Road Trip :: Central Coast Photography

     Nothing quite fuels the desire to go on a road trip like the longing for a nice juicy steak.  One of my friends recommended a place called Jocko's in Nipomo, CA and I decided to use one of the days between Christmas and New Year's to fulfill this dream of having Jocko's.  I decided to make a day of shooting out of it and tried to find places to stop at along the way.  

     First stop - Carpinteria Beach.  This was a total fail.  I should've thought about what time of day it would've been when we arrived here.  My exif data says I took this photo at 9:43 am and we left the house at 7:30 am.  Don't ask me how fast I was driving. 

     While the beach wasn't too crowded, I didn't think it was worth the $10 admission price to shoot when the light wasn't what I preferred.  However, I still enjoyed walking around the beach taking photos, and also using my new Smatree and Manfrotto tripods (more on those later).  

     There was a very thick haze on the beach.  I decided to just go with it and let it blow out some of the photos.

     For this trip, I decided to take my Peak Design Everyday Sling bag.  You can check out my initial review of this bag here.  I knew I'd be changing between the 3 lenses (35mm, 50mm, 135mm) I brought along quite a bit, so the sling seemed like a better choice than my Everyday backpack.  I really love how easy it is to get inside my bag and access my wallet (or whatever else I'm looking for) since there are so many practical organizational pockets. 

     Next stop - Solvang.  Around 11:45 am, we found ourselves in Solvang, CA.  I've been to Solvang a handful of times before, but it was quite a different experience this time around.  If my memory serves me correctly, my previous trips here all happened when the town was about to close up shop.  Most of the stores were closed, and there were very few people around.  This time, it was the complete opposite.  If you've never been to Solvang, it's basically a little Danish town a bit inland on the central coast.  If you love Christmas, you MUST come here during Christmas time.  We were very lucky, because the whole town was still decked out in its Christmas gear, and it kind of feels like you are walking through a little storybook land.  

     You know I need this sign in my life.

     There are a lot of Danish bakeries scattered throughout.  Right after this one is Paula's Pancake House.  It was BUSY.  The line was so long, I didn't dare consider eating there.  I actually went through my old photos, and it turns out I've eaten at Paula's Pancake House before.  That's the beauty of photography - it really remembers when my memory can't.  :)

     We decided to get our pastries from Mortensen's Bakery.  It was also very crowded, but my friend who recommended Jocko's also recommended Mortensen's so we had to stop here.

     I loved all the Christmas trees. Everywhere.  

     We ended up getting the blueberry danish, the raspberry cream cheese danish, and this kringle-like thing that the lady assured us was just like kringle, minus the raisins.  They were ALL delicious.  All three of these and my Diet Coke were about $15.  They were delicious, but I wouldn't say they were $15 delicious.  Maybe $10 delicious?  That's right, I rate food by how much I'm willing to pay to eat it again. 

     Viking Santa.

     We popped into this Swedish Candy Factory just to have a look.  I ended up buying some of their raspberry candy.  It was so GOOD.  This lady gave me a sample to try, and I was sold.  It ended up melting on the way home, but I still ate it throughout the week because it was that tasty.

     This shelf reminded me of Europe. :'(

     I know many of the people we saw were tourists and these dogs probably belonged to tourists as well, but there were a lot of people who appeared to be locals out and about with their dogs.  Dogs everywhere!  I made a mental note to retire near Solvang... because dogs.

     How cute is this little inn that has bikes you can take for a ride around the town.  So cute!

     This little shop is a real gem.  Apparently they do Christmas all year round here, so if you're itching for some Christmas feels, this is your place!  

     Yeah, you know this had to be added to my collection!  I was so happy to find this to add to my camera ornament stash.  I also picked up some little yellow wooden shoes that I turned into an ornament.

     Next stop - Pismo Beach.  We arrived in Pismo around 3pm.  Since our dinner reservation wasn't until 4:45 pm, and Nipomo was only a 12 mile drive away, this gave me some time to take some photos here.  I love the central coast beach towns.  They are more laid back, just as pretty as some of the SoCal beaches, except not as busy.

     At one point, the tide was coming in slowly and it created this glassy look on the sand, which in turn reflected the great clouds in the sky that day.  I loved the effect of it.  Unfortunately, my photos don't even do it any justice.  It reminded me of this amazing sunset I once saw out at Salton Sea, but minus the 99% humidity LOL.

     Last stop - Nipomo.  Here is Jocko's in all its glory.  The exterior (and interior) is nothing to write home about, however if you're a steak person, I can vouch for their steak.  If you end up going, make sure you make a reservation - they fill up quickly!

     You can also go around to the back and check out their pit where they cook the steaks, too.  The steaks are HUGE.  

     It's pretty dim inside Jocko's.  The inside resembles a 1980s cafeteria.  No joke. 

     For those of you interested in this dinner, for $32 you get:

• about 20 oz ribeye steak
• crackers and salsa
• salad
• relish plate
• choice of baked potato or steamed rice
• beans
• garlic bread
• ice cream
• soft drink with one free refill (correction - it does not include a soft drink)
• coffee

I've been to Morton's and Ruth's Chris, and aside from ambience, they cannot beat Jocko's when it comes to the actual steak and overall meal quality and value.  I guess you could say that I $32 liked it. 

