Mum & no. 1 son hiking near the house

No holiday back to the UK would be complete without some nice walks through some mud, on the way to some well-earned pints and packets of crisps. It’s one thing I really do miss in the USA; the hiking here is amazing, obviously, but it lacks the wander-off-on-you-own freedom of just sauntering across the fields in search of a destination. Here, it’s strap the backpack on and prepare for a couple of days in stunning, un-touched wilderness.

Anyway, we had some great little hikes off on the south coast, and around Cambridge – just what the doctor ordered.

Mum catches up on our annual Boxing Day hike … to the pub!

Now to the South Coast: Various stiles and other gate mechanisms a continious source of geeky amusement for me and the family.

Looking out down the coast

Very windy!

Mum makes the climb

Dad and I in conversation

Corfe Castle off in the distance, where we were staying for a couple of days.

Obligatory walls

To Anglesey Abbey – one of the local stately homes

… and I was fascinated with this: it seems to fade in colour.

Interesting textures on some of the Winter Garden trees

Fading to yellow

Reflections of winter

The gang!

A much-needed trip home to see the family was accompanied with plenty of clicking cameras, as I attempted to capture Isla and Benjamin in their early years. Leaving them behind is always the hardest aspect of leaving, and this time Benjamin brought half the family to tears up on my leaving by uttering ‘but who is going to play with me now?’ – utterly shattering.

Enjoy the pictures below of two delightful, happy kids – I should have bundled them up into my suitcase to take them back to the USA with me!

Isla: a bundle of joy!

Cuddle time

Rowdy!

More than adorable!

Isla learns some tricks

Meanwhile, Benjamin learns some of his own … sad face …

… no wait …

… happy face! A politician in the making!

Me and the kids

Snack time!

Oi! Attention please!

A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.

Tickle time!

Never ending cuteness

Benjamin plays with the Lego set that I got him for Christmas – phew!

Peepo!

Hello!

A handsome lad

Concentration

Benjamin runs off to Grandma, obeying all of the highway code

Parting – such bitter-sweet sorrow. You will be missed!

The approach, bathed in light

Lauryn and I swapped one California city for another over Thanksgiving, and headed down to LA to celebrate with her family in a marginally warmer climate. I was delighted to discover that the Eames’ Case Study House No. 8 was in the neighbourhood, so we headed over before the lunch was finished. In the past, the grounds of the house were open for anyone to just romp around. Sadly, no longer – they were advertised as ‘closed for the holidays’. That didn’t stop a pair of intrepid mid-century adventurers though – we jumped the gate and had the place to ourselves, autumnal sun pouring through the trees.

Situated amid a grove of Eucalyptus trees, and in a thoroughly lived-in state, you could not help yourself imagining living life behind the windows, amid classic pieces of modern furniture (that you designed yourself) and artefacts gathered from a lifetime travelling the world. Rather inspirational.

A lovely balance of natural and man-made geometry. I could not help but think of my previous trips to Japan; no doubt a lot of influence came from the East.

Lauryn gets some interior design tips

“I’ll take it!”

The back of the house, brightened with some splashes of colour

Reflecting the surroundings

The rear elevation

Intersections

Rather a nice experience, all in all. It makes me realise that while LA is a suburban hellhole compared to San Francisco, it reaches higher heights with regards architectural quality. This makes little sense to me, given my adopted home city’s reputation for design and innovation.

Goodbye for now.

It wasn’t only all about mid-century architecture, we also had a mini tour of the city, taking in the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. While not situated as tantalisingly as the Bilbao prototype, and with ideas which initially seem derivative, the surfaces sang in the Californian sunshine. Before I had seen it with my own eyes, I was a little sceptical, but it worked better than I expected, and certainly provides a focal point for downtown and the orchestras contained within.

Sunlight screams out the geometry

… but it’s in the shadows that the real drama lies.

Local characters

Day of the Dead is the Mexican holiday that brings people together to remember those that have passed away. Rather more celebratory and stylish in nature than our own Halloween, it is a firm fixture on San Francisco’s calendar; particularly in the southern Mission district, traditionally home to San Francisco’s Latino population.

A procession makes its way through the streets of the neighbourhood, and people go to great lengths to get dressed up, paint their faces and make elaborate shrines; either mobile or immobile. It’s a sight to behold: you can really see where Tim Burton gets his inspiration from for his animated films.

As I spend time in this city, it’s nice to discover local events that feel really ancient. This is a ‘new’ city with many transient residents, and it made me realise how much I miss the festivals or events that happen in Europe or Asia that have been happening since time immemorial; things like Guy Fawkes night, where it is not even a question if you participate – it’s woven into the fabric of the country.

I missed Day of the Dead when I was in Mexico by a few weeks, back in 2004, so I was really pleased to see it this time round. Next year I dress up!

Dancers perform at the four intersections of the route; Mayan culture fusing with western religion before your very eyes.

Flamboyant dancers.

An extraordinarily well art-directed event, without any art direction.

