Tag: solo travel

Road Trip to Mendocino: The Marshall Store for BBQ Oysters

Published on by Photo GirlLeave a comment

IMG_8977

We are driving up Highway 1 to the town of Mendocino! For lunch, I want to show you a fabulous, very casual restaurant that’s right on the water. It’s just over an hour away from San Francisco so an easy day trip if you live in the Bay Area. Here is what Travel + Leisure said about The Marshall Store (2012):

“An hour north of San Francisco, this seafood shanty with makeshift tables overlooking Tomales Bay is the place for the area’s famous oysters. The owners farm their own bivalves, which come raw, smoked, and baked. But the preferred preparation is grilled, topped with the tangy house-made barbecue sauce and served with buttery bread. Pair them with a bottle of crisp white wine (sold at the store) and views of bobbing boats.”

I got the combination plate with crab and oysters. You can eat them raw or cooked. I tried cooked with a sauce and bacon and they were very good.  You can get an iced cold beer too.  Grab a chair, sit back and watch the seagulls and boats bobbing on the water.

IMG_8976

photo 1   photo 2  IMG_8964  the marshall store

 

Here’s a link to their website: http://themarshallstore.com/

Travel tip: Wear a hat and bring a coat – it’s really difficult to predict the weather.

Road Trip to Mendocino: Tomales Bay Oyster Company

Published on by Photo GirlLeave a comment

photo 1

If you’re just joining me, we are traveling up the coast to a quaint town called Mendocino. I did this trip on Friday and thought we could “relive” it today. Highway 1 is pretty spectacular. Especially in the spring. The road side is full of daffodils, wild flowers and the trees are spring green (many in bloom). My friend Richard told me about the Tomales Bay Oyster Company so we’ll stop and take a look. If you’re looking for a fun day with your family and/or friends and you like seafood this is a cool place. It’s located about an hour north of San Francisco. Here’s how it works: Continue reading “Road Trip to Mendocino: Tomales Bay Oyster Company” →

Road Trip to Mendocino: The Golden Gate Bridge

Published on by Photo GirlLeave a comment

20130402-064920.jpg

First stop while heading over to Highway 1 is the Golden Gate Bridge. I’d a very cool experience to drive the 1.7 miles across this incredible bridge. If you’re doing this trip I highly urge you to take a break, and stop at the look-out point.  To get there, take the first right after you cross the bridge heading north. The views are amazing and it’s totally worth the stop. Here are a few quick facts about this beautiful bridge: Continue reading “Road Trip to Mendocino: The Golden Gate Bridge” →

Road Trip to Mendocino: And We’re Off!

Published on by Photo GirlLeave a comment

20130402-063933.jpg
Today we’re driving up the Northern California coast, along Highway 1, to a charming town called Mendocino. I actually did this trip on Friday and Saturday but I didn’t blog live, so now I’d love to take you along with me.  I hope these posts let you escape throughout the day as we head up the coast. So here we go….my car is full of travel books which I have sort-of-read. We’ll stop at Starbucks for a road joe, and then hit the road! First stop?  The Golden Gate Bridge!

Photographing Reflections in Windows

Published on by Photo GirlLeave a comment
Reflections in a Window Photography
“Reflections in a Window” Photography

Here’s another type of photography that I absolutely love (and I hope you’ll try): Photographing reflections in windows. A couple months ago I was in Manhattan Beach, California. One of my favorite things to do is walk along The Strand, which is a bike/foot path that runs along the ocean. On one side you have beautiful homes, the opposite side, the beach. The reflections in the windows are quite amazing and when I see a really cool one, I always take a quick pic. Larger windows with panels make the image even more interesting (Like you see in the photo below – that’s me on right, donning a baseball cap which is how I look most mornings). If you find some fabulous refections let me know!  Cheers!

PS – if you missed my blog on Manhattan Beach, I hope you’ll check it out: http://photogirltravels.com/category/manhattanhermosa-beach-ca/

That's me on the right ;)
That’s me on the right 😉

Sunset at Vasona Lake, Los Gatos CA

Published on by Photo GirlLeave a comment
Vasona Lake View at Sunset
Vasona Lake View at Sunset

A few nights ago I was walking at Vasona Lake and shot this photo. I love framing images and I must say, I generally would not frame three trees smack in the middle of a photo.  But these trees seemed to work well together, and I loved the contrast of the different types of bark. I also like the tiny curling twig at the very top of the middle tree – it looks like my hair in the morning, if you put a bunch together, you’d have a tangled mess.

Also, I have people tell me they have gone to this lake and they are not seeing the reflections.  I have a simple answer for that one. If you want to see reflections – you need to go early or late.  I’m not a real expert on this, but once the sun gets to a certain point, all of the reflections disappear.  The water becomes rippled, and the mystery seems to disappear.  I generally try to walk before 8am or after 6pm.  (But I have to admit – nothing beats the morning reflections.)  Most important is to actually stop and look. I pass so many people walking, running, talking (on their cell phones – ugh!) and I think “You’re missing this incredible beauty!”  Another quick note on Vasona Lake – all of the new spring leaves and flowers are starting to pop so it is absolutely gorgeous. If you don’t live nearby, find a local lake and pay it a morning visit.

If you’d like to see more images I’ll be posting them over the next few weeks. Please click to FOLLOW and I’ll send you the link by email. Cheers!

If you’d like to purchase a print, please click on “Contact”. My photography is printed on aluminum. Utilizing an advanced process which infuses dyes directly into the metal, the colors / saturation are really amazing. In addition, your print will be displayed using mount blocks which float the image ½ inch off the wall.

©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content  on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.