We decided to drive from Los Angeles and we left early enough that we arrived in the town of Napa about 1:00 p.m.  We stopped near the revitalized Riverfront and stretched our legs on a short walk, stopping in the Napa Visitor’s Center to pick up some maps and guidebooks.  The super friendly volunteers clued us into some good stops and even had coupons for tastings at some of the wineries we planned to visit.

We didn’t linger in Napa long, as we had a 2:00 p.m. appointment for a tasting at Vine Cliff Winery, a short and lovely drive up the Silverado Trail.  Napa Valley has hundreds of wineries.  Each has their own personality and tasting experience.  Some require appointments, others are open for walk-ins.  Just because an appointment is required, though, doesn’t mean it’s stuffy or formal.  You can often make an appointment the same day you want to visit, sometimes even calling from the entrance to see if there is any availability right when you arrive.

From the instant we pulled into Vine Cliff, I felt like our vacation started!  We walked toward the tasting room and Maryann greeted us with a glass of wine and invited us to relax at an outdoor table, enjoying the views of golden grape vines curving down to the valley.

We strolled through the vineyards, tasting some of the product of the that amazing fruit. . .

. . . and then we headed to our next destination, a few miles north on the Silverado Trail, Mumm Napa.  Mumm makes sparkling wines and is open to the public, with no reservation necessary.  Rather than sit down and stroll through the vineyards with the winemakers, however, you get to enjoy a taste of bubbly on a beautiful patio.  They offer several tours daily, but we were too late in the afternoon to catch one.  We were not too late, though, for a stroll through the Fine Art Photography gallery they have on site, featuring works of Ansel Adams and rotating local artists.

As the afternoon was getting later, we continued up the Silverado Trail to find a great vantage point for sunset.  Maryann at Vine Cliff recommended Auberge du Soleil.  We had a dinner reservation for later that evening there, but since it would be dark, we decided to stop early for some appetizers and a view!

After nature’s show was over, we checked into our accommodations and got ready for dinner, heading back for a late dinner at Auberge.  Before our trip, I spent hours researching the best wineries, best restaurants, best activities and more.  With so much to offer, and only 48 hours to spend in Napa, I felt huge pressure to plan the perfect itinerary.  Auberge du Soleil is a Michelin-starred restaurant, but not quite as high-brow (or as tough to get into) as French Laundry.

After we were seated, the waiter came out with not only one delicious teaser, courtesy of the chef, but two!  I’m a bit of a foodie and after watching several seasons of Top Chef, I knew an amuse bouche when I saw it!  And just after taking that delectable bite, I looked up from our table and notice that Tom Collichio, who just happens to be a celebrity chef and judge on Top Chef, was sitting two tables over.  That’s when I realized that my research had paid off and I had picked a good place for dinner!

We retired for the night in our room in St. Helena at The Wine Country Inn.  Waking up the next morning, we were greeted with the most amazing scene off the balcony of our room. . .

Nestled right between two vineyards, the Inn was the perfect place to spend the weekend!  We had a lovely breakfast there each morning and complimentary car service to our dinner restaurants each night.  Perfect!   Before breakfast, though, my husband and I headed out for a run, soaking in the gorgeous scenery that surrounded us and burning off some of the calories we consumed at dinner the night before!

Our first appointment of the day was at Viader Winery, on Howell Mountain, which was just up the hill from our Inn and is renowned for producing some of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in the world.  I feel like I must confess that I am a foodie and I do LOVE wine, but I’m in no way an expert.  I can appreciate a good wine, but I’ll also say that I’ve rarely met a wine I didn’t like.  My palate is far from refined!  That being said, Delia Viader makes some phenomenal wines!  We took a personal tour of the vineyard and cellar, sipping wine as walked and talked.

And we enjoyed a quiet, beautiful morning view (possibly one of the best!) of the northern end of the Napa Valley.

After our perfectly enjoyable morning, we drove back down to our Inn and hopped on our bikes for the 2 1/2 mile ride into downtown St. Helena.  It was time for lunch and I had seen Gott’s Roadside Market mentioned on just about every website and in just about every pamphlet I grabbed on Napa.  We had to see what the hype was all about… and it proved worthy!

After filling our bellies, we biked a mile further down the road for a stop at Prager Port Works, unlike any other tasting room in the Napa Valley.  Down-to-earth, friendly guys serve up tastes of the only port made in this region, from a room that has walls covered in dollar bills and window full of cobwebs.

