ANTICIPATING GOOD...

"rain-drenched leaf on the hood of my car"

:: A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-N-G ::

a weather change in "my neck of the woods coast"

{rumors are "a period of rain" is coming next week}

some time to read listen to my book today

{The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd}

seeing Hamlet at PCPA ~ the Sunday matinee

{Lauren, JPE & I}

 taking a deep breath without coughing up a lung

{day three - antibiotics + different inhaler; day nine for coughing}

a brief return to work

{hopefully, tomorrow - to check in} 

P52 {WEEK 12}

"tile work"
elementary school on Van Ness, San Francisco

JPE & I began our Spring Break
visiting friends in San Francisco...
apparently, we brought blue skies & light sweater weather!

"random findings" from Sunday's walk...
posting with Tamar @ Random-osity!

"looking up"

mobile made from recycled items

"swirly, graffiti art"
an abandoned jazz club

"recycled" shipping containers

(three-story clothing store)

"swinging in the breeze"
Japanese Tea Garden lantern

"captured"
by JPE

"scaring away the evil spirits"

"ballet"... anyone?

it WAS simply a "blue sky" day!

Thanks Richard & Eric... 

we'll be back!

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 12.9.12

edited with PicMonkey

It's TIME --- TIME to post this week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY interpretations.

The host site, RAMBLING & PHOTOS, is bound to be colorful --- especially with these words --- CALM, SEASON, WEATHER, COLORFUL & SILHOUETTE.

CALM

This love-ly cellist was sitting in a courtyard off State Street in Santa Barbara --- just waiting for her opportunity to play. JPE & I were in SB to see our nephew, Daniel, dance in his 12th year of the Nutcracker. THIS production of the Nutcracker is fairly UNIQUE --- the music is played by a live orchestra. I love the moment of CALM between the orchestra warm-ups & when the director lifts the baton before the first note is played. Ahhhh!

SEASON

"Tis the SEASON" --- for candles, snowmen (or snowpeople, if I was being gender sensitive), snow, glitter, decorated trees and houses --- on the Central Coast of California (several miles from the beach), "Tis the SEASON" for frosty mornings --- nothing like this adorable holiday village.

WEATHER

Current WEATHER --- here's a glimpse at the past week. The trees are changing colors --- we had a bit of sprinkles (or "spitting" --- barely enough to wet the ground). Oh, we also had some wind --- a couple of days, the wind chime played some light tinkling sounds.

COLORFUL

Enjoying all the COLORFUL decorations --- without the frenzy of getting our house fully decorated. I mentioned in a previous post that we're "decorating light" --- candles, JPE's miniature village, wreaths --- no Santas (yet??). We discussed using our extra time, to bake "goodies" --- our traditional treats ---  JPE will bake three types of biscotti (double-chocolate; craisin; and peppermint) --- I'll select a few holiday cookie cutters, then bake & frost the "family requested" Christmas cookies.

SILHOUETTE

Just after parking the car (Santa Barbara), I spied a fabulous art piece --- on the dark side of the street, it made a perfect SILHOUETTE against sky, as evening approached. 

The past few days I've played around with PicMonkey (free photo editing program) & then sent THE PICTURES to the kids in my family --- Lydia, Katie, Ada, Matthew & Derek. Can't wait to see them at the holidays. Hoping the technology bridges the physical distance gap!!!  

Hey --- add participating in SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY to your list of things to do --- kidding!! But, it's open to everyone. Next week's words are:  SPARKLY, DOOR, DECORATE, STRIPES & A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS.

FOWL-ISH FRIDAY...

Avila Valley Barn ~ 10.10.12

Avila Valley Barn "purchase"

ANOTHER

FOWL-ISH

SORT OF WEEK!!!

Not a

camera-sort

of week, either!

I think I'm just going to have to accept the fact that I'm one of those weekend bloggers, until work settles down!

or I get more organized?

Well - looking forward to some time with JPE this weekend. 
Plan to catch a movie, SAMSARA, an indie movie that was five years in the making! photos were all taken in 70mm. 
Our little trip into SLO may also include some side trips? 
Gopher Glen Apple Farm --- JPE hasn't been in weeks! Joe Momma's for afternoon tea?

What weekend plans do you have?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

SLO Little Theater ~ 10.13.11

For this week's Scavenger Hunt Sunday, I was able to capture most of the pictures during an errand in downtown San Luis Obispo... 