Vantage points

Some people slightly less entertained – but the event went off peacefully.

Crowds of people with their own models followed behind.

Local celebrities

The destination on the route is in Garfield Park, with the Festival of Altars. People spend the day setting up little shrines to loved ones, family members, or even pets.

Fields of gold

Americans take their weekends very seriously – far more so than us lazy Europeans, who have lengthy holidays allotted to us. One of the local get-aways is to Russian River, an hour or two north of the Bay and nestled in some of the finest hills (and vineyards) in the country. Lauryn and I opted, for our first weekend away, to find a guest house in the charming town of Guerneville. A town that later revealed itself as the destination for outdoorsy gay community of San Francisco; the Rainbow Cattle Company bar name should have given it away! (www.queersteer.com)

Still, a nice weekend away from the city, spent hiking, drinking and eating good food. I shall no doubt be back.

View across the hills to the Korbel wine plantations (ironically, the codename for my final project at Dell – you can’t escape!)

Said hills. Very purdy.

Depth of field … I am not finding myself playing with my SLR as much these days … but it is fun when I do.

Signs of Fall

The sun, cascading through the trees

Dawn. Ish.

Circles

I have been driving past this strange building on the 101 for almost a year now, on the way to mountain biking in Marin, or other outdoorsy activities. I suspected it was a Mosque (unlikely though), a stadium, or perhaps some sort of edifice to Scientology. But I was wrong; in fact, it’s the Marin County Civic Center, and the final commission from Frank Lloyd Wright; at the time aged 90.

Composed of sets of circles, I am reminded of an enormous Mexican hacienda landed from space, completed with Arabic detailing. I can’t help but imagine that this is what municipal buildings are like in Brazilia and other emergent South American nations. In short, the design left me a bit confused, and slightly put-off by the 2D-like projection of the shapes on the side of the building.

What was more of a pleasure was peering through the windows to the still-working offices and meeting rooms. Spaces filled with mid-century furniture and desks still unadorned with computers, this place is a bit of a time-warp. While grubby and a bit worn out, I would still love to see the place when properly open to the public.

Details work well from a medium distance, but seem a little tacked together.

Lauryn, sneaking past the security cordon to go check out the offices.

I found the forms more pleasing on the internal structures

View from one of the landscaped hills that surround the building.

The quasi-religious spire at the southern end of the complex

Pleasing details

Origami folds

Geometric details

Circles repeated everywhere

My weekend of pure Americana continued, when we stumbled upon the annual Pinball Expo at the Marin County Civic Center. There was obviously no choice – we had to go.

Bringing together machines from over fifty years, a one-time charge at the door allowed us to play on machines dating as far back as the 1950s, right up to the present day. It’s astonishing just how little the concept of the machines has changed; a pair (or perhaps a couple more) of flippers, a bunch of balls launched at unlikely, noisy obstacles. More than a few times, I got sucked into a cabinet, attempting to better my score, and I must say that some of the old machines were still a hoot to play. I guess this was the birth of the video game?

A hall full of machines … it felt like stepping into one of those documentaries along the lines of Air Guitar Nation, or King of Kong. And yes, the people (i.e.: men) were just as fascinating.

Machines followed a huge range of themes, from the frankly racist …

… to the simply racy.

A delight of the electric age.

Reflecting the culture of their day

Drawing the punters in

At the back of the hall, and on loan from the local pinball museum (yes, that exists), was a fully-transparent machine. It was fascinating to see all the gears and electro-mechanical parts whizzing away – it’s amazing that they could extract logic from this collection of wires.

I think I need one of these in my house

Don’t tell my Dad about pinball machines – he would take over the house!

I am quickly learning that, while the US does not have the extensive, endless path and trail network of the UK (and no doubt the rest of Europe), linking towns, cities and villages past and present, it does have an astonishing array of state, regional and national parks, preserves, wildernesses, forests and coasts. Private properties butted against total wilderness, rather than the UK’s funny mixture of farms, pubs and little lanes. I don’t think it’s better or worse per-se, but it is taking some getting used to, knowing it’s usually impossible to actually go anywhere on the trails; just drive in, enjoy it, and drive home (sometimes stopping for In-n-Out Burger).

Grinding up

Marc and Dominic head enjoy the downhill

The view north

Ascending at sunset

The most astonishing scene

Naturally, I flew in to make sure she didn’t change her mind, and had an awesome weekend catching up with old Dell friends, and reminding myself what summer is supposed to be like.

Austin – I have a big place in my heart for you!

The Continental Club – essential

Austin aesthetics

Agreed!

Details

My ride for the weekend … and stayed at the San Jose no less!

The Moment

Two of my favourite people

Victory lap

I also had the IMMENSE pleasure of meeting Kat’s girls, and saying hello again to Tony’s. What a great bunch of ladies.
Apparently, I am the biggest joke in the house, which is the nicest thing anyone has said to me. PRINCE PHILIP!

The coolest Mr and Mrs I know. 10/10!

For various reasons best left unsaid, I needed a drink.

Lord of the Dance