Getting a bit restless in the apartment, we decided to head up to Napa Valley for a day trip. First stop was a tour of Robert Mondavi’s winery. We also hit Chandon for some bubbly and Jaccuzi/Cline for free tastings.

Perhaps the best part of the Napa trip was that all the good wines inspired a very tasty five-course meal when we got back. Mango salad, baked zuccini, chicken skewers, mussels & scallops over fettucini, and steak. Mmmmmm.

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Since I’m behind on updates, I’ve decided to just keep posting images from my adventures in no particular order. Here are two pictures from our day trip to Point Reyes a couple weeks ago. Jennie and Johnny were in the Bay Area visiting, so we grabbed a couple people and headed up the Marin coast to check out the lighthouse and enjoy some fresh oysters.

Gorgeous turquoise waters

Two flavors of delicious!

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Karla was one of our eighth grade students this year at United for Success. Back in May, by the light of the campfire on the last day of our school camping trip, Karla performed this poem. I was absolutely wowed, impressed, proud, inspired…

The next week, back at school, I videotaped Karla doing her poem in front of our school building. It was pretty straightforward:  three separate takes (wide, medium, closeup framings), pieced together afterwards in FinalCut. I finished the video just in time to make its surprise premiere for the eighth grade graduation ceremony.

But anyway, see for yourself.

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So much of our relationships depends upon context. I’m reminded of  that moment in grade school when I first saw a teacher at the mall and was stunned to realize teachers went shopping just like normal people. Or this year, when we (as teachers) brought our 8th graders into the woods for a 3-day camping trip and we got to bond with them in a less school-like way.

It’s been a week since school got out, and I had the opportunity to hang out with one of my fellow teachers for a portrait session. It’s wonderful to be able to interact in a non-work, non-school-related way. Plus, just look at how beautifully these images turned out, especially with her striking green eyes. I’m sure her students never knew this version of Ms. Berger even existed.

I think the second image is my favorite.

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I did a really fun test shoot today with young aspiring actress Stephanie Isidro. I know it may look very iPod-ad-esque, but it’ll actually be on an article for Mochi’s blog titled “The Anti-iPod.” I just think her hair looks awesome!

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This was an absolutely gorgeous engagement session with Erica, Robert, and Erica’s daughter up at the Kunde Estate Winery. Because Erica works at the winery, we had free reign to the 1,850-acre property after hours. We were surrounded by breathtaking views and a beautiful sunset. I’ve never liked lens flares more.

Plus, I loved hearing Erica and Robert’s story– 13-year-old boyfriend and girlfriend who go their separate ways, always remembering each other, eventually find each other again and fall completely in love. I can’t wait for their wedding in August!

Erica and her daughter– precious.

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Armed with flashlights, cell phones, tripod, and my camera, we headed up the hill for some light writing fun. These photos always turn out super impressive because the camera documents what we can’t see in front of us. But it’s just physics! And all it really takes is a very slow shutter (as long as 20 seconds) and a vivid imagination.

“Just dance around”

Strike a pose

Creepy ghosts

Alli angel

Meet Wat. He has an iconic name.

Kapow!

hahaha. Jon.

Cityscape. Night lights of the hills in the background.

After we were done with our night photo fun, we discovered that we had been locked in the park. So we hopped an 8-foot fence and ran down the street so we could make it to Pinkberry before it closed at 11pm.

Success.

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Since I had a 4 days off for Memorial Day weekend, I talked Dan Garrison into booking tickets and flying over from Philly for some adventures from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. Pictures first. Then an overview of how our California road trip went down.

Dan in front of Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood

Famous imprints

Looking out over the crowds in Hollywood

Smoggy Los Angeles from our hike up to Griffith Observatory

Alli and Christina strike Lion King poses atop the hill by Griffith.

Friday= Driving straight down on the 5, stopping at an incredibly crowded In-N-Out in Kettleman City, arriving in LA by 4pm, walking up the Barnsdall Art Park hill, meeting Mairin at a Thai restaurant, and going out to a local jazz bar with Jon.

Saturday= going to Porto’s (a cheap & delicious bakery) with Jon, Christina, and her friend Alli, doing the touristy thing in Hollywood, and meeting Jennie Gao in Little Ethiopia for dinner.

Sunday= hiking up Griffith Park to the Griffith Observatory, walking around the Armenian Cultural Festival at the end of Jon’s street, eating lots of meat at Korean Barbecue with Jason Lee, light writing at Barnsdall Art Park, and hopping a fence to get to Pinkberry before close.

Monday= driving back up the coast, taking California State Route 1, “highway 1,” the whole way up; meeting up with Rebecca, Rebceca, Emshay, and Laura at Santa Cruz, heading to Santana Row for dinner, and continuing back up to conclude the trip.

More photos still to come.

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Last night was an interesting experiment in convergences of threads of my life: photography meets teaching meets Duke meets TAF. A couple weeks ago, I brought some of my students to a Dinner with Scientists event hosted by our Oakland Unified School District science department. Of course, while we were there, I was snapping away with my camera. Caleb Cheung, head of TeamScience and organizer of the event, connected with me to get the pictures, and everything worked out so well that he asked me to photograph this week’s event as well– Oakland’s 51st annual science fair.

Adding to the happy coincidences, Dan Garrison, freshly graduated from Duke University, happens to be visiting me this week. And TAF friend Jason Lee (turtlistmedia.com) just arrived in the Bay Area for a very short visit between LA and Vegas. So I had them both come join me at this science fair and check out what the kids of Oakland have been up to.

It was a really cool event set at the Chabot Space & Science Center, and it was wonderful nostalgically reminiscing about our own childhood science fairs back in the day. I asked as many children as I could to lead me to their projects and explain away! Congrats to them and all the people who helped them discover the joys of scientific exploration!

For the full sets of images from both events, visit the gallery at http://gallery.annawu.com/Events.

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And a few images from the Dinner with Scientists event a couple weeks ago, also held at the Chabot Space & Science Center.

Victoria explores the space module

Our 7th graders strike a pose atop the observation deck.

Daniel & Daniel at the dinner table as Mr. Klein looks on.

And the very cool planetarium show, closing the night.

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San Francisco Bay Area. I am still endlessly amazed that I actually live here.

Within the last week, several different friends have come and gone on their various Bay Area visits, and it’s been a great excuse for me to rediscover the sights that surround me.

Berkeley. The view from Ho Chie’s roof deck at sunset.

Oakland. I love the surreal look of slow-shutter water. Lake Merritt just after sunset.

San Francisco. A crisp, clear night atop Twin Peaks as cars navigate the curves down the hill.

Love, love, love the Bay.

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