Julian

… with Apples and a Rush of Gold, love sparkled on us. 

Last weekend was our 2 year anniversary, so we headed up to Julian, Ca. a 2.5 hour drive south-east of Los Angeles, in the beautiful Cuyamaca mountains. The idea to go to an apple farming town sounded lovely.  I have pretty much covered this entire state growing up in Los Angeles, but Julian is one pocket I’ve never even heard of. I do admit most of the time I’m partial to heading north, and or places like idyllwild or joshua tree. We were looking for a quick but romantic getaway, so I googled apple farms 2-3 hours away from LA, and the town Julian came up. I realized then that they are still plenty of towns and hidden gems to discover southeast of us.

the drive was easy-breezy and beautiful especially once you are on the road to Julian. the air fresh and mountains lush and colorful… bright orange and red leaves covered trees, a bit of snow. It was already a perfect little getaway.

Julian’s beginning is rooted in the historical 1870 GOLD RUSH and where APPLES are abundant...  Everyone in town serves pie and mainly apple especially during it’s peak season, Sept-Dec. Luscious oak and pine trees surround this charming town. the Main thoroughfare has horse-drawn carriages riding through town, and there are wonderful hikes and gold mining expeditions daily. During the day, this town is bustling with plenty of folks from San Diego heading into Julian for a quick getaway and probably a slice of pie, but it’s NOT a town with a nightlife. The town literally shuts down by 9pm, as there are no bars or activities happening at night. Although my hubbie and I are used to a nightlife, it was refreshing to be in a town where it’s ‘emphasis’ was to relax. so that’s exactly how we felt by the end of our stay.

I read and spoke to a few people at the townhall that one of the main attractions in Julian is doing the Sky Tour. The Sky Tour is held by Mike Leigh of the Observers Inn... Where we stayed our first night.  Mike Leigh and his wife Carolina have been running their quiet, comfortable two bedroom Bed and Breakfast guest house for over 12 years. It’s main draw is Mike’s observatory which is located on their property. I was really excited about that part… I love meteor showers! Mike is an astronomer, he’s been written up for his Sky tours and astronomy classes for years. Super nice guy!  He built his observatory years ago which is filled with Schmidt–Cassegrain telescopes. He loves sharing his stories on the galaxies far far away, and even gave us his thoughts on ‘other life’ on earth.  We were bummed that it was too cloudy for the sky tours, but we had a good lecture, as well as a fascinating conversation on the planets.  You can do the Sky tours without having to stay at his B&B, but we thought we’d get the full experience. the Observers Inn– is approx. 1.5 miles from downtown Julian off the main road into Julian. you can find his info here.  It’s $190.00 per night which includes breakfast and the sky tour. the tour itself is normally $25.00

The second night we stayed on the main street at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel. The hotel is a historical building built in the 1800′s during the gold rush, it’s an easy cozy stay with rooms that give you the feeling of ‘how it once was’. The hotel is centrally located in town which made it very convenient.

Recommends:  Romano’s is a good Italian restaurant.. ( try the Pork Chops, Lasagna, Calamari.)  There are not many places to eat that are open late night ( and late meaning 9pm!),  only 3 in the actual town which is no more than a half mile. “Jeremy’s on the Hill” was frequently recommend, but it was outside of town, so we didn’t make it up there.

I also tried a few different pies, but APPLE is what Julian is known for, so of course, I had to do a taste test.  (in my opinion) While the lines were long at MOM’s pies.  Julian’s Pie Company had the best pie, a nice flakey buttery crust, perfectly tart yet sweet. I had mine with fresh whip cream! So GOOD.  Mom’s bakery has more style… their shop is in the center of the town, and there is usually someone in the window making pies.  Julian’s is down the street a bit, much more non-descript, sorta resembling an IHOP to-go??.. they too had a long line, but given that Mom’s is in the center of town it’s easier to find.  Mom’s is also opened a bit later than Julian’s. Definitely get a slice at Julian’s or do a taste test and compare yourself. They are not the only places serving pie, every eatery will have their own version.  If you like pie… you’ll be in heaven!

Julian Cider Mill is pretty awesome!!  A specialty and candy shop. All sorts of goodies, candy, caramel apples, honey, dried fruits, apple butter, jams and jellies, marmalades, preserves, nuts, wasabi peanuts, pancake mixes, cider and much more!

