Michella Dresselhuys, Owner Of Fashion Kiss Takes Care Of Business

        There is something to be said for some one that dives in to the world of an entrepreneur without looking back. At 24 years old, Michella Dresslhuys has the newest store in La Mesa Village and showed me in less then 90 minutes why her store, Fashion Kiss will be a force to be reckoned with.

Angelina, The Star Of Fashion Kiss

        I received an email from the owner inviting me to take photos of her shop, which I did. While I was there we talked about a lot of things including her business, my photography, how to change a light bulb, social media, blogs, eBay and what older women want.

That’s A Sick-Ass Shirt, Yo!

        That title above is what the kid said when he stopped to look at the shirt hanging on the door of Fashion Kiss.

Michella Gives The World Her Mona Lisa Smile

        What impressed me the most about Michella is how she just gets things done. While I was there she demonstrated a sense of urgency and had intensity in her movements. If there is something that’s needs doing, she does it, right then and there. I didn’t ask her to climb a ladder so I could take a picture, she just decided the lights surrounding her new sign needed to be changed right then. Awesome.

Fashion Kiss In La Mesa Village

        This is a store that sells hot, trendy, designer ladies clothes for less than retail, and it’s right here in La Mesa Village! Michella, the owner is fun to be around and her store can save you a trip all the way into downtown or to Fashion Valley. You can buy the fashions of Paris, Milan, New York and Hollywood in right here in La Mesa so by all means head down to the store and see for yourself what sort of entrepreneurial spirit resides in La Mesa.

A Photographer Under Imperial Beach Pier

        I’m on a mission to make a photograph of the IB pier that just breaks all the rules and has a great wow factor. I don’t know what it will be or how I will pull this off exactly but I can tell you that it won’t be the pier quietly sitting along one of the rule of thirds lines with a colorful sunset in the background. Oh no, this will be something different.

Yoga On Imperial Beach

        A problem I have with writing about the beach here in the city of Imperial Beach is that it seems like I’ve overused the word “beach” by the time I’m done. I think I may have to make the decision right now that I will refer to Imperial Beach as IB so I can save the word beach for writing about the actual beach.

Receiving Instructions At A Softball Clinic

        I made a dedicated trip to Imperial Beach Sports Park to see a girls softball clinic the other night to get an idea of what the nighttime lighting conditions are like at this particular field. The lighting turned out to be very good. You would normally expect lighting to be the problem at night at a venue like this, but my enemy the entire time were the chain link fences which seemed to be everywhere, spoiling my backgrounds and foregrounds. I’m gonna have to work on that. Spring training is not just for the players, but the photographers and staff as well.

Learning Techniques For Pitching And Catching

        There are several ball fields at the park, some of them less fenced in than others so with any luck the actual games will be played on different fields. Kulken Field, in La Mesa is a great little league baseball field and I got some great shots at an all star game there last summer. Anyway, I’m looking forward to watching a lot of live baseball and softball this year, while working on my photographic technique at the same time. Cheers!

Looking South At The Border Field State Park Fence

        The extreme southwestern point of the continental United States is encompassed by a California state park named Border Field State Park. After spending some time there, I am just going to come right out and say that this park is a victim of The War On Terror. The beach is barren because people aren’t allowed swim there, the monument at friendship circle is kept behind lock and key, there are no bathrooms or drinking fountains and you aren’t allowed to be within 50 feet of the actual border. Add to this that the road to the park is always flooded, meaning you can’t access the park with a car, only by walking or riding a horse or bicycle. In short, this park has “STAY AWAY!” written all over it. The ironic thing is that these stipulations and conditions only exist on the American side of the border.

A Man, A Woman & A Dog At Border Field State Park

        On the Mexican side of the fence, you can play on the beach, walk up to and even walk through the fence. On the American side, as I found out the hard way, if you come within 50 feet or so of the actual border fence you will see a border patrol agent drive down to your location and tell you so keep back about 50 feet. There is actually a secondary fence the runs about 50 parallel feet north of the actual border, that ends about 200 feet of east of the pacific ocean that marks the limit of American citizen access. These objects of isolationism bear no signs or warnings. There is nothing in place at all to keep you from walking directly up to the actual border fence. You’ll know you’re in the wrong when a border patrol jeep drives up behind you to point out the imaginary line you are not supposed to cross.

A Mexican Child Retrieves A Ball From America

        As I said before, from the Mexican side of the fence there is nothing to keep you from enjoying a wonderful beach that happens to be on the border between two countries… Swim in the water, approach the border fence, or just have some fun in the sun. As the photos in this post show, you are not entitled to ANY of these things on the American side of the beach.

Playing In The Sand… A Few Feet South Of America

        I think tourists in Mexico will ultimately be just as disappointed as tourists in America that come to this park. I thought I’d be able to walk right up to the border and be able to talk with and photograph people on the other side. I was only half right. My trip to Border Field State Park has ONLY my photography to show as evidence that I was there. Just about every other human interaction activity is forbidden by law. Welcome to America.

        I think I may have to return to this park in a year or so to see if anything has changed. The photos surrounding this text show my impressions of this place. The closer I reached the border, the more iron bars blocked my way. As I walked away, I came across a butterfly, dead on the sand pointed towards Mexico.