After a taste of the sweet, we hopped back on our bikes and headed back toward the Inn.  Our final stop for the day was at Duckhorn Winery, which was right next to the Wine Country Inn.

Duckhorn has a beautiful tasting room, which looks like a modern farmhouse, surrounded by grapevines.  We had an appointment, but they also accepted walk-ins, and the atmosphere was casual, friendly, and social while we tasted some fabulous wines.  Duckhorn distributes around the country and the world, so it’s not unlikely that you may find a bottle anywhere in the country.  But at the winery, you get the chance to taste (and purchase) private release wines, made in smaller batches than what is widely distributed.  After tasting, we couldn’t resist a stroll through the vineyards on such a perfect November afternoon.

We had a 2-minute bike ride back to our lodging and got ready for dinner, this night taking the hotel car service into St. Helena for an authentic Italian feast at Tra Vigne, the restaurant where Michael Chiarello got his start.  The highlight of the meal was the freshly made (like, seconds before it came out to the table) mozzarella cheese, warm and gooey, spread on the perfect crostini.  I’m still having dreams about it!

We awoke on our last morning and had an extra hour due to the switch the Daylight Savings Time.  We headed out on a run again (I did mention that mozzarella, right?!) and saw some of the most amazing scenery along the way.  It reminded us of Montana in a lot of ways.

After another delicious breakfast (with an egg dish called, “Death by Cheese” — maybe we should have run even further!), we checked out and drove toward downtown St. Helena to explore the adorable shopping district and pick up a few gifts to take home (and maybe nibble on ourselves!).

Our last stop was at V. Sattui Winery, recommended as a great picnic spot by just about everyone who has been to Napa Valley.  It’s kind of like Disneyland for adults. . . very beautiful and manicured grounds, signs showing what types of grapes are what, where to go for tasting, where to go to picnic (but only with food purchased at Sattui), even down to parking lot directors and tour buses.  They had an enormous, bustling and busy tasting room with a menu of dozens of wines to choose from.  Napa is known for its Cabs, and some of the smaller wineries we visited only produce Cabs.  Sattui is large enough to grown dozens of types of grapes (even getting some Sangiovese grapes from a sister property in Italy).  We found several we liked well enough to take home and headed out for a picnic lunch before the drive back to L.A. almost exactly 48 hours after we arrived.

Looking back on our trip, I wouldn’t change one single thing.  It was quite possibly the most perfect 48 hours I’ve spent. . . great companion, fabulous food and wine, gorgeous scenery and a perfect little taste of what the Napa Valley is all about.

*Disclaimer:  this was more than 10 pictures, but I think it fit with my general “10 on 10″ themes, so please don’t hold it against me!  Also, the images in this post were 100% taken with my iPhone.  I did take my DSLR, but only took it out for a few choice “fine art” moments. The iPhone is my go-to for documenting most of my everyday happenings.

It was incredibly hot here in L.A. on Sunday (the thermometer reached 90 degrees here at the beach).  Since we don’t have A/C at home, we decided to get out and make it an afternoon at the beach.  So, we loaded up the bikes and headed for the sand.  Boy were we in for a treat!  We got down to the beach at ultra low tide. . . lowest we’ve ever seen it.  So we enjoyed frolicking on the wide, glassy shores and the viewing magnificent sea stars that were clinging to the beach rocks typically hidden under water.

As sunset drew near, we hopped back on our bikes and headed a little ways north to the fire pits at Dockweiler State Beach.  We had packed provisions for smores and it was time to check “roasting marshmallows on the beach” off of our bucket list!

The real treat, however, was the sunset.  My 4-year-old looked up and said, “it’s like lava in the sky!”

The sky just kept getting more and more spectacular and we left the beach just as the crescent moon started shining brightly in the west.  A perfect end to a perfect family adventure!

Be sure to check out what Southeastern Wisconsin photographer Melissa Schuett has in store for this month!

I guess that just comes with the territory of parenthood. . . we have traded in weekend adventures for Saturdays at the soccer field followed by trips to Costco and Home Depot in our minivan.  That’s okay.  It’s a new family adventure.  My husband is assistant coaching, I’m team photographer, and little brother is there to cheer on big bro and his teammates.  It’s a new kind of adventure

Without further adieu, here are some highlights from Game 1:

So, maybe little Bro didn’t do too much cheering, but at least he kept himself busy!

And by the second half of the game, in the intense heat, Little Bro wasn’t the only one getting a little distracted. . .