We got a couple packs of Dark Chocolate covered Cherries and a jar of Apple Butter.  Normally, I am not into packaged candy confections but one bite of these chocolate covered cherries from my husband’s bag, and I was hooked… I was plopping it in my mouth like a bon bon, until my husband says… Slow down!  Ha. Oops. smile.  The dark chocolate and the cherry was not to0 syrupy sweet. just how I like it!  Hot Apple Cider with whip cream and cinnamon,  is being served while you shop, so perfect for the cold evening.

   Other things to do if you’re not panning for gold, hiking or eating apple pie.

Antique shopping— There are a handful of shops with random goodies, but we loved The Rose Path, the owner makes Goats Milk soaps and Candles, and also has a good eye for vintage finds.

Grandpa’s Old Time Photo! This is totally hilarious and a great time for everyone! Gramps will dress you from the gold mining days and take a photo your photo!

There is more to do in Julian… We missed panning for GOLD (schucks!). It was, cold, drizzly and snowed a bit when we got there… so our weekend was mostly about sipping hot cider, eating pie, browsing around antique shops and getting to bed early.  Regardless of the weather Julian is a beautiful little town and a MUST visit.  We loved it!!

I created a little video our experience, rather than posting a bunch of photos per usual, I compiled my selects onto video. I’m practicing my editing skillz, so If you have the time b/c it’s a bit long, then you’ll get the feel of the town Julian and it’s sweet charming spirit.  Enjoy!!!

song: as the rush comes by motorcyle *gabriel & dresden mix*

This video is dedicate to my  greatest love: Here’s to our romantic, relaxing two year anniversary. 

LOVE…. is the greatest gift of all.

Everything I do is because I LOVE. I love cards, I love eating, I love smelling the fresh air after a rainy afternoon. I love making new friends, I love time with my girlfriends, I love long conversations, I love analyzing, I love playing jokes and acting silly,

I love making someone feel special

I love birthdays

there is so much more I love.

But most of all…

I love being in LOVE. He’s the kind of person that no matter what, loves me for me, supports everything I do, is SO thoughtful and selfless, that his power of love has forever changed me. He affectionately says I love you at least 25 times a day.  and that to me is the greatest gift of all.

In honor of my upcoming two year wedding anniversary (7th)… LOVE affirmations dedicated to my beloved.

We are off to explore an Apple & Gold mining town   (yep! apple picking and panning for gold)

southeast of Los Angeles for a three day romantic getaway.

I’m excited to post our travels finds from our love getaway next week upon our return.

“Incomplete,” a large print from the Etsy shop of Georgian photographer Mariam Sitchinava. ($43.76)

“so lovely,” a hand-embroidered piece on vintage linen from Joetta Maue’s shop. 

“Make Love,” an origami love poster by Field Trip. ($15)

“Simplify Our Love,” a beautiful piece for the great Rob Ryan. ($40)

“Grow Old With Me,” another gorgeous new print by Lisa Congdon.

Ch ch cha Cherry Bomb!

Every night is a date night for me and my babe. and more often than not we find ourselves in downtown (LA)…, grabbing a bite or checking out the local artist (like our pal James Hall at his photo exhibitions).  Afterward, my babe likes stopping by COLES, specifically for their  Old Fashioned.  COLES are famous for their old fashioned, and when you get one there you’ll know why (It’s the BOMB!).

Like the good old days, an Old fashioned is a sip slowly quality drink,  perfect for long conversations. They prepare it with One big ice cube, bourbon and the most amazing maraschino cherries around. Not your typical bright red fake colored cherry’s. these are sweet marinated dark red Luxardo cherries imported from Italy, which I believe is the secret to enhancing the flavor for this special bourbon drink.

On a side note: If you don’t feel like trekking downtown and want to make an Old Fashion in the comfort of your home.  Luxardo Cherry’s are also on line thru amazon.. yay!

Cole’s also has amazing grilled cheese paired with tomato soup, along with sweet potato garlic fries… for those NOT in the drinking spirit  TIP:  Looking for a secret sexy date spot in back of Coles is the secret door to  Varnish.  A very dark, small, cozy bar lounge with a selection of fancy cocktails for those imitate conversation moments.

Coles is on 6th@ Main and is the originators of the French Dip… a california native’s favorite!! xoxo  

Audaciously Sexy….

