Posts by Jefferson Graham
Ten Photographers Take on Manhattan Beach 2024 Fireworks
A group of ten photographers got together this year to showcase the annual Manhattan Beach Holiday Fireworks for a video unlike previous editions. What if each of them showed the display from a different point of view throughout the city? (Watch the results above.) And that’s exactly what they did. Evelyn Schmitt, who lives on…
Read MoreLabor of love and lights: How Manhattan Beach’s holiday fireworks became a tradition
by Jefferson Graham Back in 1989, Pete Moffett, the owner of Manhattan Coolers, a popular restaurant on Manhattan Beach Boulevard, had a brainstorm: how about fireworks in December, instead of July, as a way to kick off the holiday season downtown? Together with other merchants in the area, he sold the city on the idea. …
Read MoreVIDEO: Behind the Scenes from the Manhattan Beach Fireworks Show
Ever wonder how many fireworks are brought to the Manhattan Beach Pier each year and how they got blasted off? In this video interview from 2023, John Nunan, who produces the fireworks show for the Fireworks America company, reveals all. The 2024 Skecher’s Manhattan Beach Holiday Fireworks Show is Sunday, 12/8 and the presentation begins…
Read MoreSurfing Santa Rides Again in 2024
For the 46th year in a row, the Easy Reader brings you the return of Surfing Santa, featuring Hermosa Beach chiropractor Derek Levy in the wet suit. As always, we brought the cameras to Levy’s preferred surf spot for the shoot, 1st Street in Manhattan Beach to document him in action. Levy is the fourth…
Read MoreWATCH: Northern New Mexico jewel Taos for art, history and landscapes
The latest episode of PhotowalksTV comes from Northern New Mexico jewel Taos, about 90 miles up the road from Santa Fe, a small community known for its dynamic landscape, art and the oldest living community, the Native American Pueblo. Join us for the photo tour of one of the great places to visit.
Read MoreEvelyn Schmitt, the Queen of the Pier, strikes again
by Jefferson Graham Life begins at 80? Who is that lady with the white hair, red jacket, Nikon around her neck and a big tripod that always seems to be under the Manhattan Beach Pier? Not just any senior out for a morning or afternoon jaunt, but the woman many have called “The Queen of…
Read MoreTRAVEL: Santa Fe, New Mexico–Food, Art & great photography – Itinerary
Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of the great, and most unique cities of the world, an adobe paradise with an abundance of art and some of the best, rich light for photography. From all the adobe architecture to some stunning sunsets, every corner of this city is an invitation to snap a picture—which…
Read More85 and THRIVING! Manhattan Beach Photographer Evelyn Schmitt Shares Her Success Story
Who is that lady with the white hair, red jacket, Nikon camera around her neck and a big tripod who always seems to be under the Manhattan Beach Pier? Not just any senior out for a morning or afternoon jaunt, but the woman many have called “The Queen of the Pier,” an award-winning photographer who…
Read MoreTRAVEL: Despite road closures, Big Sur Road Trip is Still Awesome
I recently drove from one end of the California Highway 1 Big Sur to the other, despite the road closures from a nasty mud slide that won’t get fixed until some time in 2025. In the latest PhotowalksTV episode, I start the trip just south of beautiful Carmel-by-the-sea, where motorists can immediately tell that something…
Read MorePhotowalksTV Goes National on Scripps News
Jefferson Graham travels up and down the California coast and all over the world producing episodes of his PhotowalksTV travel show. The Manhattan Beach resident offers travel and photo tips. The series has been a popular YouTube mainstay since 2018, attracting nearly 2 million views. Now, the series has made the move to broadcast TV,…
Read MoreManhattan Beach Council Candidate Marcy a hometown kid makes his bid
by Jefferson Graham After serving three terms as president of the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair, Joe Marcy wanted to go to the next level of serving his city by becoming a City Council member. He is one of six vying for the three spots in the 2024 election. Born and bred in Manhattan Beach, where…
Read MoreManhattan Beach Council Candidate O’Leary a finance pro
by Jefferson Graham Brenda O’Leary has been living in the South Bay for over 30 years, initially splitting a small place in Hermosa with five roommates, and then moving on to Manhattan Beach in 1991. “At the time, Manhattan Beach was the fun place to be,” she says, even with the daily commute to Century…
Read MoreManhattan Beach Council Candidate Charelian former finace director
by Jefferson Graham After serving 35 years for the city of Manhattan Beach, most recently as its finance director, Steve Charelian only lasted a few weeks away from City Hall when he stepped down in July. “This isn’t goodbye,” he said in his last appearance before the Council. One month later, Charelian filed papers to…
Read MoreTRAVEL: Best of Atlanta in 2-day itinerary
The Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport is the world’s busiest, attracting nearly 100 million yearly visitors to a city of 8 million people. Most however, don’t go into the city, but just connect to other places. Were they to venture into Atlanta, they’d see a modern, vibrant city with miles of walking trails, a Southern food palace…
Read MoreTRAVEL: 6 Great Things to do in Osaka
In the latest quick hit itinerary PhotowalksTV video, we’ve got 6 highlights from Japan’s bustling second city of Osaka. Most visitors to Japan visit the ancient city of Kyoto, without also bothering to venture 30 minutes away to Osaka, which is known as the “kitchen of Japan,” with its active foodie scene, historic castle and…
Read MoreTRAVEL: Barcelona is crowded, but don’t let that stop you
You may have heard that locals in Barcelona, one of the world’s most beautiful and visited cities, protested recently with squirt guns, chanting “Tourist Go Home,” complaining that they were ruining their city. So does that mean we stop visiting? The answer is a big no. We visited in May, a few weeks before the summer…
Read More