Monthly Archives: October 2011

Inspiration Point | Corona Del Mar Photographer

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I always arrive to a shoot at least a half hour before start time to scout the location, to check the light and to familiarize myself with the surrounding area. While driving down to Corona Del Mar, the heavy marine fog came in around late afternoon. It was so surreal to see this heavy fog in the middle of the afternoon and the weather changed drastically. It was damp, cold, windy and gloomy. I do enjoy marine fog and gloomy weather so I was in my element. :P

While scouting the location, I found such gorgeous scenery everywhere around me. The homes are so amazingly gorgeous!

Below is a sculpture implanted in the garden in front of a gorgeous home, taken with my new iphone! :P

And let’s look at these stunning front doors! Two neighbors with two very different styles. That’s my reflection in the picture on the right! :P I love the chrome door because it’s so unique and so unexpected. I love that sculpture hanging in front of the front door on the right! I don’t quite know what it is….a compass…a candelabra? I just know that I love it!Whoa! This home is almost like a fairy tale! This is the heavy fog I was talking about. It’s only 5pm! 

Slater 50/50 | Anaheim Photographer

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Seems like I’ve been eating out a lot huh? Well this is a special case. For my friend’s birthday, I decided to take her to Slater 50/50! The reviews on yelp were amazing so I’m glad that Vanessa was up for it!

Our burgers were gigantic and delicious. Vanessa had the house favorite “50/50″ and I had the “Thanksgiving burger”. YUMMMM. Since the gigantic burgers were not enough to fill our bellies, we also ordered french fries, fried mac ‘n cheese, and fried artichoke hearts! :P No we didn’t finish all the food, we did end up taking half our burgers home to relish the next day.

Also, I took these pictures with my new iphone 4s!! Yes, I finally caved in and got a smart phone. But not just any smart phone….an iphone! :P Good bye to my old 2005 Samsung slide phone! :P

Viva Madrid | Claremont Photographer

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Three photographers getting together for dinner? What would we talk about? Well, of course photography, our business and our love of food! I first met Faria Munmun and Lily Love at a styled shoot months ago, in the early part of the year. We’ve been trying to get together for months, but due to our busy wedding season, we weren’t able to until October! It was so amazing to finally reconnect and talk about what we’ve been doing since the styled shoot. Talking over spanish food doesn’t hurt either!

The interior of Viva Madrid is very very dimly lit! But there was no way you would be able to miss that spectacular chandelier in the middle of the room!

I went to Spain during the early part of this year and I fell in love with the food and culture so much that I’ve been wanting to find a restaurant in Southern California that would be close to what I experienced in Spain. So that is how I found Viva Madrid. There is Lily and Faria chatting away, while I was taking some quick snapshots of the restaurant with my NEW 35 mm f/ 1.4 lens!

Our first appetizer was prawns in a garlic sauce. The prawns were perfectly cooked and bathed in garlic splendor! YUMMM.
The second appetizer we got was squid stuffed with chorizo! The sauce had morsels of chorizo in it.

The main course, the reason why I wanted to come here, the paella mixta! Unfortunately, the paella didn’t even compare to the one I had in Madrid. Sorry  Viva Madrid, nice try. This is a very cool place to eat at with a very unique atmosphere. I would come back only if I were in the neighborhood.

Picca Cantina | Los Angeles

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During Dine L.A., my good friend and I decided to brave the rush hour traffic on a Friday night to eat Peruvian cuisine at Picca Cantina. I originally made reservations for 8 pm, but as we were stuck in traffic we realized we weren’t going to make it. We called the restaurant and were told that they wouldn’t be able to hold our table and that we would have to be on a wait list. Facing the dreaded traffic, being stuck on the 60 freeway for the last half hour, we were determined to make it to Picca despite losing our reservation and eating a late dinner.

Alas, we made it to Picca at 8:15 pm, and the hostess was gracious enough to seat us right away at the bar. It worked out perfectly for us since we enjoyed watching the staff create tasty delights for us. We decided not to order off the Dine L.A. menu, and went with their regular menu instead. Boy were we glad we did! The food is so fresh and delicious!

This is the amazing “arroz con erizo”. It’s a Peruvian paella with mixed seafood in a sea urchin sauce!! I could eat the entire pot!

The cocktail menu. I was being good since I was the driver, I couldn’t have any alcohol. :P O.M.G….”causa sushi”. We ordered the spicy yellow tail that sits on a bed of….I don’t really know, but it tasted like a potato cake. Soooo amazing. I could eat that all day!“Chef Special”….scallop topped with uni in some sort of flavorful sauce! I wanted to order a second plate! MMMMM…..uni & scallop…a match made in heaven.Lastly, we have the black cod with sweet potato chips! The cod was so tender and juicy. I loved sitting at the bar and watching these artisans make these amazingly beautifully presented dishes! Thank you Picca! 

Quinceñera | Los Angeles Photographer

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This was my first quinceñera that I ever experienced and photographed. I was a second shooter for Gabriel Mora of Vox Photography for the day. It was Brithny’s sweet 15, and her mother, Cindy, did such a great job in planning the birthday bash and taking care of all the little details that go into a quinceñera. Gabriel suggested the San Gabriel Mission for the formal portraits and I have to say it was a stunning back drop! I have never been to the mission before so I had a great time shooting and exploring the beautiful grounds and surrounding neighborhood.

Brithny looked like a Disney princess with her gorgeous pink gown and tiara.

She is definitely a gorgeous girl and so incredibly photogenic! Gabriel is such a genius. While walking to our next shoot location, he saw a man bringing out some balloons to decorate a lamp post. Gabriel asked if he could borrow the balloons for a quick portrait for the birthday girl. Of course, the man couldn’t deny such a beautiful princess. Isn’t the mission a stunner? I must remember to return again and shoot an engagement or trash the dress session.Cindy took such great care of all her guests. She brought in all these sweet treats and more for her guests!I absolutely love this little girl. She was so happy running around in her candy outfit designed and created by her mother.Oh that face! She’s an absolute doll!