Things I Saw in SoCal (Part 1)

April was a busy month for me. Only three days after returning from Las Vegas, Nevada, I was airborne again, bound for San Clemente, California. You may recall that Pat and I visited San Clemente in February. This time I went solo, to visit the same friends. I had a little beach time during my stay, plus a day of just driving around by myself while my friends were otherwise occupied.

Above, here's something so very California that I had to share it even though the shot's a little blurry: a foot powered "taxi" filled with giggling girls as a guy walks past with a surfboard balanced on his head! Below, a practical solution to the $6+ per gallon gas prices in Orange County: a cool vintage scooter. I'm sure it rarely needs a top up.

San Clemente is really just a little surf town. Much of the local culture and economy revolves around the sport. There's a beach nearby called Trestles that's known for its incredible waves -- so much so that the 2028 Olympic surfing competition will take place right here in San Clemente.

The thought of growing a banana tree right in your front yard boggles my mind! It never freezes in San Clemente (as I type this, it's 39° F in Colorado Springs, and we're expecting below freezing temperatures tonight). When I was a kid growing up in the Philippines, we had banana trees just like this in our yard.

Viva Las Vegas 2026 (Part 6)

Just a few more fun and groovy details spied at the car show at Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend last month! I definitely had to get a shot of the tiny pink Edsel that lives on the dashboard of the real thing (see THIS post; based on the "license plate" in the photo above and the badge in the photo below, it's a rare '58 Edsel Bermuda, in case you were curious). I hope you enjoyed all cool cars and creative details! Tomorrow I'll move on to images from my California trip.

Sunday Style!

A few bombshells spotted at the Viva Las Vegas car show last month. I think the I Dream of Jeannie gal and Big Boy would make a great pair, don't you?

Viva Las Vegas 2026 (Part 5)

Here are many more cool details spotted at the Viva Las Vegas car show last month. Tomorrow is Sunday Style but I'll have more vintage car awesomeness for you on Monday.

May 2026 Theme Day: Fruit

I can't believe that April is already in our rearview mirror but here we are, the first of May and that means it's Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers again! This month the theme is fruit. Did you know that tomatoes are botanically classified as fruit and not vegetables? We think of fruit as sweet, which tomatoes definitely aren't, but there you have it.

I mentioned last month that this year I'm focusing even more than usual on my favorite hobbies in an effort to save my sanity from all the madness out there, the hobbies in question being reading, sewing and gardening. Last year my vegetable garden was quite disappointing, thanks to climate change, basically. I had many friends around here who experienced the same sad results as I did, so I don't feel too badly about it. But hope springs eternal, that's the lovely thing about gardening -- there's always next year, right? About three weeks ago sowed five or six varieties of tomato and they're all in the cute seedling stage now. It never ceases to amaze me that within a few short months, such tiny seeds result in plants taller than me, laden with... fruit!

For more takes on fruit from CDP bloggers all over the planet, click HERE. Enjoy!

Viva Las Vegas 2026 (Part 4)

As promised, some great details seen at the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend car show a couple of weeks ago. It's an understatement to say that every vehicle there has seen some form of creative customization, which I love. On top of that, the surviving standard, factory-issued bits and bobs are so cool! This is why I dig vintage car culture so much. Check out all these great details.

Viva Las Vegas 2026 (Part 3)

Yet more car show awesomeness from this year's Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekend! Tomorrow I'll show you some cool close ups of car details.