Who woulda thought that a company named FORREST and BOB, would be a sexy lingerie and knitwear company. Let alone recently releasing a video campaign  ”THE FALLEN”… that is even more audacious and hot!!  (video is AGE restricted– there’s nudity… so close your eyes… if it’s too much for you to bare!!) )     http://www.forrestandbob.com/

my “lightning in a bottle” experiment video

My blog write ups are usually about happenings around town of what I like and want to share. So this post is a bit more personal. I created a little video of my weekend at the Lightning in a Bottle Festival a few weeks back.

Usually, I am all about shooting photographs, but decided for this event I would test out my video camera on my Iphone 4. Without any sort of idea I spontaneously started shooting short clips ranging from 15 sec to 2mins long. There were so many wonderful moments between our camp, the festivities, and the whole ambience the Do lab created, that I could not capture those special moments, because those moments were about being “present”.  The other thing was my battery kept dying, there was so many amazing moments I missed shooting; like Pumpkin’s awesome DJ set, the funny Potty Dismount (you had to be there- a camp thing) Lucent Dossier, etc. So what I ended up with was a bunch of clips, and mostly of me walking behind my husband and our friends.  Day Vision LIB part 1 ( edited on final cut pro) 

Sorting out the clips was a task because there wasn’t a story or direction I was going for in the first place. I just thought of it as a fun piece and good practice to shoot some footage. when all said and done… there I was sorting through clips and needing to organize and create some sort of backstory.  I rendered the files into i-movie but I also wanted to cut to music and so I decided that final cut pro would work better for what I wanted to accomplish. my husband helped with all the technical questions, and i got through most of it, but this certainly wasn’t the project to learn this type of program. I have never used finalcut pro let alone did any sort of editing. Also, my first instinct would be to shoot vertical, the way I would normally hold my phone. I had no idea that shooting vertical and horizontal would make a huge difference editing and look wise, I certainly didn’t even think about that aspect at the time. I was also became concerned about the length, most people lack the attention span, and knowing this was my very first edit and on a professional levels program. I decided to split the sequence because it wound up to be 12 mins long. to me shooting 4 days worth of footage and compiling it to 12 mins, seemed like nothing. but listening to my husband’s advice, realistically could be too long for other people.

 Into the Night LIB part 2 (edited on iMovie)

This is a personal video for me and my camp friends. so hopefully i am not judged too hard on the look? my inner circle of friends are artist and creative people, everyone is so ridiculously talented, and whether we like it or not we all have strong opinions on what something looks like. for me that’s totally ok, I’m used to opinions and welcome it. Regardless of what anyone thinks, this was a super fun experiment and my interpretation of the festival. bare in mind I did not shoot this on a fancy camera nor do I have any prior editing skillz. since it’s shot on my iphone there were a few shaky moments because I was walking and shooting, but it’s as decent as I could make it given the footage that I shot… making something out of nothing is not easy. and toward the end I decided to cut down the footage and split it in two parts, basically day and night. The opening shot is of us driving in (part 1),  and the last shot of us driving out ( part 2), this is because it was originally all one clip.  

Thx for taking the time to read my long explanation…, It’s how my mind works!

Music Credits:

DAY PART 1 – Pretty Lights was one of my favorite sets. His track Finally Moving/ James Brown Remix gave it a good feel.

NIGHT PART 2 - Marty Party’s  Adele w/ Deathstar remix.   I love Adele’s song Rolling in the Deep, so this was a fun mix for the night shots.

This video is dedicated to Big Cheese, Phlapjack, Vince, Jenna and the Spicy Bacon crew!! Great friendships were forged and memories will always be remembered. Special Thanks to my love Chris Sage for the quick tutorial, advice and for your patience. I am so thankful to have a husband who I can talk creatively with.

Love you all!! SAGElove

This one is for the Sage’s

Since getting hitched almost 2 years ago and taking on the Sage name it now seems to pop up everywhere. I am not sure if I just didn’t notice the word Sage or that Sages are literally breeding like wildfire around the city. Some friends have told me, they have always wanted a child to be named Sage and just the other day, after my wonderful Full Moon Sound bath healing, I was offered some Fresh Hot Sage tea (I guess mint is so passé these days) The other evening, while walking into my favorite little raw vegan ice cream shop’s new location in Echo Park, I noticed they share the space with the newly opened Sage Organic Vegan Bistro. I mean who wouldn’t want to take on the SAGE name….

