The Woolman Family

Christmas Trip to Disneyland with Mom (Grandma)

2011-12-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Went to Disneyland today with my Mom, Cameron's Grandma. We always enjoy going for Christmas and have been doing it every year for the past three years now.

Family Christmas Photo 2011

2011-12-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

This year's Christmas photo. We actually got Cameron to hold still and smile long enough to take the picture. It only took 12 tries! Yay!

Next year there will be four of us! :-)

Porsche Rennsport Reunion IV @ Laguna Seca

2011-10-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

Porsche Rennsport Reunion came to Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. for the first time this year for the 4th installment of the fabulous event. Porschephiles from just about every corner of the globe descended on the greatest racetrack in the world to celebrate one of the best sports cars ever built, Porsche.

Here are some of the photos I was able to take while at the event.

BMW Team RLL Laguna Seca Race Results

2011-09-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

As featured on Bimmerfile.com

Some of the world’s most important race cars have competed at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. This weekend was no exception as BMW Team RLL returned to the iconic 2.238-mile track for Round 8 of the 2011 American Le Mans Series.

The thirteen-car GT class was the largest and most competitive in the 36-car, four-class field at Laguna Seca. After a strong qualifying session in which Joey Hand qualified the No. 56 M3 GT in first position and Bill Auberlen qualified the No. 55 in third position, the team fought hard and finished strong in the six-hour endurance race.

BMW Team RLL has finished on the podium during every race this year and that streak continued at Laguna Seca with a 2nd place finish for Joey Hand and Dirk Müller in the No. 56 BMW M3 GT. The No. 55 driven by Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner finished 4th. The No. 45 Flying Lizard Porsche GT3 RSR driven by Patrick Long and Jörg Bergmeister earned their first win of the season.

With three wins and a total of ten podium finishes, BMW Team RLL clinched driver and team championships on Saturday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. It’s the second straight team championship for BMW Team RLL. Joey Hand and Dirk Müller secured the drivers’ championship in GT – the first for Hand and second for Müller.

BMW Team RLL will conclude the 2011 season at Road Atlanta with the 14th Annual Petit Le Mans. The series will crown its champions at the 1000-mile/10-hour endurance classic. Green flag waves at 11:30 a.m ET on Saturday, October 1, 2011.

Official Release:

A strong start to the season followed by consistent podium finishes throughout the midpoint of the year culminated in the first American Le Mans Series GT Driver championships for the No. 56 BMW Team RLL M3 GT of Dirk Muller and Joey Hand, and the second consecutive Team championship for BMW Team RLL. The Muller /Hand pairing clinched their first titles as teammates with a grueling second-place finish in Saturday’s American Le Mans Monterey race at Laguna Seca Raceway, marking BMW Team RLL’s eighth consecutive podium finish in GT competition.

“A Drivers Championship – against this year’s competition – is fantastic,” said Joey Hand. “Dirk and I are a great team. We had a great showing from our Crowne Plaza and Avnet partners this weekend. It was great to win in front of them. The Dunlop tires were really strong all week. I am excited…that’s for sure!”

Starting from the pole, the duo completed 236 laps in the six-hour race around the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Laguna Seca circuit in the hills of Monterey, California. The No. 55 BMW Team RLL M3 GT of Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner finished in fifth place to maintain their third-place position in the Driver point standings. Following the race the third-place finishing Ferrari was penalized 90 seconds for avoidable contact, moving Auberlen and Werner up to fourth.

Both BMW M3 GT cars were very strong in the opening hour of the race. Joey Hand used his pole position to build a 20-second lead by the end of the first hour. Hand maintained his lead through the first round of pit stops, while stablemate Bill Auberlen in the No. 55 M3 GT was able to push the No. 4 Corvette until his tires were damaged and subsequently passed him to move into the second position. Auberlen’s effort would prove key as the Corvette was the only team that could keep BMW Team RLL from a second straight team title.

All through the six-hour contest, the top five GT Class competitors were within a few seconds of each other. Finally, at the top of the final hour, each competitor had completed their last pit stops and it was a sprint race to the finish. With 40 minutes remaining, Muller was in first position with a comfortable lead over Auberlen in second, but a left tire puncture sent Auberlen to the pits for a new Dunlop tire, dropping him back to fifth.

