Getty Center (4)

The Getty Center has a striking central garden designed by Robert Irwin. Although the conflicts between Irwin and Meier were notorious, the result is fabulous. (The garden has a profusion of beautifully colorful flowers, but since I chose to photograph in black and white, I've emphasized the trees.)

Getty Center (3)

Sculpture on exhibit in the Getty Center.

Getty Center (2)

More views of the museum buildings in the Getty Center complex designed by Richard Meier, one of the foremost exponents of the abstract modern style of architecture.

Getty Center (1)

The Getty Center in Los Angeles is probably the most spectacular architecturally of the LA museums that we visited. Designed by Richard Meier, constructed of white and textured marble, and perched on top of a hill with a great view of the surrounding city, it is one of the most striking museum complexes in the world. The art has a hard time measuring up.

Los Angeles Art Museums

In February I participated in a Road Scholar program on art museums in Los Angeles. The museums were the Getty Center, the Los Angeles Museum of Art (LACMA), the Norton Simon Museum, and the Huntington. I'll be posting photos from these museums for the next several weeks. Today, the exterior and reception area of the LA Hotel Downtown where we stayed.

Pearl Greens

The rainy spring has given us bright green plants in the little sidewalk-side gardens in Portland's Pearl District.

Portland's Farmers Market

About six weeks ago. I felt like getting a "street photography" look in black and white, rather than emphasizing the brightly colored produce. It was a nice day, the market was crowded, and the pickings were slim — as attested by the empty baskets in the last photo — by the time we got there a little before noon.

Old Town-Chinatown

The colorful but somewhat seedy district in Portland, Oregon, bordered by Downtown and the Willamette River, is called "Old Town-Chinatown". I walked there recently and took these pictures.

Views of the Chehalem Mountains

The Chehalem Mountains AVA is wholly contained within Oregon's Willamette Valley AVA. It's beautiful territory. Here are a couple more photos from the deck of Raptor Ridge Winery, with the landscape enhanced by some dramatic clouds.

From the Deck of Raptor Ridge Winery

One of the pleasures of visiting a winery on a sunny day is enjoying a tasting of good wines while sitting under an umbrella on the deck, looking out over the vineyards.

Raptor Ridge Winery

After lunch in McMinnville, we drove up into the Chehalem Mountains bordering Oregon's Willamette Valley, to Raptor Ridge Winery. The Chehalem Mountains AVA (American Viticulture Area) produces some fine Pinot Noir, but we were mainly in search of Grüner Veltliner, a refreshing white wine mainly associated with Austria. Raptor Ridge is currently one of three Oregon wineries that produces it. As is the case with most Willamette wineries, Raptor Ridge is very scenic.

Old Times

Last Sunday we drove out to McMinnville in the Willamette Valley, and had lunch with a friend at The Barberry. This brick wall, reminiscent of earlier times, faced the outdoor dining area.

USS Jackson

These photos of the USS Jackson, a littoral (close to shore) combat ship, were taken from the Burnside Bridge looking north along the Willamette River. The angular contours are striking.

The Steel Bridge is in the background. In the second photo, the MODA Center and the glass spires of the Convention Center can be seen on the east bank.

Protesting a Lurking Menace

Most of the people viewing the US Navy ships docked along the west bank of the Willamette River in Portland seemed favorably disposed, but there were some committed protesters of the military presence. The last two pictures are intended to dramatize the mostly hidden presence of these warships.

Superstructure

The superstructure of the guided missile cruiser USS Bull Run, which presumably contains most of its guidance and communications facilities, is seriously impressive. The last picture shows the Steel Bridge in the background.

Fleet Week in Portland

This past weekend in Portland celebrated both the Rose Festival and Fleet Week. This latter event involves several US Navy ships sailing up the Willamette River and docking on the west side waterfront near downtown, where they can be boarded by the public for guided tours. (The sailors get some shore leave to boot.) The ships this year were the USS Bunker Hill, a guided missile cruiser, and the USS Jackson, a littoral combat ship, docked between the Steel Bridge and the Broadway Bridge. These photos, taken facing south from the Steel Bridge, show the Bunker Hill, with the Jackson in the background.

Closing the Gate

The gates along the fire lanes in Forest Park are as unobtrusive as possible.