Even with the heat, the boys played great and had a good time.  Even if all my Saturdays are occupied for the next few months, if this is how they are going to look, I’m okay with that!

Now, head over to Albuquerque Family Photographer Laura Meeks’ page to see her 10 for this month!

It was a true taste of Montana!  And it serves as the subject for this month’s installment of my personal “10 on 10″ project:

Now, please check out what Milwaukee Photographer Melissa Schuett has on tap for this month’s 10 on 10!

I did take my “big” camera, but I also took a ton of pictures with my iPhone.  It’s an amazing little camera and I love that I can take a picture, edit it, and share it with friends in less than a minute.  Meanwhile, all of the images I took with my “big” camera are still sitting on the memory card, yet to be downloaded to my computer.  +1 for the iPhone!

If you’re on instagram, come find me!  http://instagram.com/amyshertzer  You can search my user name @amyshertzer.  If you’re not on instagram, well, what are you waiting for?!

I’ll also put in a plug for this amazing class I’m a part of during the month of July.  It’s the Phone Photography Project, put on by Big Picture Classes and I’m one of 31 instructors who will be sharing throughout the month.  Today is the last day to register.  Go HERE to do it!  There are daily phone photography challenges (a new topic everyday!), awesome reviews of just about every photo-related app out there (for iPhone and Android), giveaways, a great message board and some amazing, inspiring images and people.  The fun started on July 1st and runs through the 31st.  All of the class material is archived so if you do sign up today (THE LAST DAY TO DO IT!),  you can access all of the info and go back to make up the challenges from the beginning of the month.  But, you don’t have to. . . that’s the beauty of this summer school!  It’s all for fun and enrichment, go at your own pace, put as much in as you want.

Okay, now on with my 10 for July 10th, all via my iPhone!

Our boat launched from Newport Landing, on the bay side of Balboa Peninsula.  We had fabulous views of Newport Beach across the water as we headed out of the harbor.

As we headed out to sea, I was amazed I still got a cell signal.  Even more amazed to see that the navigation worked and showed our actual position out at sea (we’re the blue dot, we launched from the red dot).

The first sea life we saw was a megapod of dolphins. . . at least 300 swimming together, frolicking in the water alongside our boat.

Shortly after we left the pod of dolphins, my poor 4-year-old had a wicked bout of sea sickness.  While Daddy helped him in the ship bathroom, my 6-year-old and I had the only whale-sighting of the trip, a Minke whale.  My sweet boy didn’t seem too distraught that he had missed the whale, he was just exhausted.  And as soon as he came out of the bathroom, he fell asleep in my arms.  Poor kiddo (but I didn’t mind cuddling him and gazing at his lovely lashes and adorable little summer freckles).

I got the only family picture of the day (another +1 for the iPhone — nearly impossible to do a family self-portrait with the “big” camera!).  My 6-year-old was having a good time, despite his scowl.

Since my arms were preoccupied with my baby, my husband took charge of the “big” camera.  We didn’t end up seeing any more whales, but he was ready if we had!

While we didn’t see any more whales, we did have one more sea life sighting — Sea Lions!

Once we were back on land, we took another cruise, this time on our bicycles along the Newport sand.

Our smaller passengers insisted on a stop at this beach playground. . .

We finished our ride and hit the Balboa Fun Zone for some carnival games and pizza-by-the-slice.

Wrapping up our day and heading home as the sun set!

As always, 10 on 10 is a collaborative project.  Be sure to check out Spokane WA Photographer, Creatively Yours for her take on 10 this month

• dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
  
• a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
  
• dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
  
• interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
  
• giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!
  
  *Note: Many of the reviewed apps are available free in the App Store and Google Play, while the rest average about $1.99 each. App purchases are not required for participation in the class.

Well, if you haven’t yet registered, you’re in luck!  And if you have, you’ve got a chance to get your registration fee refunded!  I am thrilled to not only be one of the 32 instructors for this course, but to also have 3 seats  2 seats to GIVEAWAY!  What happened to that third seat, you ask?!  Well, I’m excited to announce that my dear friend Beatrice of Sweet Pea Hats has offered to to give it away!  So, stop by and say “Hi” to Bea, and enter for another chance to win!

How do I snag one of these seats, you ask?

LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW and I’ll randomly select the winners on Tuesday, June 25th.

Want an extra entry?  Head over to Instagram and follow me there.  You can find me under “amyshertzer” and see a glimpse of my life. . . Instagram is my favorite place to share my iPhone pics.  Leave a second comment letting me know you found me over there and you’ll have an extra shot at winning!