Three minutes later, the fifth caution of the race tightened up the field again. After the restart with only eight minutes remaining, Dirk Muller dropped back to third during a heated battle with a Ferrari and a Porsche, but he moved up to second on the last lap when the second-placed Ferrari began to run out of fuel, opening the door for Muller to repass for the second-place podium finish.

“Fantastic! I am so happy for Joey, for the Championships, for Rahal Letterman Lanigan, for BMW, for Dunlop, and for all of our partners and supporters,” added Dirk Muller. This one means so very much to me. This year we felt it, we worked so hard and so well together. Thanks so much to everyone!”

“As we prepared for the 2011 season, we knew we had all of the ingredients to contend for the championship, but it takes a lot of effort from everyone involved to actually make it happen,” said BMW Team RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal. “Each one of our drivers gave us everything they had, BMW provided us with a great car and outstanding support from throughout their great organization and the crew both at the track and at the shop worked extremely hard to make this happen. We are happy to celebrate these championships with our partners at Crowne Plaza, Avnet, Dunlop, Rays and everyone else involved with BMW Team RLL!”

The BMW Team RLL squad has one final order of business as it looks to clinch its second consecutive ALMS GT Manufacturer championship in the 2011 season finale. The final round of the American Le Mans Series season is the challenging 10-hour Petit Le Mans, which will be held on October 1 at Road Atlanta.

BMW Team RLL Qualify at Laguna Seca

2011-09-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

As featured on Bimmerfile.com

The No. 56 BMW M3 GT will start on the pole in tomorrow’s ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The No. 55 BMW M3 GT will start third on the grid. The six-hour endurance race into the darkness is round eight of a nine race season.

Joey Hand qualified the No. 56 M3 GT in first position with a lap of 1:22.226 (97.984 mph) around the famous racetrack. Hand and co-driver Dirk Müller lead the GT driver point standings with 124 points, which is a 25 point lead over Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R. Gavin qualified the C6.R in second position with a lap of 1:23.124 (96.925 mph).

BMW Team RLL driver Bill Auberlen qualified the No. 55 M3 GT in third position with a lap time of 1:23.132 (96.916) around the 2.238-mile track. Auberlen and co-driver Dirk Werner are currently third in the driver point standings.

In addition to the six-hour race around one of the world’s most renowned circuits, Championships are also on the line this weekend in Monterey. Currently, BMW Team RLL leads the GT Team Championship over Corvette Racing with a total of 133 points. BMW has a 30 point advantage over Porsche for the GT Automobile Manufacturer Championship.

Official Release:

SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE POLE FOR BMW TEAM RLL AT ALMS MONTEREY

Monterey, CA. – September 16, 2011… BMW Team RLL driver Joey Hand recorded the sixth pole of the season for the No. 56 M3 GT in this afternoon’s qualifying session for the American Le Mans Monterey to extend the BMW Team RLL qualifying streak to a total of seven consecutive poles in 2011. His lap of 1:22.226 minutes around the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Laguna Seca circuit bested the 12-car GT field by a margin of .898 seconds. Hand and co-driver Dirk Muller lead the GT driver point standings with a total of five podium finishes that include three consecutive victories to start off the season.

Teammate Bill Auberlen qualified the No. 55 M3 GT in the third position with a 1:23.132 minute lap. Auberlen and co-driver Dirk Werner have finished on the podium in three of the last four races, including a second at Road America and stand third in GT driver points.

“Well, this is another great performance by BMW and the team,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “Joey nailed the laps. It’s a big margin to be ahead. Like Dirk Werner did at Baltimore…Joey found a shortcut. I am really pleased the cars have been up front all weekend long, we just need to stay there tomorrow. We just hope for a problem free race”.

“On the pole again! It’s great!” said Joey Hand. “I have a cold and haven’t been feeling great this week but didn’t want that to be an excuse. So I gave it everything I had. It’s a testament to our team how the car came out of the trailer, we were on the money from the beginning. We kept fine tuning through the practice sessions and the guys really nailed it. The No. 56 BMW M3 GT has led every session and we have one more very important session to lead: the race. My wife and kids are here, we have a lot of Crown Plaza and Avnet friends here and we want to give them a great race at my home racetrack.”