The words were: Abstract, Round, Fire, Seeing Faces in Strange Places and Stars 

ABSTRACT ~ SLO Little Theater

This piece of art probably isn't all that ABSTRACT, but, it is an portrayal of three actors who are emphasizing the "whimsical nature" of theatrical performances...

ROUND ~ sidewalk on Morro St

Have any sidewalk vault lights in your town? I'm not aware of the area underneath this sidewalk (former basement? crawl space?) but I did some research (always the educator!!) and found these ROUND glass lights were used as an inexpensive way to project light into dark areas, which created more work spaces or basement rentals. CLICK HERE to learn more about the history behind the cast iron vault lights, as invented by Thaddeus Hyatt in 1845.

Roasting marshmellows over a FIRE ~ Big Bear

Sorry... had to dig through my photo file to pull out this picture of our FIRE pit during our last trip to the cabin in Big Bear. We'll be spending Thanksgiving here with JPE's family!!! four generations of family!! I better brush up on my indoor photography skills!!!

FACES in UNEXPECTED PLACES ~ beauty salon in downtown SLO

Pumpkins are expensive!! I've noticed quite a few people using artificial pumpkins for decorations... while I understand wanting to save $$$ there is something about the smell of a burning candle in a pumpkin... and the "melt-down" of the pumpkin shell, the week after Halloween... These FACES had to share the glare of the building across the street!

STARS on exhibit ~ near the SLO Library

Hidden on the side of the parking structure (the corner of Morro & Palm St), there's a brillant outdoor exhibit of the history of the American flag. Done in ceramic tiles, the exhibit includes eight flags, along with plaques explaining the date and reason for additional STARS being added to our red / white & blue national wonder... if you visit SLO, be sure to check it out! I'm pretty sure most residents of SLO have never found this exhibit! it's one of the "hidden wonders" of our town.

Wanna join in the FuN?

check in with Ashley at SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

THESE FEET ARE MADE FOR WALKING!

CAN YOU GUESS WHERE OUR FEET TOOK US TODAY?

First CLUE?

Incredibly beautiful stained-glass windows...

located on this beautiful wall...

Second CLUE??

MEDUSA - Goddess of Petrification
greeted us in the FOYER!

Third CLUE???

...this was one of the display cases!

We
BROWSED...

"My reflection"  ~  Taking the pic 
with the massive granite stairway in the background

Of course, in the Natural History Museum, 
you would expect to find
a statue of...

...Charles Darwin

QUESTION??
were we more impressed 
with the architecture of this building 
OR the exhibits? 

here is the link to their website
Natural History Museum - London



For our next destination,
we got off the TUBE at this station...

some of the TUBE stations have TILE ART!

~ Glimpse of our destination ~

First CLUE? 

NEWTON figuring some calculations!

Second CLUE??

the courtyard was full of QUOTES....

Third CLUE???

...the foyer looked like this!

Final CLUE????

The British Library - opened in 1997!

visited the 
"Magnificent Maps: Power,
Propaganda & Art"
exhibit...


I've always thought of maps
as a geographical document!!?!


but learned...

• maps were also works of art

• propaganda pieces

• expressions of geographical pride

• tools of indoctrination

Sir John Ritblat Gallery

is the location for a "rotating display

of the library's MOST precious items.

we saw...

• the Magna Carta

• Shakespeare's First Folio

• Gutenberg Bible

• a Beatles song written on the back 

of a child's birthday card

(John Lennon's handwriting - card to his son)

DINED

at the "SHAKESPEARE Pub"

(3 minute walk to our final destination)
which was???

...the Victoria Palace...

...our feet are hanging in there!


Tomorrow ~ packing!
ummm...
tea at "the Orangery"

DEBUT!!!

"DEBUT"

at

Shakepeare's Globe Theater

for the performance of

"ANNE BOLEYN"

starring
JPE & CEE
as

"GROUNDLINGS"

In the post,
 Tour 'Round the GLOBE
 I mentioned 
we would be taking our "seats"
as "groundlings"
meaning - we didn't actually 
SIT ANYWHERE!

we STOOD for 
the 2 1/2 hour performance!
& LOVED EVERY MINUTE!

Our tour guide had mentioned
 "performances must-go-on"
even if it rains!
It had rained for 3-4 hours during the night
NOPE!  
we wouldn't need our raincoats!

YEP!
we did!

YES! 
the play continues!
with the cast &
front three rows of the boxes 
getting damp...

& the "lowly groundlings"
getting MORE than damp!

 ALL part of the "MUST-HAVE-EXPERIENCE"!