The meaning of Sage holds a lot of value.  I know I feel incredibly honored to have become a Sage and not for just the married title. The herb, Sage, wards off negativity when burned and Websters dictionary defines Sage as “one who is wise through reflection and experience”… sounds a bit like my husband and a bit about how I am feeling about my life these days.

In honor of Summer and reflecting on the many Sage’s coming forward, a toast to all the Sage’s out there!  Whether you take on the name or just feel like one… a little Sage spirit goes a long way. My husband sent me this Sage Lady cocktail recipe– and sweetly added. You’re my Sage Lady.. awww!!. and Although I am a non-drinker these days– I thought I’d pass along a sweet sage recipe that will kick off your summer just right.

The Sage Lady is a new cocktail that was created to celebrate the release of Absolut Mango Vodka. What I thoroughly enjoy about this cocktail is its use of fresh sage, which is an herb rarely seen in cocktails but has great unexplored possibilities. In this instance it is paired with the sultry taste of mango and the refreshing flavor of fresh cucumber. The orange of Cointreau and the peach bitters (Fee Brothers) are bonuses that balance everything out.

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 parts Absolut Mango Vodka

* 2-3 fresh sage leaves

* 3 slices of cucumber

* 1 part simple syrup

* 1/2 part Cointreau

* dash of peach bitters

Preparation:

1. Muddle cucumber, simple syrup and sage.

2. Shake with ice.

3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass.

4. Garnish with a spanked sage leaf.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

THIS WEEK is the LA FILM FESTIVAL in DOWNTOWN LA…  June 16- 26th.

Be sure to check out the site. http://www.lafilmfest.com/

Support the independent film makers & producers community. There’s a Summer Showcase with some great talent, such as Miranda July, with her film THE FUTURE, and Mike Cahills  ANOTHER EARTH.

Also, hearing a buzz for THE GUARD from Director John Michael McDonagh staring Don Cheadle (set in Ireland). 

OH SNAP!!

These spirits will start your summer off just right. My husband who is a bourbon lover, picked up a bottle of  SNAP and ROOT spirits at our local Whole Foods (venice). He smiled with excitement as he’s been waiting for these type of spirits to come to our neck of the woods.

Story of SNAP

(ginger) SNAP is an 80 Proof certified ORGANIC SPIRIT with Blackstrap Molasses, Ginger, Rooibos Tea, Cinnamon.

invented by german monks who encompassed a Holy experiment.

 Story of ROOT

ROOT was a root tea, a folk recipe with birch bark. native americans taught the recipe to colonial settlers. At the close of the 19th Century, a Philidephia Pharamicist removed the alchohol from Root tea and rechristened it (ironically) Root Beer.

recommened mixology:

 ROOT~INI

 2 parts root, 1 part vanilla liquor, shake pour in a sugar rimmed glass. 

SNAP HAPPY

1 1/2 oz SNAP

1 1/2 oz bourbon

shake and strain into a martini glass w/ orange garnish!

Enjoy your Summer drinks!

more info: check out their site : Art in the Age http://www.artintheage.com/

Adventure time @ Lightning in a Bottle festival

Did we survive the weekend or what?! Well, I sincerely hope you enjoyed some cool happenings around town, despite all the rapture end of the world ramblings. While I couldn’t quite make every outing I had intended ( so bummed to have missed the fire spinning housewarming, and the dope style idea of a birthday party at the gun range, as well the opening to a friends art show), I was happily content my weekend turned into an uplifting, heart pumping romp in the sun.  I experienced a truly emotional sunset wedding ceremony, that was inspired by family devotion and delighted by strong, long-lasting friendships. My weekend was not about endings but about beginnings.

Sadly, those same people will continue to waste their time scheming, plotting and making calculations on yet another “date” on when the world will end… and I suppose my life (as usual) will be about LIVING in the now and getting inspired…

So I must continue on that righteous path by heading to another highly anticipated weekend at the Lightning in a Bottle Festival. www.lightninginabottle.org/

Having been raised in Los Angeles going to music festivals is expected at an early age. I’ve been going to them for 22 years, and I will say that these days The DO Lab family has it going on- they put on a fantastic festival.While their DJ line up sets the tone for the festivities, people head to LIB for many other reasons. While some will go to check out the art installations, some will go to learn about sustainability and the environment, and others will go for their yoga and spiritual fix, everybody will enjoying the good vibes in the outdoors. From what I have experienced, no other festival has as much character and soul as LIB. Though it’s not as extreme, profound or enlightening as Burning Man, it conveys a powerful community experience. It’s not as commercialized and over exposed as Coachella, so it has maintained its broad perspective and continues to promote a wide variety of artist and performers, all of which I am down for.  