With only two races to go, BMW, BMW Team RLL and Dunlop lead the GT Manufacturer, Team and Tire championship standings respectively.

The six-hour Modspace American Le Mans Monterey is scheduled to take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. PDT Saturday. The race will be broadcast live on ESPN3.com and rebroadcast on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 18.

Our Summer Trip to Utah, Beautiful Utah!

2011-07-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

We recently took a short five day trip to Utah to visit Britt’s family and some good friends of ours. On the way to Salt Lake City we stopped in Zion National Park for the first time.

Day 1 – Zion National Park, UT
After leaving Los Angeles early in the morning and making the mandatory stop at the Mad Greek in Baker, we arrived at Zion in the late afternoon. We wasted no time checking into our hotel and taking the park shuttle to Zion. While there, we hiked to the Lower Emerald Pool. Cam wasn’t exactly in the hiking mood, so he rode piggy back a lot even though the path was mostly paved. After we left the park, we had dinner at Zion Pizza & Pasta Co. in Springdale, UT.

Day 2 – Zion National Park, UT
After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we once again took the shuttle to Zion. We traveled all the way to the deepest part of the park and hiked along the Riverside Walk. This time Cameron had much more energy (maybe too much) and had no problem keeping up.

Later that day, we did another short hike to Weeping Rock before stopping off at the Zion Lodge. We then headed out to begin our drive up to Salt Lake City.

Day 3 – Salt Lake City, UT
This was a very busy day. In the morning we stopped by our old appartment at 4117 S. Highland Drive in Holladay. We also stopped by the old Audition Systems (Aurant) showroom where Chris used to work.

After our trip down memory lane, we visited with Britt’s Grandma Faye (mom’s side) and took her to breakfast at IHOP. Grandma Faye’s dogs loved Cameron and made sure they licked his face off every chance they got.

We then took a short detour to the museum at Hill Air Force Base. We thought it would be nice for Cameron to stretch his legs and get his wiggles out. If you ever get a chance, the museum is one of the nicest I’ve seen and free!

After the museum it was off to Tooele, UT to visit Britt’s Grandma Walker-Brown (Dad’s Side) and Grandpa George. We had a nice dinner of BBQ hot dogs and spaghetti! Once again, their dog loved Cameron and the two had a great time together. After our visit it was off to Alpine, UT to stay with our good friends Roger & Dawn Hill and their five (soon to be six) kids.

Day 4 – Alpine, UT
Today we spent the day with our good friends, the Hill Family. Brittney, Dawn, Boston, Cameron, Amber and Loma took a trip to Thanksgiving Point to keep the kids entertained for the day. Chris, Roger, Christian, and Grant took a trip up the canyon to the Mt. Timpanogos Wilderness Area. Once there, we went on an off-road excursion in Roger’s Yamaha Rhino side-by-side. What a blast that was! The scenery was amazing and the ride was fun and bumpy!

When we reached the top of the mountain and started to head back down, the side-by-side didn’t want to start. We put it in neutral and coasted about half way down the mountain trail. When we couldn’t go any further, we decided to have a quick prayer to ask for help. Our prayer was answered and the side-by-side started right up. We were able to get all the way back to the truck with no more problems. Needless to say, they side-by-side was dropped off for service.

Later that day Roger treated us to some great pizza and homemade root beer at The Brick Oven in Provo, UT. It was a fantastic lunch! We then all met up again for desert in the evening and stayed up pretty late. The next morning it was time to hit the road and go back to L.A.

Day 5 – The Long Drive Home
Driving the 700 miles from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles can be done in about eleven hours with moderate stops. We figured with Cameron it might take us around 12 hours. Well, to our surprise, it took us around 17 hours to get home. We left around 7:00 AM and arrived home around midnight.