Can’t wait to see you for this FUN and INFORMATIVE summer class! It’s going to be a blast, connecting with great people and picking up some great tips  Go HERE to to sign up now!  (Remember:  if you’re selected as a GIVEAWAY winner, you’ll get your registration fee back.)

We started at the Museum of Natural History, which isn’t a new spot for us, but is definitely a favorite!

What I especially loved about this visit was my Kindergartener’s interest in taking pictures of all the exhibits. . .

I got the only family picture of our trip with my timer while had a snack break outside the museum.

After our snack, we walked across the street to begin the new part of our adventure with a ride on the metro!

Our destination was iconic Union Station, with its art deco design and proximity to some of the oldest parts of Los Angeles.

We had lunch at another iconic locale, Phillipe’s.  Delicious French Dip!

Then, we walked a few blocks to Chinatown where we shopped for treasures (my 4-year-old found a fan embroidered with a dragon!) and enjoyed the architecture.

A few more blocks and we had a taste of a different culture at Olvera Street.

We headed back to Union Station to catch the metro back to Exposition Park, site of the History Museum (and our car).

Once back at the park, we strolled through the Exposition Park Rose Garden. . .

. . . and wrapped up our adventurous site-seeing day by flying the kite we bought in Chinatown earlier that day!

We had an amazing day playing tourist in L.A.!

10 on 10 is a monthly installment, 10 images (or maybe a few more!) posted on the 10th of the month, with 10 (or maybe a few less!) photographer’s playing along.  So, go check out Milwaukee Photographer Melissa Schuett‘s 10 for this month!

Last month, I participated in the most challenging running event of my career — Ragnar.  It’s a team relay race stretching almost 200 miles, broken into 36 different legs.  The traditional Ragnar team has 12 runners, each covering 3 of those 36 legs.  I did that last year and it was amazing.  This year, we took the challenge and craziness to a whole new level, doing it as “Ultra” team, which means we had only 6 runners covering the 36 legs.  So, we each had 6 legs to run.  My legs ranged from 4.7 miles at the shortest to 6.9 miles at the longest, and all told, I covered 34.1 miles for my team.

Teams start early in the morning on a Friday and don’t get to the finish line until Saturday afternoon.  Our team took 34 hours to cover the nearly 200 miles through SoCal from Huntington Beach to San Diego.

The fun (or crazy, maybe?!) part is that your team is responsible for getting each runner to and from the exchange points.  So, you rent a big van and after your runner takes off, you drive to the next exchange to get the next runner ready.  Repeat that 35 times, non-stop, throughout the night (along with over 600 other teams!) and you get one crazy fun event!

Runners are a fun, spirited, encouraging group.  And we’re a little wacky.  Ragnar is not complete without goofy team names, decorated vans, tracking “kills” (other runners you pass during your legs), fun outfits (like tutus and costumes), and more.  It’s kind of like a good-spirited, fitness-minded college frat party (minus the booze — that’s not til the finish line!).

Before we get to the finish, though, we have to start.  Our team start was at 6:45 a.m. on Friday morning.  I had the pleasure of being Runner #1 for Team Hexagon[e] (a nod to our 6-person Ultra status, and that we’ve “gone” a little cuckoo for attempting it!).

Our lovely team captain and driver made us some pretty sweet tutus to sport. . .

And we chugged through the miles in good spirits and with no injuries, even in the scorching afternoon heat of Corona!

The going gets tough once the sun sets.  The fatigue of the miles you’ve already covered sets in and with darkness all around, you just want to curl up and fall asleep.  But, there are miles ahead and mile to tick through, so you deliriously chug on. . .

And once the dawn comes on Saturday, it brings a renewed hope that you’re through the tough part and that you will actually make it to the finish line!

But you still take every chance you can to catch some zzzzzz’s.

When you hit your last leg, it’s a crazy, exhilarating, humbling, and joyous experience.  Proud to have not let your team down, proud for pushing your body to the limit and proud to have done it with such an awesome group of people.  One last hug to send our final runner off on Leg 36, bringing it on home. . .

Alas, 34ish hours later, we reached the finish!!!!!

We enjoyed some pizza and beer, headed back home, slept like babies and woke up the next morning with Ragnar withdrawal. . . wanting to pull on those running shoes and pink and blue tutu for just a few more miles!

Now, head over to Spokane Photographer Creatively Yours for a little more “10 on 10″ excitement!

