North America

Di Rosa – Modern Art in Napa

/ Bulldog Travels / 4 Comments

Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art is not your average stop in Napa.  The art is serious and IT.IS.LARGE.  The grounds are lovely.  Wine is nowhere to be found (except for the vines on the property) which is welcome in a place where stopping at one winery about hits my max these days.

Di Rosa is highlighting the largest collection (over 100 pieces) of art by Viola Frey in one exhibition ever. Many many pieces were on display including her larger than life pieces in living 80’s color. Most of the pieces are ceramic ranging in size and purpose.

The exhibition space is spectacular.  Be sure to come early since they close at 4 p.m. and one must be shuttled to the exhibition space.  I was lucky visiting during the week as I was the only visitor and had the entire place to myself save one security guard.

Napa has some world class art happening which perhaps could be taken more seriously if everyone wasn’t so tipsy all the time. 😉

My favorite installation is below.  Something about a swinging angel was entertaining and not expected.  And what’s not cool about a random car hanging from a tree?

Below are the grounds and the main exhibition space with some pretty wild and colorful pieces.

Come enjoy Napa.  There is something here for everyone.  Cheers!

Random Napa

/ Bulldog Travels / 8 Comments

A lot of people go to Napa for the wine. Some come to shop or to visit the spas and places of healing. Many come for the outstanding world class food. I second all of those reasons. But this trip I came for the fresh air. I came for the antique stores and the art. (More of that later)  Mostly I came to get some fresh air.

A life-size corkscrew must bring a smile to your face.  And who doesn’t love a good tree lined drive?  What about a converted gas station wine tasting room?

I also wanted to see the burn area from the recent and devastating fires.  If you look close in a few of the photos you will see a lovely and charming country winery scene. But if you look close the hill behind the winery is the fire line and miles and miles behind it burned along with much of what was in its path. Many moons ago I presented my dissertation at the Mayacamas Ranch which sadly was lost in the fire.  They vow to rebuild and I wish them luck because their place was spectacular.  Its been a little while since the fire so green is growing but all of the trees are dead and much devastation still exists.  And a lot of building…

 

CA’ TOGA ART GALLERY, Calistoga

/ Bulldog Travels / 5 Comments

My photography friend and I headed to Napa with the plan to photograph spring flowers. A quick and random yelp search layer led us to the random Villa Ca’ Toga. After seeing some of the images online and having never heard of this place flowers were out the window and we set coordinates towards beautiful Calistoga. Turns out sadly that the tours of the Villa start next week so we settled on the gallery. (Harrumph.)

A visit to the gallery did not disappoint and has well inspired us to take a trip soon to see the Villa which is home to and created by Carlo Marchiori. Carlo is a multi talented and prolific artist whose muse is his own Villa on the outskirts of Calistoga.  Every inch of the Villa is covered in interesting and eccentric art as well as the grounds which appear to be covered in random sculpture.

Who wants to visit the Villa with me?!

 

 

 

Springtime in Napa

/ Bulldog Travels / 3 Comments

It’s springtime in Napa which means mustard flower and cleanup piles. I have always found Napa to be a spectacularly beautiful place. But, I’ve always found the views away from the large commercial wineries to be my favorites. The side roads and country in between the touristy places can take your breath away. Napa is truly the most beautiful big time small town in Nor Cal and I never ever get tired of it in any season.

California Automobile Museum – Micro Cars

/ Bulldog Travels / 13 Comments

The California Auto Museum, in downtown Sacramento, is boasting its Micro Car exhibit for the first time in seven years with what looks like double the micro cars on display!  They were even hosting a clever Micro Cars and Micro Brews event the evening we visited.  The museum underwent a refresh a few years back and I am happy to see it is alive and well.

The museum typically has a roaming exhibit (Micro Cars in this case), a race car exhibit, muscle car area, historical vehicles, and an area with cars on consignment (to help fund the museum itself and to hopefully fund some heat/air conditioning.)

It is also fun to see the addition of an area for children with several auto related activities which was a bonus for my little boy. Zoom. Zoom.