Everything was great until we made it to Vegas. From Vegas to Primm, (state line) it took us three hours to go 30 miles. It was nuts and almost apocalyptic. People were driving their cars off-road in the desert just to get past the 2 mph traffic jam. Once we arrived in Primm, things were even worse. It took us almost two hours just to use the restroom, get gas and pick up McDonald’s to-go. The traffic still bunched up and crawled through a couple of mountain passes. It also came to a screeching halt three miles on either side of Baker. Don’t know why, just a lot of cars. But after Baker the traffic was great. It was like everyone disappeared. Weird!

Overall it was a fun trip, but exhausting. We definitely should have taken a couple of more days just to slow things down a bit and relax. Maybe next year!?

Cameron and his new Big Boy Bike!

2011-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Cameron's 4th birthday is coming up and today he got an early birthday present, his first Big Boy Bike. It's a 16-inch Specialized Hotrock. It's simple, light and well built, which in the end makes it easier to ride and a creates a better experience for Cam. Check out the video below...

Cameron Age 4

2011-06-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

Cameron is just about to turn 4 years old. I can't hardly believe how fast time goes by. He is growing up so fast and has turned into a handsome boy.

Friends, Fun, and Photography

2011-05-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

Had some fun today visiting with Our friends Dave,Judy, Calvin, Erik, Lex, Hope, and Alexandra. Spent the day eating, relaxing and taking pictures.

Cam playing Air Hockey!

2011-02-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

New Wheels & Tires for Linus

2011-02-10T14:42:00.000-08:00

Linus, my MINI received a brand new set of wheels and tires yesterday compliments of Tire Rack. They are a set of O.Z. Racing Alleggerita wheels. Alleggerita means "lightened" in Italian and the description couldn't be more accurate as these weigh only about 14 lbs. each! The tires are Kumho SPT's in 215/45ZR17.

Goofy Cam!

2011-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Cam having fun at our friends Kevin and Shari's house on Super Bowl Sunday.

Cam's First School Picture

2010-12-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

Cam took his first ever school picture recently at Knollwood Preschool. Turned out pretty good!

Cowboy Cam - Prescott, AZ

2010-12-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Went on a short trip to Prescott, AZ last weekend to visit my Uncle Gary and Aunt Hanna for Christmas. More pictures to come, but here is a shot of Cam in his new cowboy hat. He got a fancy new cap gun too!

Cowboy Cam

Christmas Trip to Arizona

2010-12-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

Took a trip to Chino Valley, Arizona over the weekend of December 18-20, 2010 to celebrate Christmas with Chris' Aunt Hanna & Uncle Gary. Mom and Dad were there and so were Jason and his girlfriend Christina. In addition, Aunt Nancy and Uncle Les were there too! Unfortunately there was no snow, but there was lots of rain on the way there. Here are the pictures from the trip...

Austin Powers Impersonator

2010-12-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Me and one of the best Austin Powers impersonators. He was hired for an event at Wilshire Home Entertainment.

Hackberry General Store on Route 66

2010-12-06T10:41:00.000-08:00


Hackberry General Store - Hackberry, AZ

Encino Ward Halloween Party

2010-10-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the Encino Ward Halloween Party. Cam was Peter Pan this year and he insisted that I be Captain Hook. We couldn't find a modest Wendy or Tinkerbell costume for Britt, so she was a pirate.

SoCal Vintage BMW Meet 2010

2010-10-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Went to the SoCal Vintage BMW Meet at Woodley Park today. There were a lot of great BMWs on display and I think I now have a favorite vintage BMW that I must add to my dream garage; an E9 3.0cs, 3.0csi, 2800 or CSL. Beautiful cars!

Cover Shot!

2010-09-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

My photo of the media room at the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts was selected for the cover of the Fall 2010 issue of HD Living Magazine. This is an industry Magazine distributed to various regions across the country.

Click HERE to Read Now!

My photos can also be found in the following two pages:

hd living fall 2010

Cam's First Day of Preschool

2010-09-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was Cam's first day at Preschool. He's attending Knowllwood Preschool in the Valley. Since Monday was a holiday, and Preschool, Britt's School, and the Library were all closed, he was really looking forward to the holiday being over so he could go to preschool.

He did great when we got there in the morning and didn't mind one bit when we left. There were a few issues when it came time to eat and use the bathroom, but I'm sure he'll get over that.