VIEW of ROYALTY BOXES
Huh! this doesn't look like royalty!
we actually had closer views 
of the actors & actresses

planning a trip to London?
this is

A MUST-HAVE-EXPERIENCE!! 

Shakepeare's Globe Theater

SECOND DEBUT!!! 
Following a tasty, hearty dinner
in the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Field's
(we had a "cuppa" tea & scones
here ~ more than ONCE!!?!; 
made brass rubbings 
& used their very clean WC's ~
whenever we were near this area)

"ROMANTIC" 
...candles were lit 
in all the church windows
...tea lights adorned
all the church pillars

PRE-CONCERT 
ORCHESTRA PIT

BELMONT ENSEMBLE
played several of our favorites

Pachebel - Canon

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

during the 2 hour performance

"This ensemble was established 

to enable exceptional music graduates 

the opportunity to bridge the gap 

between leaving conservatoire &

finding full-time employment, 

within a professional environment."

"They are considered a "fixture"

on the London music scene &

rely on enterprising programming

& box office receipts to fund

performances."

(info taken from concert program)

more information at
Belmont Ensemble

FABULOUS!

DATE-TIME w/JPE!

WEDS REPLAY!!

LONDON cast ~ JERSEY BOYS

Our day ended at Prince Edwards Theater - for the London performance of JERSEY BOYS!  The cast was incredible! our seats were spectacular!  I liked Stephen Ashfield (actor on left) who played John Gaudio, the songwriter for the Four Seasons. he was least like a "Jersey" boy ~ didn't get into trouble! never wanted to be a performer! Amazing choreography & set decorations. Thanks Lars & Kathryn for "insisting" we see this performance!

Brewmaster's Pub ~ Charing Cross

Wandered up & down Charing Cross Rd & walked through Soho looking for a place to eat! 

I had taken a picture of this pub sign, hoping to get back and see it lit up at night!!! and this is where we ended up eating!

PUB FOOD at the Brewmaster's - sign said the establishment has been there since the 1840's... um! don't know if I believe that???


Our ORDER: Bangers (Suffolk pork sausage) & mash (mashed potatoes) w/red onion gravy... and a "vegie" Red Leicester (crumbly English cheese) + Spinach burger & chips (fries)... and split a "pint" of Old Speckled Hen (yummy! even JPE liked the taste). It was ALL tasty! service was good! and close to the theater! perfect!

A-MAZING WEST END ~ Trafalgar Square

TRAFALGAR SQUARE is still the "happening place"... 
Last Sunday evening, "A-Mazing West End" was erected overnight!
Along the maze path are signs asking questions & giving info about some of the "hidden gems" (their advertisement lingo) in the West End of town. Would have walked the maze, but we chose to people watch! (free! interesting!)... and the queue for the maze was about 45 minutes! The maze is being taken down on Friday! wonder what's cooking in Trafalgar Square for the weekend?

A-MAZING WEST END sign ~ Trafalgar Square

Started the day with a "London Walks" led by Karen - a fiery, energetic, actress - who was selected as a "Blue Badge Guide of the Year." She explained that the British Museum houses 2 million years of history & civilization. Our first stop was the "Rosetta Stone" - I saw lots of heads & not much of the hieroglyphics BUT I was cool with that! everything is amazing! 

Athen's Parthenon ~ British Museum

Standing in front of the Parthenon (yes! it's here & not in a museum in Athens), Karen wove such a descriptive story, you could almost visualize being in Greece! about 8+ people started tagging along with our group (a bit annoying, because we had paid for this talk!)... but - I'm sure the publicity for London Walks is welcomed!

JPE & I browsed through some other sections of the museum before leaving for our afternoon "tea break"... Incredibly interesting exhibit on "mummification" & why some bodies were preserved & others deteriorated. Researchers determined the environment was very important! exhibits showed a body laid on reeds vs a body laid on moist earth... The reeds pulled all the fluids from the body, leaving a pile of bones - the body placed in the moist earth was preserved!

Aphrodite - Venus

JPE is a Renaissance lover! so here's one of the gorgeous 
statues in the Greek & Roman Collection room.

British Museum ceiling - former British Library

Karen, our London Walks tour guide mentioned the glass ceiling was added in the late 1990's... making the entire museum under one roof & creating London's first indoor public square. It is now used to host special exhibitions.

The circular building (the Reading Room) was billed as a "center for learning" & used by scholars world-wide. 

By now, you've realized I posted our day's events in reverse... I fell asleep humming, Big Girls Don't Cry! I really didn't want the play, JERSEY BOYS to end!!