Vernon: As I See It

The City of Vernon consists almost entirely of warehouses and factories, and some of its main industries are meatpacking, metalworking, and the manufacture of glass and plastic equipment. Its population as listed in the 2010 Census was 112, and its residents are mostly city employees working within the city limits. Housing is owned by the city and is concentrated in a couple of spots within the City's roughly five square-mile area. Sited adjacent to the south end of downtown Los Angeles, Vernon has a lot of pavement and little greenery. The Los Angeles river cuts a concrete swath across the municipality, but any recreational develop-ments along its banks, (or anywhere else in this suburban anomaly) are virtually non-existent. Nevertheless, a recent field trip revealed a nice variant of Vernon - calmer and quieter on a Sunday morning compared to the weekday commerce and congestion. And, somewhat surpris-ingly, a more scenic place than expected if one were just passing through amid the routine railways, anonymous warehouses, street art, foul odors, and endless procession of trucks.

ExFloration -Spring Comes Early to So.Cal.

A little rain in December an a lot of sunshine in January makes for a very Spring-like February.  These little blooms were part of the scenery that I encountered on a hike with Lil' Peanut during the course of the clear morning of February 1st at the wonderful Charmlee Park in the hills above Malibu, California.

Imaging - Religious Architecture

The 'Great Vision Church' is a simple [Korean] house of worship sited on a busy side-street in a densely packed neighborhood between Downtown L.A. and Hollywood. This is an unusually pleasant stucco design that I caught partially exposed in the glow of an early morning southern sun.

ExFlorations - Juana's Spring Blooms

Created 2014 / Revised 2015:  

For a Dreary Morning and its Promise of a Sunny Day

Imaging - Religious Architecture

This item from my collection of religious architecture images is a photo of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles which is sited between where I live and Downtown. It was taken about seven years ago and always sort of reminded me of a castle in the City. The block-sized c.1932 development is one of those subjects that looks different each time it is seen depending on light, perspective, etc. The church itself houses one of the largest pipe organs in the world and attending one of the weekly concerts is one of the those lesser known benefits that help balance out life in a big city. There is plenty of good associated information available online:  http://fccla.org/music/.