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.