Some great street art on the front garage doors of the museum
Name the car!
Who is this cute little guy standing in front of the street art?
This yellow taxi is probably my favorite micro car
I’ve always been drawn to the numbers on the side of race cars be them big or micro
Interesting badge and interesting plate
I love everything about this little car including it’s history of apparantly saving the BMW car company!
Who wouldnt want to go rally in this little guy?
Go # 68!
What could be dangerous about this vehicle?
Fast fast fast
Cute little display
Not a fan of this car or the hood art but I would venture to guess some folks might disagree with me
How is this possibly in a museum? I am getting old enough that random stuff like this is history!
Transformer?
Oh yah. This is a beautiful machine.
Another cute little display with a car to match.
The museum did a fine job of incorporating displays, vehicles, and a childrens area to encourage parents and children to come and visit! Kudos. Start them young!

#SPRING

/ Bulldog Travels / 18 Comments

Spring is finally happening here in Northern California.  It’s been lovely to get out and run around a little bit after what seems like months of rain.  All good for the state of our drought in California…Enjoy a photographic representation of Fresh Air.

Folsom Prison Museum – Folsom, California

/ Bulldog Travels / 13 Comments

Folsom Prison Museum is a tiny and random museum attached to the current Folsom Prison in California.  Parking and walking in isn’t for the faint of heart since you drive down Prison road and park in the same place as all of the visitors meeting with their prisoner loved ones.  You even have to walk through the Prison Gate in order to get to the front door of the museum.  From there things go up!  You are greeted with a warm welcome to an obscure and interesting micro museum.

The museum boasts a number of interesting newspaper articles, photos, prison art, Johhny Cash memorabilia, prison contraband, and other historical artifacts of note even if some are somewhat macaub.  It is an interesting stop one which won’t take you much time and might be coupled nicely with a walk or ride on the nearby lovely Johnny Cash Trail.

Toothpick anyone?

Looks cold, damp, and drafty to me

Johnny is all over this museum

Contraband weapons

The museum has lots of great photos to look through like these before and after dress out and shave photos

Yikes, its a noose

Old guard tower that could tell some crazy stories

The real prison gate which Johnny was photographed in front of

Submitted also to Kammie’s Odd Ball Challenge over at Nut House Central!

Joshua Tree National Park – Save the parks

/ Bulldog Travels / 23 Comments

I cut my teeth photographing Joshua Tree National Park with my first medium format Hasselblad somewhere around 2000.  Looking back the photos I was so proud of at the time have a lot of flaws.  But, my memories are some of the best I have ever had photographing a National park or the outdoors in general.  I fell in love with this park and its unusual and amazingly distinct Joshua Trees.  It breaks my heart to see that the park has been shut down due to politics.  And it is even worse to read reports of damage to the park’s treasured and protected Joshua Trees.  I am disappointed in the people who would do such damage to a park and it’s innocent trees.  And I am disappointed in our government for not doing what it has been charged to do.  It is up to us individually to make good decisions and protect our treasures.  Do no harm, Leave no trace behind and take care of our parks, P.L.E.A.S.E.

For the love of Trees

Wide Open Walls 916 -Sacramento State

/ Bulldog Travels / 12 Comments

I stopped by CSU Sacramento for a visit to another Wide Open Walls Street Art piece.

I’ve seen photos of this one all over social media and finally made it for a visit! It’s pretty iconic for the city, the wide open walls project, and the university.

It seems to me that this wide open walls project has really brought a vibrancy to the downtown area that has re-energized some otherwise boring or run down buildings. It has also given artists the opportunity to show off their skills like this bright and cheerful example. I continue to stumble upon these hidden gems and hope to keep bringing you more.

Enjoy!

The Tale of Two Sacramento Houses

/ Bulldog Travels / 17 Comments

Sacramento, particularly downtown, is full of beautiful old houses.  Featured here are two completely different examples.  The Leland Stanford Mansion and the Curtis Park Dragon House couldn’t be more different.

The Dragon House is a labor of mosaic love by owners who clearly take pride in eccentricity versus the Leland Stanford Mansion, a bastion of the old guard of Victorian Sacramento.  I would venture to guess I wouldn’t be able to give away the Dragon House to some of my friends and family but somehow I find it more interesting than the pure and perfect architecture of the Stanford mansion.

The Stanford mansion, recently rehabilitated, is full of history and Victorian pomp and circumstance and stands as a magnificent example of the time.  It is a well known Sacramento icon which represents the city and even the State for official functions and is a state park during other times.  The mosaic Dragon House is a private bungalow with no official public history, at least not yet.  Yet, when I ask around about it locals all know what and where it is.  It’s more of an unknown Sacramento gem.

Which do you prefer?!

*Happy New Year Everyone!  I hope 2019 brings all of you safe, peaceful, and memorable travels!