        After going to Border Field State Park, it’s very hard to say what is doing the greatest good for the greatest number. From my eyes, the powers that be have turned the border area with a monument called, “Friendship Circle” into an uninviting area that no one wants to go to. What’s my proof? The empty beach in front of me and the national monument that is kept under lock & key, admissible only under of the supervision of a US Border Patrol Agent. Agents like the one that told me to step the Hell back from the border. This is the same guy I need to ask to permit me to see the monument at Friendship Circle. Can you say, “Uncomfortable?”

Friendship Circle Monument As Seen From America

        I have plans to return to Border Field State Park, but I don’t know when. Actually I do know when… The next time I feel like America’s laws have become so constrictive that I can’t draw a deep breath, I will look towards this park and see all the families and children having fun… On the other side of the fence.

The Art Of Daphne Hill

        I was able to put in a brief appearance last night at a Daphne Hill art show held at Planet Rooth Studios. My time was very limited so I had to cruise through like a jet-setting celebrity and was only able to meet the artist as I was about to fly out the door. She was very pleasant and has a great handshake. I liked her pieces a lot. They definitely grab your attention right away.

Planet Rooth During Daphne Hill Art Show

        The owner of the studio is Gustaf Rooth, who has at least two irons in the fire: Planet Rooth Studios and Barrelly Made It, a company and workshop that creates furniture from the disassembled iron hoops and wooden slats of wine barrels.

Daphne Hill (Far Right) At Her Art Show With Her Friends

Planet Rooth Owner Gustaf Rooth As The Studio Sells It’s First Work Of Art

        While I was there the sale of the studio’s first piece occurred. Gustaf Rooth, as owner of the studio signed the tear sheet.

The Art Of Daphne Hill

        The studio is in a great location at 5th ave. and Thorn St. right at the northwest corner of Balboa Park so try get down the to see the studio and then have lunch downtown and wrap the trip up with a stroll through the park.

This Is What You Get If You Ride The San Diego Trolley

        Some dude got jumped and robbed at the Park & Market San Diego trolley station last week, as you can see in the video above. SDMTS and the police are shopping this video around trying to get a lead. You know what’s missing from all this? A mug shot, taken from the video of the attack of the attackers. The reason it’s missing is because the “security” cameras record at such a shitty resolution that the faces of the attackers can’t even be seen.

        Of course this has me asking the question, “Why did the public have to pay (via taxes) for security cameras at trolley stations that don’t have record enough detail to solve a crime?” Seriously, what does this video contribute to the prevention of crime? If the answer is “nothing” then why are the cameras there and why the fuck did I have to pay for them? With any luck at all, there is a San Diego version of Bernard Goetz that will take action, with SDMTS cameras recording the action in unusable, shitty quality.

Surfer Near The Imperial Beach Pier

        This morning, about ten o’clock I rode down to the beach. There were a lot of surfers and some HUGE waves coming in. I found out that about an hour after I left the beach was closed due to sewage contamination.

Surfing, Right Before The Beach Was Closed

Bailing Out

Tubes At Imperial Beach

Surfing A Big Wave In Imperial Beach

Enjoying The End Of A Great Ride

        The surfer above didn’t fall off his board, he launched himself off after a good long ride. That is always a fun thing to watch because it’s kind of the surfer version of doing a burnout after a win.

Surfing Right Next To Imperial Beach Pier

        What a bummer for everyone in these photos that just a little bit later, the life guards would be calling them all in to shore and delivering the bad news. There were a lot of surfers surfing very close to the pier, which seems a little risky to me but then again, I’m not a surfer.

The Beginning Of A Space Pirates Dance Party

        The first show for 2011 at Technomania Circus was the Space Pirates Dance Party and I was there. It was one more show that had a little bit of everything from live music to jugglers to fire. Oh yes, there was some fire at this show!

Jon & Anton Juggle Fire

Dr. Techno & Valerie Power Behind The Shadow Puppet Show

Technomania Circus Is Flexible

What Is Missing From Our Fire Juggling Act?

Children!

        In the photo above, it may look like Anton is taunting the children with fire while Jon is reassuring the parents. Yep, it might look like that but don’t worry, the children survived and we were all very entertained.

Jon In The Crow’s Nest Blowing Fire Into Barrio Logan

        Even if you were not fortunate enough to attend this show don’t worry because there is a Technomania Circus show every month or so. I’ve been to several so be sure to have a look and my other posts, photos and videos of Technomania Circus. The Technomaniacs remain, without a doubt, one a the gems of San Diego. The video above shows Jon & Anton entertaining & juggling. Great job Technomaniacs!

The Sun Sets Behind The La Mesa Farmer’s Market

        Every Friday from 3-6pm La Mesa has a Farmer’s Market. During this time of year you get the benefits that go along with purchasing and eating fresh produce and being able to be at the Market when the sun goes down… Not a bad way to wrap up a week.

San Diego & Coronado Bridge Moments Before Sunrise

        This was a neat thing to see a couple mornings ago. For this photo I was looking north and slightly west at the Coronado Bridge from the southern edge San Diego Bay. Behind me at about my 4 o’clock the sun was less than a minute from rising. The clouds behind me began to glow bright red, throwing their colored light over downtown and the bay, giving us a pink Martian sky for a few seconds, until the sun breached the horizon, instantly returning the sky to shades of blue.