Golden Bowers

A few weeks ago, hubby and I took our first visit to the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. It has one of the prettiest entryways, built in the Spanish style, I've seen for a museum.

This is a large mural which is mostly obscured by a tree.

I'm not sure what to make of this pruning work. Perhaps they were trying to create a pom-pom tree.

This is in a small garden off of a large hall.

This is a museum that covers a variety of subjects. We saw exhibitions on Beethoven's late works, art of the Pacific (specifically headhunters in New Guinea), early California settlers' artifacts, and 19th Century European paintings. 

I'm sure we will be returning there again in the near future.

Clear to Sea Part Two

Yesterday I left you on a boat in Newport Bay after enjoying a fabulous unclose view of California Sea Lions.

The second portion of the ride focused on the various homes, boats, islands and other sights to be seen around the Bay.

The house below is owned by Hollywood actress, Diane Keaton.

Some interesting birds passing through the area.

Boats and more boats. I get seasick so owning a boat has never appealed to me.

The lady who owns this house has over 3,000 bears who all like having a view of the water.

The front of the party Tiki Boat.

A view of the ferry. It takes three to four cars.

A house owned by a couple from new York where the wife was missing home.

Collins island only has eight homes on it.

This home used to be owned by Hollywood actor Charles Bronson.

This home was either once owned by golfer Tiger Woods or someone completely different. I hadn't heard of many of the people who owned homes here so after a while, the names and homes all blurred together.

This empty piece of land will cost you $22 million.

Hollywood actor John Wayne's (the Duke) former home. My Dad loved western films so I grew up watching John Wayne on TV.

This boat is worth $42 million and is owned by the owners of the Shogun restaurants.

The Balboa Bay Club. Hubby used to play a gig here as part of a trio.

This is a upscale clothing store.

John Wayne's former boat.

Once owned by Hollywood actor Rock Hudson.

Lido Island.

At the end of the boat trip we made our way from the Peninsula back to Balboa Island.

When the boat docks, a ramp drops down to allow cars to drive off. Pedestrians exit to the right via a side ramp.

We returned to our friends hotel for dinner and to enjoy the sunset.

San-dy Days

The weather was glorious last week with temperatures in the 80F's (not bad for January, even in southern California) so hubby and I decided to spend as much time outside as possible.

The surf has been pretty terrible this winter so when hubby spotted some waves in San Clemente we drove there before they went away.

San Clemente is a lovely southern Californian surf town and home to an art group I am a member of. It also has a pier.

Unlike some other beaches closer to home, a low tide reveals a long wide area of flat sand that glistens and sparkles and produces beautiful reflections.

While hubby surfed, I took a gentle walk along the beach enjoying the sunshine and warmth.

An artful sign for an exit from the beach to some of the streets above.

I had to keep away from the areas that were very wet as the sand was a little too soft underfoot (as I found after one foot sunk down into wet sand).

Very small and cute sandpipers looking for food in the shallows.

Looks like they have found some.

Back at the pier the lifeguards provide daily information for those going in the water.

The beach I walked from on the pier.

I got there just in time to see hubby catch a wave.

Then I had to wait a long time for the next one. Him too.

After several false starts and a few falls, finally he gets another one.

The problem with the waves today were that they were 'walled up' which means that the wave broke all at once. Usually, a surfer likes to go either left or right riding the part of the waves just ahead of where it is breaking. 

Today's conditions were more likely to knock a surfer off their board like this (he's under the water there somewhere).

After waiting far too long for the next waves to appear, I decided to turn my camera to what else was going on around me. 

The trains run close to the coast giving commuters and travelers a good view of the ocean.

The striped cloth that can be seen on the right on top of the cliff is a large tent  placed over houses when they are being treated for termites. This usually happens when a house is being sold. You have to leave your house for three days (taking any food that isn't completely sealed) while chemicals are pumped under the tent to kill those little wood-eating critters.

This is the beach from the other side of the pier.

The pier from the car park above the beach. An iconic view of San Clemente.