     We left Jocko's around 7 pm and were home by 10:30 pm.  It definitely felt like a long day, but I think we covered a lot of ground considering we were home by 10:30 pm.  Being on the central coast definitely sparked my desire to take a road trip out to Big Sur again.  One thing I know for sure is that if I head out to Big Sur, there will be a stop in Nipomo. ;)

Peak Design Everyday Sling Review

     A little over a week ago, my Peak Design sling bag arrived in the mail.  After finally giving in and ordering the bag, and also having a chance to look at it in person when one of my friends received theirs, I was super excited to have one of my own.  Unfortunately, it sat there for a few days because I was too busy to use it.  Since then, I've been able to take it on a few outings and can finally offer some thoughts (and suggestions) on it.  Whenever I initially do research on a bag, I'm always interested in what actually fits in it, and whether the type of compartments it offers will work for me.  So if you're thinking of possibly getting the sling, I thought I'd offer you a look into how I packed mine for a portrait shoot. 

     By the way, if you're on the fence about the ash color combo, get it. The leather accents are lovely against the light grey material. 

What's In My Bag (from left to right, top to bottom):

• 50 1.2
• 28 1.8
• 24-70 2.8
• Manfrotto Pixi mini tripod
• CF/SD card case
• Pouch with eye drops, make-up, gum, etc.
• pen
• Canon 5d Mark III
• Peak Design slide strap
• Lens cloth
• Anker battery pack
• resusable bag
• wallet
• extra Peak Design anchors
• carabiner for attaching things if I need to
• Canon rc-1 remote
• back up battery for my G7x (which was also in my bag, but I used it to take the photos)
• back up battery for my 5d
• tissues
• hand lotion
• lip balm

     The sling comes with two of their flexfold dividers.  They were evenly spaced when I first got the bag, but I decided to move the dividers a little to the left to accommodate the size of my lenses, and also to leave more room to the right for my camera body.  When I have the bag carried messenger style in front of me, this is my view of it when it is laying against my body.  This layout is what initially drew me to this bag.  It is so convenient to just unzip the flap and take out whatever I need from that compartment.  

     Here are some of my things inside the zipped compartment on the top flap.  I love how everything can have its own place, and things that I frequently reach for are easily accessible.  The zipper also gives me peace of mind that my stuff won't just fall out.

     The flexfold dividers are amazing.  Unlike my beloved Shootsac, they allow me to safely stack smaller lenses.  On the far left, I have my 50 1.2 at the bottom, and with a simple fold of the divider, I am able to stack the 28mm right on top without the lenses touching. My 24-70 fits snugly right next to it.  To the right is my 5d and my slide strap.  I find it a lot easier to store the strap separately when transporting my gear since the cushioned part of the strap doesn't fold as easily.

     In the expandable zipped compartment of the sling, I put my cardholder, battery back, reusable bag, and mini tripod.  

Here are my thoughts on the sling:

Design (4.5 out of 5 stars):  If you've ever seen the promo videos made by Peak Design for the sling bag, it works pretty much the way they depict it.  I find the organization and storage to be the sling's most appealing attribute.  The accessibility is a big plus for me as I'm kind of a hoarder when it comes to carrying stuff.  Aesthetically, I like the bag, but I do wish the bag would lay more comfortably when carried messenger style.  I know that it wasn't made to be carried that way, but it would be a huge upgrade to somehow alter its design to accommodate messenger-style carry.  Last, but not least, I do wish the bag was about an inch narrower in length.  Some reviews stated that Peak Design made the sling longer so that it could accommodate a 13-inch laptop, but if the goal of the sling is to carry less, why are they even trying to accommodate a laptop?  I would've been happy if it just fit my iPad mini. 

Comfort (4 out of 5 stars):  One of the recurring criticisms that I've read about the sling is the lack of cushion in the shoulder strap.  I tend to agree with this sentiment.  I carried the sling for about 6 hours, and after a few hours, I began to feel the strain on my left shoulder.  Granted, I know this bag is intended for light carry of gear, but I just wanted to report how long I could stand to have the sling on my shoulder before it began to get uncomfortable.  To be fair, I do feel that carrying less gear, or carrying it for a shorter amount of time, would have made it more comfortable.  I also think that had I not needed quick access to my gear, I have the option of using my Everyday Backpack instead (which could easily last 6 hours without getting uncomfortable).

Quality (4.5 out of 5 stars):  Not unlike the 20L Everyday Backpack, I could tell from my initial unboxing that the sling was well-made.  They've managed to somehow make the bag light, but sturdy enough to adequately protect your gear. The custom hardware is top notch, and the Kodra water repellent material really does repel water.  However, I do have to note that the black material they use underneath the cushioned part of the strap feels like it will not stand the test of time.  I know this because the same (or similar) material is used to line the straps of the Everyday Backpack, and I've already noticed some wear and tear on it.  I think it's far too soon for these bags to have wear and tear, and I'm really hoping it doesn't get any worse. 

     Overall, I'm really happy I got the sling.  It'll be a great bag to use for portrait shoots or for when I just want to do a casual photo outing.  I may even venture out and try to use it as a replacement for my Shootsac.  After having had more than my fair share of lens accidents this year, it really couldn't hurt! :)

Laguna Beach Photo Walk :: When Life Gives You Rain...

     ... you make pictures!  After a photo shoot fail due to rain, I decided to make the most of it and walk around Laguna Beach to kill time avoid traffic.  To my surprise, I quite enjoyed photo walking and randomly taking photos of whatever caught my interest.  Unfortunately, at one point, my feet started hurting (or better known as a shoe choice fail), and it was time to call it a day...and go shopping instead. :) 

*All photos taken with my Mark III and 24-70 2.8 or 50 1.2 lens.


Birds - my worst nightmare.

I really love this one.  It may have to be my new desktop photo. :)  

Oh look, it's my least favorite flower.  

     Hope everyone survived this rainy day in SoCal! :)