So in light of my fantastic weekend to come. Here’s a taste of what i’ll be doing…

Engaging in the Lucent Dossier Experience 

Time and time again I am astounded by the Lucent Dossier Experience. It’s one of those mesmerizing shows that I can’t stop talking about. A Lucent show is like no other filled with acrobatic and dance performances in a moulin rouge-esque setting that will completely wrap you up in their world. http://www.lucentdossier.com/

Vibing w/ RANDOM RAB

Last years LIB is when I first heard the sounds of Random Rab while laying on the grass as the sun was setting. Nothing more magical than hearing his feel good music come to life and setting the tone for a fantastic evening.  http://randomrab.net/

Chiling w/ Joplin MacColl

Gotta love grooving to little down tempo by Joplin MacColl. her funky fresh style is sure to make you get your groove on while setting the mood just right for a dusky sundown. 

                                                                                      www.waxdj.com/djs/1429 

Bass Jumping for KRADDY

No doubt I am going to have to put my bass face on for Venice local KRADDY one of the founding members of the Glitch Mob. Kraddy hailed as the anthem of the decidedly maverick “glitch hop” movement with speaker-shuddering bass drops and melodic overtones.

Getting Gyspy with Beats Antique!

If you are seeking something provocative yet spiritual then the unique and masterful sounds of Beats Antique and the sultry performance of Zoe Jakes is where you want to look. Zoe’s belly dancing moves combined with Beats live instrumental mixes of old school jazz, hip hop, string quartets and dubstep all rolled up into one… puts them in a class on their own. definitely hot stuff!

 http://beatsantique.com/

Look forward to being part of the SEA OF PRETTY LIGHTS

While there is a long list of music favorites I can go on about, I am truly EXCITED to see headliners PRETTY LIGHTS!!! Here’s a little taste of what you’ll be experiencing or what you’ll be missing!!!  HELLO PRETTY LIGHTS!!

http://www.prettylightsmusic.com

And while i’ve only posted music…  I’ll also be checking out some other cool stuff!!

                                                                                  

Revolutionary Remix Upcycled Fashion & Costuming by Sara Rodriguez

Meditation With Rigzin by Rigzin Tromge

Micro-farming: Growing Plants in Small Urban Spaces On a Budget by Peter Mestaz

Priya Mohan: Buddhist Yoga, Mediation, and Sound Healing

SuzE Q: Kundalini with Live Drumming

The Yoga of Bass by Claire Thompson and FreQ Nasty

Revolutionary Remix Upcycled Fashion & Costuming by Sara Rodriguez

A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

Basic Herbology and Nutrition for Common Health Issues by Christi Mendonza

Healing our Vessels through Nutrition and Essential Oils by Veronica Johnson

Playing Now: The New Paradigm Integrated Business That Supports the Life You Love to Live by Alexis Nelly

Waking Up Together: The Intertwining of Buddhism and Ayahuasca by David Coyote

Living Medicine by Lily Ross

Grace of Venus by Dream Rockwell

Doesn’t that sound amazing???. One more day and I am off for a long weekend of adventure!! So if you want to join.. you’ll know where I’ll be or at least what I’m listening to.  Whatever your hearts content is this memorial day weekend- make it a great one!

Sucker Punch Weekend

my weekend agenda: seeing some badass girls in…

SUCKER PUNCH  directed by Zach Snyder

of 300 and Watchmen

“Sucker Punch” is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality”.

side note:    my husbands latest VFX film he worked on. Hell yeah!!!  Go see it in 3D IMAX

where the wilds ones are..

While there were doubts the cold weather would dampen our camping trip, we were rest assured to find a peaceful, sunny and mellow campground in Idyllwild. this magical wonderland of trees deep within it’s five thousand ft elevation is quite the getaway. while viewing the landscape and the bright blue sky I suddenly felt grateful. with so much going on in the world.. it was good to embrace the gentler spirits of mother nature.

