Downtown Half Moon Bay, CA

Half Moon Bay is a popular seaside town just 28 miles south of San Francisco. Hoards of tourists descend upon it throughout the year to visit its beautiful beaches and frolic in the powerful surf. It's also a popular day trip destination during autumn, when it welcomes thousands to its annual art and pumpkin festival, and throughout the Christmas season, when people flock to the nearby Christmas tree farms in search of the perfect noble fir to chop down and haul back home. 

I decided to skip the frenetic crowds of shoppers on Black Friday and instead headed west along Highway 92 towards Half Moon Bay. I snagged a prime parking spot along Main Street, devoured a delicious deli sandwich at the ever-popular Garden Deli and Cafe, and then stretched my legs and did a bit of window shopping through the quaint downtown. 

If you've never been to HMB, you really need to go there (should you find yourself in the SF Bay Area, that is), and if you have been there, then I'm sure you'll recognize some of these charming gems... 

Half Moon Bay has heart...

Here are some shots from the historical downtown...

There were lots of interesting items on display in the windows...

A little bit of shadows...

The old Community United Methodist Church near Main Street...

Fall and winter are the best times to visit Half Moon Bay as the fog is not as prevalent as during the summer months. Be forewarned though, the traffic can be quite heavy at times, but if that's the case, just relax and enjoy the view!

Napa Wineries

I couldn't resist going back to Napa one more time in November to view the autumn colors before they disappeared, so along with my two traveling companions, I headed north and started ticking off places on my itinerary. 

Our first stop was the Vista Point just south of Napa College. It provides beautiful 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside. What really caught my eye, however, was this amazing piece of artwork by Gino Miles prominently displayed at the top of the knoll: our friendly grape crusher busy at work...

Next stop was Darioush Winery: a spectacular Persian-inspired home to some rather expensive Bordeaux-style estate wines. Not being a wine connoisseur, I was more interested in the amazing architecture of this rather unique yet splendid winery; it's something you really don't expect to find in the Napa Valley.

I've visited quite a few wineries in my time and I have to say that this one is definitely worth a visit. It's impeccable in its attention to detail, both in the exterior grounds and welcoming visitor center. I'd love to come back when I'm feeling a bit more loose with my purse strings and indulge in a sampling of their wines. For now, however, these photos will have to do...

Our next stop was Trefethen Vineyards, a family-run operation just a bit west of Darioush. Supposedly this winery is the only surviving example of what was once the most common winery architecture in Napa, a three-story wooden gravity flow winery.

This particular spot seemed to be quite popular with the limousine crowd as there were several limos parked alongside the vineyards. The overall feel was much more homey than the elegant Darioush. The staff in the visitor center was very friendly and informative, and there were quite a few groups in the private tasting rooms enjoying their wines. The grounds are lovely and to get there, you follow a long tree-lined road...

Last on our stop was a little bit of Jefferson: the Monticello Winery, a collection of five vineyards owned by the Corley family. The reason for the Monticello name and architectural look is that the founder, whose family stems from Virginia, wanted to honor the most famous Virginian of all - Thomas Jefferson, so the main house is built in the Palladian style and is a rather good mini replica of the original Monticello...

Don't ask how the wines were as I didn't sample any; I was too busy with my Nikon. This was just another fun outing in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. I guess I'm lucky to live where I do!

Napa, CA

The beautiful city of Napa was founded in 1847. Its valley is home to some of the world's most prestigious wineries and is a popular destination for tourists from both near and far. The historic downtown sits on the Napa River, which winds its way through the picturesque valley. Flooding of the river has been a common occurrence, but in 2005 the river once again overflowed its banks and flooded the entire downtown as well as thousands of acres all over the county. Since then, the city has been working hard on making an extensive flood protection project called "the living river," which is nearing its completion. A stroll along the river provides a great view of the surrounding hills and vineyards as well as the colorful buildings, some historical others relatively new. The streets are dotted with numerous restaurants, galleries, boutiques, wine bars and plenty of other sights to feast your eyes on. And that's exactly what I did when I was there last week with my Nikon...

A good place to start your tour is along the river at the Veterans Memorial Park...

 Here's a glimpse of the Riverfront stores and restaurants from the Third Street Bridge...

Strolling along the Napa River...

 The Napa Wine Train Station...

 The old Napa River Inn...

 A tile mosaic...

 Public art projects are on display throughout the downtown...

The Napa River Inn...

 The Street view of the Riverfront...

 The old part of the downtown...

 The Napa Valley Opera House...

Fallen Veterans Memorial...

 Fun and colorful architecture...

 A colorful park with more public art...

 One of several murals depicting the history of the town...

Anytime is a good time to visit Napa, but if you can come during the autumn, you'll surely be rewarded with spectacular fall colors not only on the trees scattered throughout the city but on the multitudes of grapevines as well.