Santa Barbara, California, famous for its mission and general Spanish architectural style.
Santa Monica Pier opened in 1909. It was the age of top hats and hoop dresses, and when walking above the waters of the Pacific Ocean was a novelty.
Located at the bottom of Colorado Avenue, off of Ocean Avenue, the pier's original success was attributed to both a roller coaster and the famed La Monica Ballroom.
The Neo-Romanesque Cathedral of St Francis (San Francisco de Asís) was built between 1869 and 1884 on a site occupied by several earlier churches. In a chapel on the north side is La Conquistadora, a figure of the Virgin brought from Spain.
Any good walking tour of Santa Fe would not be complete without a visit to Seret & Sons. Seret & Sons is a wonderful feast for the senses, featuring a wide variety of antique and hand crafted items from around the world.
Afternoon light painting across two wooden doors in an old adobe building in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Florence's lovely piazza Santa Croce glistening on a rainy January night
A visit to Santa Fe would not be complete without a day trip to the high mountain art community of Taos, NM. There are several different ways to make your way to Taos but the very best way (as far as I'm concerned) is to take the "High Road".