For his second day of preschool, he woke up at 6:00 AM and shouted "It's wake up time!". Needless to say, he was eager to go. I just wish his eagerness will last all the way through high school, but I know it won't.

August 2010 Blog Updates: What You May Have Missed

2010-08-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

Getting caught up on the blog, here's an overview of post from the past that were added this month:

2009 ALMS Long Beach Grand Prix

Paramount Ranch

Wilshire Project Profile

Camarillo Air Show

Wilshire's Mitsubishi Room

Cam's First Trip to Disneyland

Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts

Here's an overview of the new posts from August 2010:

Point Mugu Airshow

Junkyard Cafe

Cameron's Surgery

Cougar Photos

Goodbye Mazda!

Project: New Patio

Garage Makeover - Part 1

Project: Garage Makeover

2010-08-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

So, over a year ago I began my garage makeover. It's been hard to find time to work on it, but Britt and my Mom are helping me get it painted. I hate painting, so this will really help me be able to move forward.

My goal is to create a "Man Cave". My inspiration is for the space is the Gulf Oil colors from Aston Martin Racing...

When finished, I hope to have something very similar to this...

Of course, I will have a bit more stuff to share the space with the cars. Once painted, I will install a black and white checkered floor and build various shelving units. I plan to build doors for each shelving unit and hope to paint those in various liveries from the past: Martini, Brumos, BMW Motorsport, and of course Herbie.

Project: New Patio

2010-08-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

Spent all weekend on my hands and knees installing the cobblestone pavers under our new patio. I built the patio back in June, but it's taking a while to finish since finding time to work on it is tough.

Still need to create a permanent pathway to it, run electrical, do some landscaping and install a ceiling fan, speakers and sprinklers.

Goodbye Mazda!

2010-08-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

We said goodbye to our Mazda CX-7 today. No, it's not getting repossessed, it broke down today and with only 10 days left on the lease we decided to turn it in early.

Some type of valve broke, which caused all the coolant to dump on the ground. It was just six weeks ago that the A/C Compressor kicked the bucket while we were on our way to New Mexico. Other than these two issues, it's been a trouble free car. Guess 25K miles was little too much for it.

We'll miss having a utility vehicle as Brittney is going to drive the BMW daily and I will go back to driving my MINI daily. Great cars for sure, but hopefully we'll get something more useful in the next year or so.

Cougar Photos Used on Diecast Model Packaging

2010-08-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

So, a couple of years ago I received an email from someone who found pictures on Flickr I took of Dan Gurney's 1967 Mercury Cougar race car at the 2006 Monterey Historics. He explained that he would like to use them for the packaging of a diecast model. I gave him permission and never asked for compensation. I know, maybe I should have, but I was thrilled that someone wanted to use my photos.

I recently decided to purchase a model of that car without evening thinking about the email conversation from years ago. When the model arrived, I was surprised to see my photos on the box. How cool is that?! Anyway, I'm totally thrilled about this.

Click HERE to see the model on the manufacturers site.

Here are the photos used:

Cameron's Surgery - Tonsils & Adenoids

2010-08-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Today we all got up early for a 6:30 AM surgery appointment at Kaiser, Woodland Hills. Cameron was scheduled to have his Tonsils and Adenoids removed.

He was recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, which was caused by his enlarge Tonsils and Adenoids, so we opted to have them removed. He should be able to breath much better, which will help him sleep better, which in return should improve his behavior and be better for his heart.

Cameron was the perfect patient. He didn't cry or fuss one bit before the surgery. He displayed a great attitude and bravery. After the procedure was a different story, but that was to be expected. He was tired, cranky, and in a bit of pain.

In all, we were at the hospital for only three hours. The staff at Kaiser was fantastic and took great care of our precious little boy.

Dinner @ The Junkyard Cafe

2010-08-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today was my birthday, so Britt, Cameron, and Jason surprised me with a trip to The Junkyard Cafe in Simi Valley. Fun place with good food. The restaurant is decorated will all sorts of junk and there are bizarre quotes everywhere you look. Even the mismatched utensils come wrapped in a red shop rag that's been washed so many times it's now pink!

