the nightlife is active and happening. Although we spent the day driving around the "happening" parts of San Jose, explored Santana Road and made a stop at the Tech Museum.



Just behind our hotel is the GIGANTIC EBay headquarters. It's a huge complex, at least two HUGE buildings with MORE buildings in other parts of town. But in comparison...it's NOWHERE near as big as the HP Pavillion headquarters. I mean, we're talking like 2-3 fwy exits of space!



At the Tech Museum, Robotic arms can spell your name in baby block letter toys. Fascinating.



You can also bring your PCR/DNA/Genetics skills and put them to the test right here in their very own wet lab! Interesting!

Monday, January 8, 2007

Downtown San Jose & Tech Museum

Yesterday we caught up with Erica and Bella and explored Downtown San Jose. The happening place around here is Santana Road. It's sorta like a hybrid of Rodeo Drive (in Beverly Hills) and 3rd Street Promenade (in Santa Monica). Plenty of places to eat and plenty of bars. We also explored the Tech Museum, which is quite action packed. This museum just had technology in every direction you looked. If you are ever interested in understanding how thermal imaging works or 3-D body imaging or MRI or how PCR works or perhaps Internet technology, this is a place to check out. It's interactive too! Exhibits you visit will log your info and you can pull up your photos or results later from a their website. All via RFID technology.

Today: Off to San Francisco via the scenic route.... stops at the Intel Museum, 1 Infinite Loop (Apple Headquarters super secret Employee Store), more driving, and various stops in San Francisco.

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Original Joe's

Last night, had a late dinner at Original Joe's in downtown San Jose. Food is excellent (although a little pricey). It's located in Downtown San Jose, right in the heart of the nightlife of the city. The waiters are dressed in formal black tie attire and attend to you in a very formal way. But the place is anything but formal. It's sorta a mixture of a lounge bar mixed with sports bar setting, mixed with a fine dining type place. Overall food was impressively good. Atmosphere was good. People were nice. Highly recommended Italian eatery if you're ever on the way to San Francisco or if you find yourself staying a night or two in San Jose.

next up: explore more of San Jose today (in the daylight!)

Saturday, January 6, 2007

On the Road to S.F.


Ahhh..... Home of the Split Pea Soup!



Soon Grapes will Grow.



The Madonna Inn. Apparently it's a nice place!



A Quick Mission Shot.



Welcome to Paso Robles :)

Road Trip to San Francisco

I haven't left yet..... I will in less than 7 hours....

will update later today :)


wish me luck!