As I stood staring at a Alfredo Ramos Martinez painting in an exhibition at the Santa Barbara…read moreMuseum of Art, a man approached and whispered to me that I should check out the murals in Claremont. Initially confused but better informed after a quick internet search, I made it a point to visit the murals at Scripps College as soon as possible. The garden is open for viewing only on weekdays and it's a wonderful place to relax. The mural occupies the 100-foot length of the south wall. Martinez began sketching all the images of The Flower Vendors in 1946 but he died unexpectedly in November of that year. What remains is a riveting work-in-progress frozen in time. I think it's a better mural, too, in its unfinished state. My favorite panel: a woman with an elaborate headdress, sketched in red with black accents, stares at the viewer with a seductive gaze. The panels that were completed are richly colored and look incredible (probably benefiting from the conservation efforts in 1994 by the Getty Endowment). Alfredo Ramos Martinez was called the father of the Mexican muralists and it's easy to see the work of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and (Martinez student) David Alfaro Siqueiros in these images. I'm grateful to the man who whispered the existence of this mural into my consciousness.

I attended Scripps and loved these wonderful murals in Margaret Fowler Garden. It's worth a visit…read moreif you're in the area. It's tricky to find the gardens because they are walled, so ask for the Margaret Fowler Gardens.

City of Hesperia is part of the San Bernardino County. In…read morethe High Desert , barren desert atmosphere. Was here briefly to look at some brand new build homes by Lenner . Off the 15 fwy exit Ranchero Rd ( exit 140 ) the drive looked dry with a lot of sand dirt / not much green trees, some section sidewalk not yet developed. In due time more families will move in the area will help improve the city . I did some research on what to do in the city . To my surprise City of Hesperia has a zoo! Yeah who would have thought "Hesperia Zoo", Hesperia golf and country club , and a man made Hesperia Lake park . Camping is allowed, fishing , picknic tables and fire pit . .

City of Hesperia is one of the cities that you'll drive past on your way up on Fwy 15 coming from…read moreFontana to the high desert and even to Las Vegas if that's your final destination. It's one of the younger cities compared to Victorville and Apple Valley. What's here you ask? Well, there is a Target, Wal-Mart, Ross, Marshalls, Stater Brothers, Petco, Kahoots (pet store), In-N-Out, Jack in th Box, McDonald's, Starbucks, and more. As for attractions, to be honest, I haven't ventured out much if at all to explore much of them as most if not all of my adventures are down the hill. Hesperia is still a good city to live and visit if you're curious.

A city in the San Bernardino County, about 65 driving miles located east of Los Angeles Downtown…read more Neighboring cities within a 19 miles radius of Highland are: San Bernardino, Rialto, Colton, Fontana, Bloomington, Grand Terrace, Crestline, Redlands, Yucaipa, Moreno Valley, Riverside, Rubidoux, Glen Avon, as well as Loma Linda. I attended a friend's celebration of life at Immanuel Bsptist Church in the City of Highland!

I am not a frequent visitor of the city of Highland if at all. However, I found myself in this city…read morethe other day as I was visiting the Yaamava Casino & Resort (YCR). I have to say it may have been my first time in the city. I know it was my first time at the YCR that's for sure. My first impression of this city was that it looked like it used to be farmlands and maybe some of it is still is. I only drove in it to get to and out from YCR. I was curious so I looked up Highland. It's a city in San Bernardino County located about 65 miles east of Los Angeles and about 50 miles west of Palm Springs. Its main neighboring cities are Redlands and Colton. It was primarily an area of orange groves back in the days. Funny, I was in the city of Redlands for a half marathon many years ago and its area was known for its orange groves. Now I know there is a sister city with more of the same.

This is the new soon to open community gathering area. There is an ampitheater type setting here…read morewith picnic tables and kids areas. There is a clock tower its adjacent to the new library at Euclid ave. and C st. looks like the city is planning to begin a revamp of the old downtown area.

We live here. When you say I live in Devore people are like the vore what? I'fykyk. It's rural, but…read moreit's close to the city. Best of both worlds. Annnnnnd you can have all the pets like horses goats and chickens and even those precious little mini donkeys.

Funny, all these years of driving pass the city of Devore when heading down the hill and heading up…read morethe hill, I did not know it is an actual city until most recently. I would always call it the Devore area. See what one may learn when proper research is done LOL. It's a small little city just north of the junction between Interstate 15 and Interstate 215. It is also the last city to pass through before taking the Cajon Pass to reach the high desert area. In the past, I may have stopped at a gas station located in Devore. But other than that, I haven't done much exploration in this city whatsoever. Btw, if you didn't know... Glen Helen Pavilion (GHP)/Amphitheater, the largest amphitheater in North America, is located just south of Devore. I have been to GHP for my eldest daughter's high school graduation.

The city of Ontario has a lot of summer events going on like the one I attended last night at an…read moreOntario Park. We were able to experience Fan Halen a cover band for Van Halen. We had a nice time listening to them and before the concert started, they were giving a lot of giveaways. There are still a few concerts left for the summer. Definitely check them out.

A wide range of entertainment can be found in Ontario. A fun city to explore from go cart racing,…read moretop golf, escape rooms, movie theaters or indoor sky diving the choices for activities seem endless. Or take a quick trip to the airport for a getaway from the norm. The restaurants are plentiful for those seeking something new. The popular Ontario mills mall is always the thriving heartbeat of this city especially during the holiday season. With travelers from near or far Ontario holds its charm for us all.

The Gandhi Memorial located in Downtown Riverside is a strong statement of peace among this…read moreturbulent world. Marbled steps with encouraging quotes leaves a refreshing empowerment. Dedicated on October 9, 2005 by Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Rajmohan Gandhi and Riverside mayor Ronald O. Loveridge. Fun facts: The statue was created by artists Mandan and Aruna Garge of India. Lalit Acharya has worked to bring a statue of Mahatma Gandhi to Riverside. The memorial will honor the man who emphasized nonviolent means of civil disobedience. Depicting his life showcasing his values and guiding principles.

This is 1 of 2 juvenile detention centers in the greater S.B. area. This 1 used to be a shabby…read morerun-down looking structure that might not survive another good quake but alas, about a year ago the powers that be decided to demolish the old relic and build a replacement facility. It would appear that they did a good job. The new building isn't bad looking at all, wouldn't you agree? Now enough about the facade of this detention facility, let us talk about the approaches to managing juvenile halls. I recalled juvenile halls were operated & managed differently back in the day. It was more punitive in their philosophy. After all, these kids are in here for a reason. Some of these reasons are pretty serious. Now it seems that hese delinquents don't mind spending time in the hall because the punitive aspect is no longer practiced. Now these facilities are nothing more than overpriced time-out rooms where the taxpayers have provided video games, computers, Internet access and God knows what to these little rascals....