Pop Quiz-  Manzanita trees grow wild here.., it is said that Manzanitas are a good source of vitamin C, and the early settlers proclaim the leaves are a natural teeth cleaner.  Idyllwild is less than 2 hours outside of los angeles and has been known to be more than just a secret hippie hideout.

Note: Called the  Idyllwild Campground in San Jacinto State Park just a 1/4 miles from town.

this well manicured family campground, is $20 per night, dogs allowed and complete with amenties; bathrooms, showers (.50cent for 3 mins), grill, picnic table, lot’s of hikes, rock climbing with mini waterfalls, a nature center at the top of the mountain, with tranquil views surrounding the area… some good spaces are 5 & 14 thru 19, but pick one that suits your needs.  There are several campgrounds to explore in idyllwild, but this is the one we camped and loved.  If you are into renting cabins,

check out Casa Manzanita  http://www.casas-del-sol.net .  I did a write up last Sept for my birthday cabin getaway. this place was perfect place to share birthday or retreat with friends and family. all the more reason why I love Idyllwild.

Mi Amore

As I recount my days in Barcelona I jog my memory of the feeling I had when I was there. the sights, the sounds, the food, the atmosphere. having only been back on california soil for a few days it still resonates with me, and that’s a good sign. being there was all so perfect, and the weather throughout my stay was wonderful too. Could I’ve asked for a better time to come to this city? Well, I hear it’s good weather most of the year, a lot like Southern California.

My friends who have been to Barcelona have raved about this city, and now I can see why. the neighborhoods were clean even in the noticeably run down areas.  the air didn’t reek of trash or that old city smell unlike parts of Italy— even though it is an old city. most days street cleaning was going on and there were tons recycle bins that lined the streets. the spanish truly care about their city–in every way shape and form.

the language sounded rhythmic with guitar vibrations that articulated their spanish surroundings. I got the feeling these Catalonians have a work hard play hard mentality- there is vibe of seriousness in their sway yet a playfulness in their tone, especially when you’ve ordered their house cava. It’s not a get up at the crack of dawn city. most places ( in the not so touristy spots ) are not open until 10 or 11am giving you ample time in the morning for yourself or your family. there is also a siesta around 4- 7pm.. then the city really comes to life around 10pm for dinner.

It’s a city that is grounded with so much artistic expression. Almost every single building had a unique approach to their architectural designs, so I spent most of my days looking up—oohing and ahhing in delight. the furniture designs were well thought out and exquisite. The boutique owners were even sewing their latest creation while greeting you as you walked in. and the authentic spanish tapas eateries were family owned— of course most of those are hard to find and were off the beaten path— far from the tourist crowded spots.

To really enjoy Barcelona is to explore it— there are so many nooks and treasures to find- you won’t find them right away or in those recommended guide books… the truth of the city is held deep within the walls of an enchanting fortress. and to sum it up there are so many secret jewels to behold, and while paris boast the fashion scene and the all too famous monuments, and italy has it’s leisurely charm and decadence to uphold, Spain entitles it’s own with passion, originality and enormous beauty.  Towards the end, I truly fell in love with this city. every piece of structure and pathway they walk down is similar to my own…, independent, lively, organic, musical, handmade and most of all enigmatic.  My ancestry comes from the Spanish colonies and weirdly enough it’s a place other than California I felt at home. And without going into details here on future plans, I will go as far to say that my hubbie and I can definitely lay some roots down. while I was in the city, he spent time in the spanish countryside, and even having completely different experiences in the same week, we both agreed that there is something more for us to do in this country. We spent our last couple days sight seeing– a romantic one year anniversary day in Gaudi’s Park Guell… it’s one of the most enchanting designed parks i’ve been to, every inch is a masterpiece and inspirational. We later dined at a wonderful tapas spot called Reina, a magnificent closer to an amazing impromptu excursion. We’ll be back to explore more of this country soon enough! Thank you Barcelona.

(On a side note:  One more thing you must know- The spanish people are not overtly friendly especially the women— you really have to be attentive with them and try and speak a little of their language before they open up— don’t have attitude just be patient.  most of them do speak English but again you must be diligent on trying to engage in their culture before they engage in yours. After all, you are in their country. So trying is best. And once they sense that— it’s a whole other meaning.)

I started a new flickr account for this blog–So they’ll be lots of photo selects to be had there.

Here’s the start:  my Barcelona http://www.flickr.com/photos/sagepress/