Point Mugu Air Show

2010-08-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Point Mugu Air Show was back this year for the first time in a while. Cameron has been to a smaller air show before (no jets), but since he loves his toy jet airplanes, we thought that he would get a kick out of going to see military jets.

Cameron & Grandpa

He was doing fine until the F18 took to the air. It was very loud and freaked him out pretty good. However, after a quick nap he warmed up to the jets. He did real well when the Air Force Thunderbirds put on their show.

Brittney & Cameron

Dirty Cameron

2010-08-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

This is what Dirty Harry probably looked like as a three year old before he traded his bubble maker in for a .44!

Summer Vacation 2010: Arizona & New Mexico Day 1

2010-07-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

Landscape Photography

2010-07-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Real Estate Photography Logo

2010-07-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

Slowly working towards perfecting my real estate photography. Here is a first draft of a potential logo for the business.

Cam's 3rd Birthday Invitation

2010-06-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Cameron is turning three on June 26th and he wanted a Toy Story themed birthday party. Now, I'm not going to run out and buy a bunch of Toy Story branded crap, so I made this invitation from scratch. The Little Green Men are going to be the stars of the party. I think Britt is even going to make cupcakes that look like Little Green Men.

Concorso Ferrari - Pasadena, Calif.

2010-05-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Over 100 beautiful classic and modern Ferrari automobiles lined up along Pasadena Blvd. during Concorso Ferrari, one of the largest annual gatherings of Maranello's finest. The combined value of the vehicles topped $100 million. Organized by the Ferrari Club of America, Southwest Region, the Concorso stretched across several blocks of Colorado Blvd., from Pasadena Ave. to Raymond.

Slideshow...

2010 Long Beach Grand Prix - ALMS

2010-04-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

Went to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race at the Long Beach Grand Prix today. The American Le Mans Series is by far the premier racing series in the country. I just love going to these races and following the series. Here are some paddock shots from just before the race...

COMING SOON!

Race Recap:

Final Lap:

2010 Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts

2010-04-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, Family Media Room 2010. Interior Design by Designs of the Interior, Westlake Village, CA. Photography by Chris Woolman, www.ChrisWoolman.com

The elegant Cravens Estate, which is the headquarters of the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is the 2010 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. The company I work for, Wilshire Home Entertainment was proud to be a part of this project and collaborate with this esteemed organization.

Designed by architect, Lewis Parson Hobart, the Cravens Estate was inspired by the baroque Chateau Vauxle-Vicomte in France, which was also the inspiration for Versailles. It has a wealth of striking features and original architectural details. The spectacular renovations bring it back to its glory days while adding the amenities, technology, and conveniences that enhance modern living.

Wilshire Home Entertainment designed and installed a concealed entertainment system in the Family/Media Room. As you walk in the room, the first thing you’ll notice is the beautiful Seura TV MIRROR. Not just a TV, not just a mirror, the Seura TV MIRROR beautifully, seamlessly and successfully integrates into the home décor. This stunning television is complimented by a complete surround sound system with in-ceiling speakers and concealed electronics.

In the sitting area you will find another television concealed in a cabinet with a motorized lift. When desired, the TV appears with the touch of a button. When the TV is not in use, the furniture remains the focal point of the room and the TV disappears from view.

All the electronics in the room are controlled by one-touch operation with a Crestron control system and touch panel. The Crestron system is also linked to a Lutron lighting and shade control system. This combination allows the user to control the lighting and raise or lower the shades with a single button press. Not only do the Lutron dimmers and shades help maximize energy savings, but the Crestron system also monitors energy usage and savings.

2010 Targa California

2010-04-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up early to check out all the cars preparing for the 2010 Targa California. The Targa California is a rally event open to pre-1975 cars of all makes and models, though it was heavily supported by Porsche owners.

The cars in attendance were beautiful drivers. No trailer queens here!

You can view event coverage from www.BringATrailer.com here:

BaT Live from the 2010 Targa California!

Targa California 2010 - An Incredible Day 2

Christmas Eve 2009

2009-12-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

Cameron preparing cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer. Listen carefully when Cam puts the cookies on the Santa plate.

