Cold rain and a fierce north wind whipped my face. I tightened my hood, careful to keep one hand on the Zodiac's helm. I knew almost nothing about sailing, but here I was, at the wheel of a 127-foot vintage wooden schooner in a driving rainstorm, all four sails catching the wind. Twenty-three wannnabe sailors and I had been told this would be a working trip, but I never thought I'd actually be piloting the ship, especially on a day like this. … [Read more...]
Once in a Lifetime
What did I know about birds? Enough to feed spinach greens, not stale muffins, to the domestic ducks at Recreation Park in my hometown of Long Beach, CA. Enough to avoid annoying the thirty-pound swans in London's Hyde Park. Enough to understand that silence was golden while trailing knowledgeable birdwatchers in the woods near The House of the Doves at Uxmal. And once, at my grandmother's house in Los Angeles when I was ten, I learned the hard … [Read more...]
Encore!
A spiny lobster crawled on top of the other, lifeless sea creatures displayed on the table. Chef Paul Bartolotta easily picked it up with a gloved hand. The olive skin in his slightly round face glowed as he spoke knowledgably and enthusiastically about the dishes he loves to create-fresh seafood from the waters surrounding Italy, made more savory by his blends of herbs and spices and his techniques. Bartolotta clearly takes the work he … [Read more...]
Romancing the Past
Mid-afternoon in the Apollo Room, Alexander Purdie stands before its brownish brick, marble-mantled fireplace and laments the loss of happier days. Mr. Purdie and the fireplace are flanked by two doors of the same teal-green as the rectangular room's wainscoting and window frames; they stand out against the cream-colored upper walls. The golden slats of the wooden floor give slightly underfoot. I love this room. Restored in the 1930s, the … [Read more...]
Breezing through the Windy City
This last weekend in lieu of the Easter Holidays and my Uncle's 50th birthday I flew down to Chicago to spend the weekend with my family and go on a little adventure. Chicago is a huge city and a fairly popular one in North America; although last year alone I transited through the city 14 times I have never actually set foot outside of the airport, so needless to say I was quite curious and excited to grab a camera and have my cousin host me … [Read more...]
LA Gang Tours
LA Gang Tours offers tours into the heart of the Los Angeles gangland territory - places you normally wouldn't think to visit: Skid Row, South Central & Watts and Compton. This unique organization is not glorifying gang violence and activities rather they are humanizing it, raising awareness, and money to work with kids before they get sucked into this "culture' as well as other anti-gang preventative measures. The organization was founded by … [Read more...]
…A Quick Injection of Vitamin D
We all have those moments in life, myself more frequently during the winter months, during which we just want to leave everything behind and run away or hide to clear our heads. Last week I did just that... Cabin in Tulum to which I have frequently run away to I have never been one of those people who can run a hot bath, soak and be magically refreshed and focused for the following week of my life - simply not me. I was always a shower … [Read more...]
Walking the Walk in NYC
On a recent visit to New York City, I followed in the footsteps of immigrants, celebrities, and George Washington by taking a fun, educational and free walking tour provided by NYC by Foot. Their "Historic District" tour began at Spring Street and 6th Avenue, conveniently across from the subway station. The two hour walk covered about 1.2 miles of Soho, Chinatown and Little Italy - an area that includes part of the historic Five Points District. … [Read more...]
Foodie Field Trip: Los Alamos
For our first field trip, we headed to Los Alamos, about an hour south of San Luis Obispo and an hour north of Santa Barbara. Rolling the dice for a sunny weekend with dry pavement after a solid week of gray rain, we scored with great weather on Sunday and a pleasant loop road ride through the hills east of town along Cat, Foxen, and Alisos Canyons. But before the sunshine, the rain had a few more things to say. Gloomy Saturdays are made for … [Read more...]
Casino Du Lac-Leamy: Offers ‘Lady Luck’ and Other Pleasures
Quebec Outaouais Casino du Lac Leamy We were excited as we walked in a glass walkway between the Hilton Hotel and the Casino Lac-Leamy located in the same complex in the city of Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa, Canada's Capital. This evening we were going to dine in the Casino's gourmet restaurant - one of the best dining places in the Ottawa Region - the only CAA/AAA Five Diamond ranked in the area. "Move quickly!" One of my … [Read more...]
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