We spent a day on the downhill slopes, but our true love is cross-country skiing.  It’s a perfect family activity and something my boys have already grown to love.  Seeing them out there on skis fills me with joy!

California Spring skiing is the best way to do it.  Nearly 50 degrees with gorgeous sunny skies. . . don’t forget the sunglasses!

Our old lady dog, Maggie, is 13 years old and still going as strong as (if a bit slower than) she used to.  In her younger years (when she was our only “kid”), she came along on many ski trips with us, so it was great that she could join us on this one.

Even though this is “10 on 10″ I’m sharing one bonus image for the day, the only family picture we got during our trip.  We skied to Minaret Vista for a picnic lunch and enjoyed the stunning view of the Sierras, feeling like we were literally and figuratively on top of the world!

It’s not a true “10 on 10″ without a little sharing, so head over to see what Spokane Photographer Creatively Yours by Kelly Q has for this month!

We’ve never been very big into Valentine’s Day.  Of course we love each other, but we would never be considered sappy romantics.  In fact, my practical (like me) husband and I went out on a celebratory date last night to avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle of tonight!  Now that we have kids, though, I love the idea of Valentine’s Day being less about the sap and more about the love.  Watching my boys happily open all their valentines at their school parties this week was the highlight of the holiday.  They showed such innocence and joy, truly delighted that they got a sweet little note from each of their classmates.  It’s that innocent joy and the feeling of being special, loved and appreciated by so many is the best part of Valentine’s Day!

Uh oh, gotta keep your eye on the ball!

Now, go have a peek at Milwaukee, Wisconsin photographer Melissa Schuett‘s 10 for this month!

We are an outdoorsy family.  We love to hike and camp and just get outside!  While having kids has slowed our pace down a bit, we still like to get out for a camping trip at least once a summer.  This past summer, however, we just never found the right weekend.  The perk to living in Southern California is that the weather is warm enough (and probably even better!) for camping in the fall.  This trip marked a first for us, however, with the rental of a pop-up camper.  We have been 100% tent campers up until this point.  But a few months back, my husband got an itch to put a hitch on our mini-van, knowing that it would make it look tougher AND that we could pull a camper!  So, we rented a little A-Liner for the weekend and headed to Ventura County.  My boys were in heaven!

It was cloudy where we camped, but we headed north through Ojai into the mountains.  We went over one pass and then the sky was completely clear blue.  We hit a fun trail that crossed a stream numerous times, which was quite the adventure for my little hikers.

As we got back to our car my husband says, “Well, we did it!  We found a place near L.A. that we didn’t see another person for over 2 hours!”

As we drove back toward our campground, you could see the clouds oozing over the mountains.  As we drove back up into it, it was so cool to see the exact line of 2 completely different weather systems colliding!

In my opinion, the downside to camping with a camper or RV is that most of the campgrounds feel more like parking lots than actual camp sites.  The perk of going in October is that the campground was only about 30% full, so we had plenty of space to stretch out and the other trailer pads made a great spot for bike riding and casting practice.

It’s not camping if there’s not a little relaxing, right! 

And my absolute favorite part about camping is the smores!

We woke up on Sunday and drove out of the mountains toward the ocean.  We found a fabulous little park and picnic area at Sycamore Cove in Ventura for our picnic lunch.

We had time for a little more casting. . .

Running our toes through the water. . .

Playing in the sand. . .

And we even had a little visitor, right off the beach. . . a sea lion!

When I get caught up in the hustle and bustle and crowds and rat race that is Los Angeles, it’s so nice to have a weekend like this to make me truly appreciate the beauty of California and the good fortune that we get to spend a few years living here!

Even though this was more like a “22 on 10,” I still do this as part of a project with some other fab photographers.  Head on over to check out what Chicago Photographer Britt Anderson has for this month!

As a runner myself, I was eager to go cheer her on, camera in hand, of course!

The race started with a 1 mile swim at Venice Beach.  We arrived at dawn to a beautiful and peaceful scene, the full moon still hanging low in the sky over the ocean.

As the sun came up, the waves of competitors started.  Emily was in the wave with all the women, which was the 8th or 9th to start.

Throughout the morning the waves kept coming, in, well, waves.  It would be relatively calm for a few minutes, then these enormous swells would come in.  As luck would (or maybe would not) have it, just as Emily’s wave started, the swells got huge.  At this moment, I was pretty darn glad I was on shore as a spectator!  But, Emily is a great swimmer and the waves didn’t get her down.  She charged through and came out of the water as one of the top swimmers from her starting wave!

