Going a Yonder's Spell in Yosemite

Little would I realize that the fog I left in San Francisco would follow me on my journey to Yosemite National Park. Fortunately, the fog lifted and dropped throughout the day, thus allowing me to capture some truly beautiful photographs. Granted my photographs of Yosemite may not do for me what it did for Ansel Adams, but its final outcome was still personally satisfying.

Exploring Yosemite in the Fall was truly a magical journey.

Where's Waldo???

Yosemite in autumn accentuates Earth's natural attributes.

Discovering the giant trees or "Sequoias" at Yosemite's Mariposa Grove was a true delight! Sequoias are reportedly "the world's largest living thing", standing well over 200 ft high and its trunk easily measuring 20 ft in diameter. Here I am standing beside these woodsy giants.

Waterfalls are well acquainted at Yosemite National Park. Its cascading waters are fed by melted snow caps that run from elevation higher than 13,000 ft. Here is a pic of the double falls known as "Yosemite Falls".

Tree rings age these Sequoia trees well over 900 years old! See how these mammoth Methuselahs vertically contrast with this lone hiker.

Peeking through the eyes of an amateur photographer.

See how this Sequoia trunk compares with its "normal-sized" brethern.

The fog begins its descent again, leaving a hushed stillness...

...and lifts again to reveal a winding road that follows a spell-binding landscape.

Below is "Bridalveil Falls", a favorite amongst Yosemite's visitors.

Still waters run deep and mirrors the reflection of Yosemite's beauty.

Yosemite is a lure for the hard-core climber.

Keep in mind that every journey begins and ends through a portal, albeit literally or figuratively.... even in Yosemite.

Embracing San Francisco's Fog

Spent the Veteran's Day week-end visiting San Francisco for the first time AND had a blast! It is a city that will definately see my return. San Francisco's Bay boasts of 47 piers but the ONLY pier that counts is Pier 39, where the hub of attractive shops, gourmet food, and restaurants are attractively nestled on the pier and the proximity of Fisherman's Wharf is literally around the corner. The tantalizing smells of cooking seafood waft in the air, beckoning hungry locals and tourists to the outdoor market of restaurant vendors hawking hot clam chowder, fried oysters, fried shrimp, and steamed crabs, which hit the spot after a day of playing in San Francisco's fog.



Leaving Pier 39, you can't help but notice the Seal Colony located there! They were soooo cute!



Jumped on a bay boat tour that traveled from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sailors enjoy sailing below the steely grey strength of the Bay Bridge.

In between was Alcatrez Island, once a federal prison for notorious criminals but now a part of the National Park System. Over my shoulder was a small glimpse of Alcatrez, but as the boat drew closer I captured a better shot.

Then the boat headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge, a reddish-orange feat of architecture that on a sunny day looks like a fiery sunburst shining in the distance. However, the fog that San Fran is famous for enveloped it the day I took this pic, and all I got was this soupy pic. Incidentally, the Golden Gate Bridge is only 1 year younger than its Bay Bridge brother, but it is the more reknown and more recognizable of the two.

Took a trolley down to Pier 5 and eagerly went from booth to booth and shopped to my heart's content at that pier's Saturday Arts and Craft Market.

But you can't shop in San Fran without experiencing the shops of China Town!

I enjoyed various murals outside of San Fran's many eclectic store fronts. This one was a book shop that I absolutely adored.

And of course, you gotta grab a trolley when you make your way in San Fran. Allllll Aboooard for a week-end of fun!

You Say It's Your Birthday!

hApPyBiRtHDaY

to mY bABy sIstEr :
PaMeLa

She loves new toys and

her boys !











kRAZeE!




31 & TONS of FuNnNnN!














and a GREAT mommy too!


I'm so proud of your growth and your accomplishments, Pamelama Pam Pam!

Ode to Baz Luhrman

On Thursday nights a gathering of local artists, writers, and musicians amble over to the Water Canyon Coffee Co., a quirky li'l coffee house rich in ambiance and fragrant java, to air their latest creations at "Open Mike Night" via new chapter, music, or poetry. These are fledgling talents not meant to seek stardom, but encouragement. I've been at the Canyon on a handful of Thursday nights, but I have to sheepishly admit that I've only done so during the off season of Grey's Anatomy, my saltlick cryptonite of night-time dramedy. Maybe one day I'll get up the nerve to share my own creative work, but for the most part I'm satisfied with just sitting in the back and listening to virgin material. In the mean time, I want to re-play a classic by Mr. Baz Luhrman, who in a wonderous creative moment crafted one of the most brilliant pieces of prose ever written, which later went on to become a well-sought song. So sit back and relax, and enjoy a one of a kind classic:

"Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)"

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99:

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the

future,
sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth;

oh never mind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that

worrying is as effective as trying tosolve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4:00 pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts; don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead;
sometimes you’re behind; the race is long, and in the end it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive; forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch. .................

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you wanna do with your life; the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees; you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry -- maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children --
maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40 -- maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either -- your choices are half chance; so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body; use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance.
Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living
room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines; they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents; you
never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography, in lifestyle, because the older you get the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: prices will rise; politicians will philander; you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund; maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia: dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

~Baz Luhrman .... director, producer, screenwriter & profound speech maker

Day of the Dead Celebration

The day after Halloween, I headed to Palm Springs to participate in the Latino version of this holiday called "Dia De Los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead" hosted by the Palm Springs Art Museum. It goes without saying that living in California close to the border of Mexico, there is a wide-spread Latino influence here. "Day of the Dead" falls during the week of Halloween and the Catholic observances of All Saint's Day. For Latin-Americans, it is a time of celebration and honored remembrance of loved ones who have passed; recognizing death as a continuation of life. Traditions vary within each Latino community such as elaborate altar displays, gravesite visits, and colorful art and music venues.




The "Day of the Dead" celebration kicked off with a dance procession near this statue, as ancestrally-dressed Mexican dancers led spectators down Tahquitz Canyon Way to the Palm Springs Art Museum.

At the museum, a Mariachi band entertained the crowd with festive Latino music.

The museum was gaily decorated, and exhibited artwork of famous Latino artists.

My favorite was Chihuly's eye-catching blown glass display.

The gift shop had an attractive display of D.o.D. items for sale.

Beautiful altars throughout the museum commemorated loved ones who have passed.

The altar exhibits were created by Latino groups in the community.

Overall, it was a fun-filled day as arts n' crafts and food tables were set up for revelers to sample Latino cuisines and bring home handmade crafts such as colorful paper mache' flowers and vibrant Day of the Dead skull masks. Learning something new about this time-honored Latin American holiday was a festive way to wrap up Halloween, and enjoy the differences that make up America's melting pot great.