let's go to the beach

My heart yearned for cooler weather, rain, fog, and wind - some variety, like color-changing leaves and snow. Instead, LA wore heat. All day, every day.
Commence grumbling and internal dying.

How did I cope for the past four years? That's another story for another time. Today, we're going to appreciate the beauty of SoCal's lack of seasons, by highlighting its one and only upside, how it's always warm enough to beach it. These were shot in November, but really, you could step over to the ocean any time of the year.

the dream center's 19th annual back to school bash

Last Saturday, The Dream Center gave out 2,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to poor children in LA. Some kids (+ their parents) started lining up at 4 am for a backpack... definitely put my life in perspective.

Watch this little man on the big screen @ 0:24 and again @ 0:39

Afterwards, the kids got to play,

make art,

slip 

n' slide,

celebrate,

Tarzan,

Spiderman,

pet a tortoise,

strike a pose,

get a free haircut,

and take some clothes home.

It's been a while since I exercised my serving muscles. I've gotten pretty fat after receiving and receiving and receiving but not giving much in return.

The Dream Center, thank you for recruiting ordinary folk to help out with your amazing projects. What an honor it was to be able to bless with what I love doing most - photography. Thank you, thank you, thank you for pouring out Jesus' love on the city. Your service to the needy, homeless, incarcerated, abused, fatherless, trafficked, and hungry makes Los Angeles a better place.

when sun is a hot commodity

ain't nobody got time to wait on construction. 

an ode to focaccia,

the best one I've yet to taste:

"Whenever possible, try a dish at its birthplace," an old proverb reverberated in my ears.

That I shall! 

Thus began my quest to acquire you in Cinque Terre.

You only cost 2 euro, but boy, were you de-licious. 

I'd pay a lot to smell, chew, swallow, and digest you again. 

The view wasn't too bad. I didn't mind it at all.

Portrait or landscape, Vernazza was quite the village to explore.

bay of silence

Moments before sunset on the Ligurian Sea

one of those days

dog days

If I had to be a dog, I would want to be Italian. Growing old with humans who feed me gelato? Sign me up.