Family Christmas Photo - 2009

2009-12-14T22:52:00.000-08:00

It was such a challenge to get both Cameron and Cooper (the dog) to hold still for last year's family Christmas photo, that we didn't even bother to include Cooper this year. Sorry buddy! Turned out to still be very difficult to get Cameron to cooperate, but this is eventually what we were able to capture...

Cam's First Trip to Disney's California Adventure!

2009-11-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

Well, we bought season passes to Disneyland after our visit in October and we plan to get our money's worth. During our first trip back we took Cam to Disney's California Adventure. He loved the life-sized version of Mater... I did too!

Unfortunately Britt had taken only the essentials from her purse and for some reason our little camera was not included. We had to use my iPhone instead and this was the best it could do...

Jason Playing Baseball

2009-10-25T23:01:00.000-07:00

Took some pictures today of my brother Jason playing baseball with his adult league. Cam had fun at the ballpark, but I think baseball is still a little to long for a two-year-old.

Cam's First Trip to Disneyland!

2009-10-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

We all took the day off and went to Disneyland today. It was Jason’s birthday (so he got in free), and Cam’s first trip to see Mickey Mouse. We had a great time and Cameron loved it.

Monterey Sports Car Championships 2009

2009-10-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

Went to Monterey to catch the ALMS season finale at Laguna Seca. Great race, and I think I captured some great images.

Race Recap:

Final Lap:

Wilshire's Mitsubihsi Room

2009-10-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

Took some pictures today of Wilshire's Mitsubishi Room. The lighting in the room is fantastic. I was able to capture these shots without the use of a flash. I bracketed my shots and then carefully fused the three exposures in Photomatix. I then took the time to insert screen shots on the television screens in a few of the images.

Summertime Ice Cream Treat

2009-08-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

Cam ran out and bought ice cream from the ice cream man today. As you can tell from the pictures, he really enjoyed it. We had to give him a bath afterward. Can you believe that that little push-up pop was $1.25? Everything is getting so expensive.

More pics of Cameron enjoying his ice cream treat here…

Camarillo Air Show 2009

2009-08-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Took Cameron to his first airshow today. Since he's just like his Dad and Grandpa, he loves all things with wheels and wings. It was a great show, but I've still got lots of pics to go through. Here a are a few...

Monterey Day 2: BMWCCA West Coast Summer Concours

2009-08-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

After another stop and Katy's Place on Friday morning, Dave, Erik and I headed back to Carmel Valley for the 1st BMWCCA West Coast Summer Concours held at the Rancho Canada Golf Club.

The concours was a nice event with a great selection of BMWs. Our MINIs were the only ones parked in the corral. They seemed to get a decent amount of attention. Enjoy the slideshow...

Monterey Day 1: RM Auction & Preview

2009-08-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

After spending the day in Carmel watching the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance, Dave, Erik and I headed to Monterey to catch a little bidding action at the RM Auction.

Thursday night's auction was dedicated to the Nick Alexander Woody Collection. Over 50 classic Woodies were auctioned off for a total of $7 Million. On display and parked on the back lot were the cars that would be auctioned off on Friday and Saturday night. We made sure we stopped by again on Friday to witness an Aston Martin go for over $300,000 in a phone bidding war. Enjoy the pics...

Monterey Day 1: Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance

2009-08-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

This year we headed up the coast to Monterey to enjoy car week with our friends, Dave & Judy, their son Calvin, and Erik. We drove up on Wednesday and rented a house together in Aptos, CA.

After a great breakfast at Katy's Place in Carmel, our first event of the week was the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance.

We viewed the cars on Ocean Ave in Carmel, and despite the crowds, we really enjoyed admiring this impressive collection of fine automobiles.

Later, we gathered on the side of the road to watch them all drive away. Enjoy the photos...

Wilshire Project Profile: Multi-National Company

2009-08-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

Today I photographed a commercial project for Wilshire Home Entertainment, the company I work for. This project required multiple conference rooms and a main assembly room for company functions. Wilshire's goal was to balance modern technology with the modern design of the facility.

Wilshire utilized some of the finest equipment available from top manufacturers including Crestron, Extron, Lutron, QSC, Shure, Sony, URC, Stewart, Mid-Atlantic and Tandberg. Upon completion, the project was presented to the multi-national company and their staff, who were dazzled by the end result.

