Tupelo Junction

Tupelo Junction Restaurant

My wife and I recently had friends and relatives visiting from Chicago. In addition to dragging them all around Santa Barbara, we took them to Ojai and then the Santa Ynez Valley. In each location, we ate in one, or more, of our favorite restaurants and finished the week with dinner at Tupelo Junction, located … Read more

Focus On The Funk Zone

Laura Inks and work by artist Wallace, Artists Making A Street Scene mural, The Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California

Art needs a home, an area where studio space, and even gallery space, is reasonably priced and artists can congregate. In Santa Barbara, that area is known as the Funk Zone. A mix of old buildings, hidden just inland of Santa Barbara’s famous beachfront, provide large spaces at cheap prices. Change is inevitable, and with … Read more

Cafe Fiore–Rustic Italian

Cafe Fiore in Ventura, California

When my wife and I visit Ventura, if we are not going to make a quick sandwich stop in between antique shops, we often choose one of Ventura’s growing list of great restaurants. Recently, I photographed Café Fiore and their rustic Italian cuisine for Westways Magazine. This restaurant definitely belongs on our list. I grew … Read more

No Greek Table Dancing

Petros Greek Restaurant

Many years ago, my wife and I visited a Greek restaurant here in Santa Barbara and were amazed to find the owner dancing around the center of the restaurant with a table in his mouth. I can’t remember what the food was like, but I was quite impressed with the man’s dental work. I suspected … Read more

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone

tourists wine tasting at Kunin Wines, Funk Zone, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America

Few people think of Santa Barbara and funk zone in the same thought, but as Santa Barbara’s industrial area continues to disappear, the “Funk Zone” becomes more obvious. Unlike most coastal tourist destinations, the city’s industrial yards and storage areas have always been located down near the beachfront. With a mix of old brick structures … Read more

Gracious Dining in Paso Robles

Thomas Hill Organics Market Bistro and Wine Bar

During the last decade or so, Paso Robles has undergone a major transformation. It started with the introduction of wineries to the area and is now manifesting itself in a variety of great restaurants. I recently photographed Thomas Hill Organics Market Bistro and Wine Bar for Westways Magazine. Long title—great restaurant. All ingredients are locally … Read more

California, New Cuisine of the American Riviera

California, New Cuisine of the American Riviera

All photographers love book projects! I know that’s a rather sweeping statement, but I have never heard of any pro turning down a book assignment.  It’s the opportunity to immerse yourself in a subject, to really cover an area or topic and not just skim the surface.  And there is no denying that receiving your … Read more

Feast Bistro

Feast Bistro Restaurant, Ojai, California

The first thing that struck me as I walked through the doors of Feast Bistro was the deep red color of the interior. The second was the wonderful aroma of clams and mussels in a garlic cream sauce. As far as I am concerned, even cardboard would be tasty with garlic cream sauce. I knew … Read more

Arch Rock Fish

Arch Rock Fish Restaurant

Arch Rock Fish Restaurant  Growing up in the coastal Northeast, I spent the summers during my college years digging clams commercially. Wading around at low tide in chest deep water with a clam rake, I would keep moving until it felt like I was stepping up onto a slight mounding of the bottom, which was … Read more

Gana Walska Lotusland Estate

Main house, Lotusland Estate

  Editorial photography has got to be the most fascinating job in the world. That’s rather a sweeping statement, I know, but when I look back on all the diverse subjects we have photographed this last year and the talented people with which we have worked, it’s hard not to feel fortunate. We have covered … Read more

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