2808, 2011

Los Angeles City Hall

In a city where skyscrapers are taken for granted, Los Angeles City Hall still manages to turn heads. This seat of L.A. city government was the city’s tallest building for forty years, as new constructions were limited by building codes and earthquake stress concerns. In 1968, City Hall finally lost its title, and is now only the 28th tallest building in Los Angeles. Still, the dated art deco architecture of the building makes it prominent in a field of generic steel-and-glass towers. At night, the white masonry of the building makes it stand out even more against a dark sky. Also illuminated and the featured in this video is the Court of Historic American Flags, lining

1308, 2011

Machu Picchu

Few South American archaeological sites are as stunning as Peru’s Machu Picchu. In the middle of a mountain forest nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, this Inca city uses natural materials to create an aesthetic harmony with its natural surroundings. This site was one of the last sanctuaries for the Inca Empire as it fell to Spanish colonialism. In fact, the Spaniards were never able to find Machu Picchu and it remained hidden until 1911. As a result, it is a notably intact archaeological site although it is threatened by increasing tourism and commercial infiltration. Outside the city, the tranquil Andes Mountains are home to a variety of interesting wildlife, including Peru’s famous llamas. A pair

0507, 2011

Heceta Head Lighthouse

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Visible for up to 21 miles, the Heceta Head Light is the brightest light on the Oregon coast– not bad for a lighthouse that has been using the same fresnel lens for 117 years. The Heceta Head Lighthouse and its keepers quarters were built in 1892 and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Overlooking the rocky coast of the Pacific Ocean, the lighthouse is said to be the most photographed in the United States and is an Oregon State Scenic Viewpoint. If ocean relaxation and the historic atmosphere don’t suit you, there’s always the opportunity for ghost hunting– the lighthouse is rumored to be haunted! Brian Culbertson is a contemporary jazz instrumentalist, songwriter,