The MINI Was Towed Today.

2009-08-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever, Linus left me stranded. A problem with the wiring harness adapter for the fuel injectors caused injector #2 to get stuck open. It flooded the cylinder with fuel, the car went into limp mode, and I sputtered to a stop. After shutting the car off it wouldn't start again because the spark plug was soaked in fuel.

The car was towed to MINICorsa and Danny was able to get me running again in minutes. Hubie at ABF Performance sent me some new adapters and the problem is now fixed.

That's My Boy!

2009-07-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Cameron decided to help me wash the BMW (Lucy) today. He especially wanted to wash Lucy's "Nose". At two years old he already recognizes the personality in a car. He also knows that the best way to wash a car is nearly nude, he calls it "Diaper Naked". In return, I helped him wash his MINI pedal car, but I left my clothes on!

World Class Motoring - Paramount Ranch Road Races

2009-07-22T00:04:00.000-07:00

Went to World Class Motoring today to learn about the motorsport history at Paramount Ranch and watch an old racing movie that was filmed there in the 50's, The Devil's Hairpin. Bet you didn't know there was a great racetrack hidden in the hills near Agoura? Well, it turned out to be a very deadly racetrack so racing ceased after just three years. However, today you can stil visit Paramount Ranch and see the remains of the old track.

Cameron's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-06-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

Photos by Dave Read: http://www.flickr.com/photos/am0eba/sets/72157620537732161/

New (used) BMW 330i ZHP

2009-06-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

Picked up this 2003 BMW 330i ZHP to help relieve the MINI of its daily driving duties. The BMW has 53K miles, a six-speed manual transmission, and a handful of "M" parts as part of the ZHP package. Oh, and the color is Imola Red, available only on the M3 and cars with the ZHP package.

SCMM All MINI Car Show

2009-06-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

2009 Long Beach Grand Prix - ALMS

2009-04-18T23:38:00.000-07:00

A Few Easter Pics

2009-04-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

A MINI Vacation in Vegas (AMVIV) 2009 - Day 3

2009-03-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a some photos from a A MINI Vacation in Vegas. Lex, Erik, and I went on a run to the Valley of Fire. It was a great drive!

A MINI Vacation in Vegas (AMVIV) 2009 - Day 2

2009-03-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

While on a run during AMVIV, we stopped at Hoover Dam to check out the progress on the new bridge.

Calvin's Birthday Party

2009-02-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

Calvin Read's birthday party in Palos Verdes.

SCCA @ California Speedway

2009-01-24T21:51:00.000-08:00

Went to an SCCA race and track day event at California Speedway with SCMM (SoCal MINI Maniacs) today. We were there to support Brecht MINI's participation in the event and get in a few "high-speed" parade laps. Cameron slept through the parade laps even though we got to push the MINI pretty good.

Cameron @ 18 Months

2008-12-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

Our second set of "professional" photos of Cameron. Professional is a loose term as it's just kids working at these places, but they have a studio which helps.

Motor 4 Toys 2008

2008-12-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

More than 3,000 cars again gathered in Woodland Hills, CA to support this year’s Motor4Toys event. The event moved from last years location in Agoura Hills to the Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield Campus in Woodland Hills, which allowed for more room for the thousands of people who showed. Guests who brought a toy donation were treated to one of the biggest and best car shows in the nation.

A Little Work Done at MINICorsa

2008-11-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

Took the MINI in to get a little work done at MINICorsa. JCW suspension upgrades, fluid changes, etc… Did the brakes myself!

Garage Day with Friends

2008-11-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

Spent the day hanging out with Lex and Erik. We worked on our cars a bit today even though it was raining.

SCMM Solvang Run

2008-10-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

Went to Solvang for the weekend with SCMM (SoCal MINI Maniacs), our MINI club. Had a great time hanging out with our friends. We didn't bring our MINI for this trip. The family car assumed the role of a support vehicle. I got to drive and ride up in Dave's convertible. Open top motoring at its best!

Cameron's New MINI Shirt

2008-02-24T18:39:00.000-08:00

Cameron’s new “personalized” MINI shirt courtesy of Robert Ballard of twistybitz.com