Next, she hopped on my borrowed road bike for a 24 mile trip to downtown Los Angeles.

I hopped in my car to get there and due to infamous L.A. traffic, she actually beat me!  I did make it in time to see her smoking the 10K run (in 36:42!).

She did amazing!  And her efforts earned her a 5th place finish in her age division, which meant special recognition on stage and a nice shiny medal to take home!

As always, you can check out what some of my talented female photographer friends have been up to with their take of “10 on 10″ by following our blog circle.  There’s no better place to start than with Milwaukee Photographer Melissa Schuett!

So we built a simple homemade pinhole viewer so we could safely view the eclipse and headed toward the coast.  And when we got to the beach, the coastal clouds were in full effect, creating a natural filter for viewing, not to mention some pretty spectacular skies.

I love that we got to enjoy this rare sight in such a beautiful place!

And it’s not just the interior that holds treasures.  In front of the library is a charming little park, filled with fountains and sculptures and {trees}, perfect for 2 little explorers!

As always, you can follow along with several other talented photographers in the Photo-a-week project for 2012. Here’s here’s the list!
Michelle, Heather, Jenn, Heather. Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica, Amy, Kristin

I have 2 images to share that I feel sum up the experience.  The first is our team, heading for the finish chute approximately33 hours after we set out on the journey.

The second image was taken with my iphone as I ran the final mile of my fourth and final leg (Leg #27).  In my exhaustion, the beauty of the foggy coastline did not escape me.  Nor did the camaraderie of other runners, not participating in the race but who just happened to be out for their Saturday morning workout, who cheered and offered encouragement.  It’s quite different than the finish line of a major marathon (what greeted me the last times I covered over 26 miles in less than a 24-hour period), but no less a cause for joy and celebration and relief!

As always, you can follow along with several other talented photographers in the Photo-a-week project for 2012. Here’s here’s the list!
Michelle, Heather, Jenn, Heather. Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica, Amy, Kristin

As always, you can follow along with several other talented photographers in the Photo-a-week project for 2012. Here’s here’s the list!
Michelle, Heather, Jenn, Heather. Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica, Amy, Kristin

As always, you can follow along with several other talented photographers in the Photo-a-week project for 2012. Here’s here’s the list!
Michelle, Heather, Jenn, Heather. Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica, Amy, Kristin

Our first stop — after a few pitstops along Palos Verdes Drive to soak in the scenery — was the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, with views of the Point Vicente Lighthouse.  You can spy Catalina Island off in the distance.

And while coming back for a sunset view from this scene is now on my bucket list, the harsh midday sun does brighten the crashing seas below to a beautiful shade of turquoise.

The Point Vicente Interpretive Center is a whale-watching hub.  There’s a beautiful (and free-of-charge) museum to explore and volunteers are set up on the balcony outside to watch for migrating whales, which travel the channel between here and Catalina.  My youngest son was on the lookout and we actually spotted a couple of whales while on watch!

Although, we had a better view of the life-size models inside the museum!

Some wildlife above the waves put on a nice show, too.

Heading south around the peninsula, our next stop was Abalone Cove Shoreline Park where we enjoyed more fantastic views and a picnic lunch.

Our last stop was Wayfarers Chapel, a small, beautiful church made of glass and stone with beautiful gardens and beautiful views.

Certainly a place of peace and reflection, it was also a fun place for a 5-year-old and 2-year-old to run and be silly.  We had pushed our outing right up to naptime and were in danger of going past the point-of-no-return.  Before complete melt down mode, I managed to get a few pictures of my 5-year-old, and this is one of my favorites:

There you have it, 10 images of one of my favorite places.  If you ever find yourself in Los Angeles with a few free hours, you have to go explore Palos Verdes!

Be sure to visit the other photographer’s taking part in the “10 on 10″ challenge for this year.  Hop on over to North Shore and Lake County, IL Photographer, Britt Anderson’s blog to see 10 fabulous macro images, a perfect welcome for spring!

I was quite pleased with my haul from this week and had set up these pictures before I even realized what this week’s theme was — finally, an easy week for me!

So, here it is, what $25 buys you at the El Segundo Farmer’s Market:

As always, you can follow along with several other talented photographers in the Photo-a-week project for 2012. Here’s here’s the list!
Michelle, Heather, Jenn, Heather. Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica, Amy, Kristin