SueBee Arts

Cal Poly Pomona has one of the most gorgeous campuses. Originally the ranch of Kellogg cereal founder, Will Keith Kellogg, this school still focuses immensely on Agriculture, and has one of the top programs in the country. As a polytechnic university, the philosophy of the school is “hands on learning,” providing students with real world […]

There’s a different vibe at the beach in the early morning. The wide variety of life attached to it rises and begins its daily routine. This past Sunday morning, I journeyed to Santa Monica Beach, and Palisades Park, top of the sandy cliffs above Pacific Coast Highway. After parking at a meter, I joined countless […]

Nothing like hiking a tree-lined path to reach a waterfall on a warm, sunny day. Yesterday, Cam and I, along with our friends Ariane and Max, hiked the Holy Jim Falls trail in Trabuco Canyon. The hike is about 2.8 miles round trip, and is absolutely beautiful. To get to the trail head requires either […]

After walking with White Crane the other day, I wandered off to the desert area of the Fullerton Arboretum, always a favorite spot. Remembering when Kat discovered a Hidden Heart, I was pleased with myself for spotting the heart shaped Ouch cactus in this photo: The plant below reminded me of Medusa’s hair, but thankfully […]

Took a spontaneous trip to the Santa Ana Zoo today. According to their website, as a requirement of the zoo’s founder Joseph Prentice, there are 50 monkeys on the grounds at all time! Unfortunately, I was unable to capture pictures of ALL 50, but I did get a few shots 🙂 Monkeys have always been […]

This past weekend was the last weekend of the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn. Having never been to the Mission Inn during the Holidays before, and having heard how incredible the lights are, I really hoped I would get there this year….and I did! Cam and I took the trip to Riverside last […]

Spontaneous idea in hand, I joined crowds of others yesterday, driving the narrow, winding road from Ferndell to the Griffith Park Observatory. I was stuck in the plodding line of cars, and could do nothing other than inch my way forward to the top. I honestly figured the city must be giving away solid gold […]

Photos in this gallery are a sampling of the abundant, beautiful plants and flowers on the grounds at the San Juan Capistrano Mission, described in my other article. ~SueBee (photos by SueBee)

Surprising that growing up in Southern California, I’d never been inside the gates at Mission San Juan Capistrano. I suppose, even though mom took my brother and me to all the museums and sights in the Los Angeles area each summer vacation, driving any further would have been out of the question for a day […]

Having spent this past Sunday afternoon enjoying the sunshine and clear blue skies in San Juan Capistrano, exploring the historic Mission grounds, you might well imagine I was in photographer’s heaven. While sorting through several hundred pictures and organizing into an enticing article, I’ve decided to make these adorable little birds landing at the fountain […]

The Huntington Library is home to an amazing museum, and several stunning gardens. I posted about the museum previously, but thought I’d share some pics from one of the gardens. Out of the 14 different gardens, my favorite is the Desert. Featuring over 5,000 species, I could snap pics here all day long! Below are some […]

Reducing the size of a city scene to miniature is kinda fun – everything takes on a toy-like appearance. When Kat and I were at The Grove, 3rd and Fairfax on the west side of Los Angeles, we decided to play with the Nikon’s settings. A few days later, after perusing the instruction manual, we realized […]

Until recently, I’ve seen snow twice in my life:  While living in Germany for a couple years when I was too young to remember anything, it apparently snowed on my birthday one year! When I was like 4, while dropping my brother off for a school trip in the mountains somewhere. Spending the vast majority […]

Who needs Walden Pond? I’ve got Oak Glen Preserve within an hour’s drive. I’m hooked on that place… completely and utterly addicted. We Southern Californians often hear how others are envious of our weather with its near-continual sunshine and mild temps. People move here in droves after watching the Rose Parade each New Year’s Day, after […]

We had a wonderful family get-together for Thanksgiving yesterday, with lots of feasting and fun. My 96-year-young mom (Kat’s grandma) stayed over an extra night so I could show her my new favorite place of Oak Glen today. This morning, the sky was a dark gray, and rain was coming down pretty steadily as we left. I […]

Mojave National Preserve…what a breathtaking place to visit, and camp! My boyfriend Cam and I chose to stay at Hole-in-the-Wall Campground for a few days of hiking, climbing, and exploring (as well as the awesome camp-side stuff: campfires, s’mores, watching the stars while drinking a beer…). With the sun blasting in our eyes at 7AM, […]

Downtown Los Angeles Fabric District – now that’s a destination! Within a few short blocks of FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, and near the Fashion District, is a fabric paradise. Whether or not you’re a designer, seamstress, or tailor, you should go visit just for the experience! It’s a whole new world, as […]

An annual tradition ‘grew up’ this year – we chose wine-tasting in Escondido, just north of San Diego, as the destination for our get-away. Some families have a reunion, my three adult-age kids and I have Family Therapy Weekend! It’s something we started several years ago, as catch-up time, during their breaks back from college […]

Kat and I headed out to San Bernardino County two weeks ago, inspired by a friend’s post on Facebook. Within an hour’s drive, we arrived in paradise! Yes, the mountain village of Oak Glen, an apple growing center of Southern California, up the mountainside above Yucaipa. I can’t believe I’ve lived so many years in […]

Taking photos of people on the streets (social/street photography) is a different style of photography from landscape, animals, even portraiture, but it’s one that some people thrive in. I listen to KPCC, Southern California’s public radio station (NPR). Earlier this year I heard about a workshop planned at their studios in Pasadena, called the 24 Hour […]