For Wine Lovers - Rent "Bottle Shock"

For those of you who enjoy wine, I highly recommend renting the movie, "Bottle Shock". This flick takes you back to the 1970's before California became reknown for its quality wine. Fun, entertaining and informative, if you are of a younger generation, you might not realize that before then, France reigned supreme and was unchallenged in it's position and rank as the world's top wine producer.

This film chronicles the dreamers in California who dared to go for the gusto and challenge the establishment. It makes for a great tale and you can't help but feel uplifted and happy. My recommendation is to select a few bottles of wine -and enjoy the movie with friends....or you may decide to, open a bottle of wine on your own and drink a glass or two in the solitude. Which ever way - you pick - and you will be sure to enjoy.

Getty Villa

This afternoon seemed like a perfect opportunity to take a jaunt to the Getty Villa in Malibu. I arrived slightly after 3 pm. What a lovely drive it was from Agoura Hills. Traversing on the windy single lane road Malibu Canyon, a wonderous view of the ocean suddenly appeared . Along the way, I took note of the eateries and shopping that I might consider on another afternoon of exploration.

I have been to the Getty Villa several - maybe even many - times. What draws me there is this unexplainable primordial feeling of belonging and of keen appreciation for the sensabilities of the Roman and Etruscan art. I identify with it - all of it - the mosaics, the large robust sculptures, the architecture, the attention to detail, the infusion of symbolism...I find all of this intriguing.

It was a stellar day - with low lighting and a crisp chill in the air. It I thought the best way to spend my time wisely was to enjoy the outdoor gardens, scupltures, reflecting pool and take in the architecture. What is so spectacular about this museum is that symmetry, geometry, placement and perspective. I found that I would gaze at something in front of me and then would expand my view and it would be perfectly reframed and then enlarge my view a another time and again, a perfect view would appear and I kept doing this until a panarmic view was before me and the complexity was pure perfection. I marveled at the planning and incredible attention to detail. I wondered what person or persons created such masterful experience.

The sun sets fairly early and so I made my way to my car . As I left the museum driveway and was turning on to PCH, I witnessed a fantastic Malibu sunset and called my mother to tell her about my afternoon. I arrived to the Getty Villa with anticpation and left full of inspiration. My mother said, "That sounds like you." and that made me smile. A perfect afternoon.

Why I love the Ellen DeGeneres Show

Why?
Because Ellen DeGeneres is so gosh darn GENEROUS!
I --L-O-V-E-- that quality in a person.
A big heart.

I think she has the best job in the world - making people happy, making them laugh, spreading goodwill, helping families out - WOW.

Today Ellen wiped away $85K in mortgage payments, $15K in credit card debt and I bet this lucky family will receive a new car.

With all the bad, bad, bad news on TV, on AOL, on the radio, and all the short, irritable tempers as a result of daily stress - watching Ellen - is an antidote to all toxic bad news.

Hats off to Ellen!

It's a Matter of Perspective - PV Library Art Reception

There are simple pleasures in life. Tonight I felt a sense of satisfaction as I checked in as an artist at the PV Library art reception.

Art shows are wonderful venues that promote friendly exchanges. You meet the most intesting people - who are open to ideas, discussion and different perspectives.

I wouldn't really call myself an artist - but I have to admit, I like the title - and I receive enjoyment from sharing my photography with others. I found myself asking questions and striking up conversation, "Do you recognize the setting?"I would ask. What I enjoyed about this local art show, is that the images of a local walking path were identifiable, relateable and resonated with the group.

Applicantication to the art show required an artist statement for consideration although they were not displayed with the art. I had two pieces displayed....

Title: Walking Path at Ocean Front
Artist’s Statement:
The quiet enjoyment of a peaceful stroll, with the smell of sage and a gentle ocean breeze is what brings me to the beloved walking path at Ocean Front in Palos Verdes. Teeming quietly with life, the natural preserve is a reminder that every day is a winding road - and you never know exactly what lies ahead.
Title: The Path that Lies Ahead
Artist’s Statement:
This is the sister piece to “Walking Path at Ocean Front”. Washed in the light of the sunset, the viewpoint is welcoming, serene and beautiful.

Strange as it may seem, even though the pieces are for sale, I'd rather have them back in my home. The photos were hung in place that I passed by several times a day and I would always smile in passing. You see, I love Palos Verdes. I cherish my happy, peaceful walks. And I love my home.

Little Bird

I saved a bird yesterday. It made me so happy. It flew into a window and was so scared that it tried to fly and it bumped into the window a couple more times. It's heart was pounding so hard. It's wing looked broken. It let me get close to it and I stroked it very carefully and told it I was there to help. The bird actually looked at me. I was very gentle and it seemed to calm down and then all of a sudden, it flew away!

After that I made a cake and and brought it over to my 78 year old neighbor. She was happy too.

And between the bird and my neighbor, I felt very content.

What Have You Heard Lately?

No TV tonight. I wanted to use my senses and my mind to enjoy my "free time". I am finding I have so little of it, (free time that is) that I want to use it wisely and not "veg out".

So I reviewed my music collection and listened to songs from one extreme to the other - rock, classic, pop, reggae, jazz and opera - some songs I played three times to hear all the lyrics, to hear the background instrumentals, to anticipate the crescendos...to experience the song fully.

There is such emotion that is experienced in music...it's a great release.

I must have listened to Nessum Dorma - well - I won't admit how many times - and each time, I was moved to tears. It never gets old. I remembered telling a friend years ago about this and she couldn't quite understand this but wanted to. What's there to understand?

Just stop and listen.

You can do this any time and you will be surprised what you can hear - wind blowing, the ruffle of leaves, birds chirping, dogs barking, cars in the distance -- -- your own breath. It's all music.

Take the time to hear. The world is a symphony.

Big Sky Countries Summer Fundraiser

What a great event!

I had to post an entry to congratulate Nicole Blackburn, the founder of Big Sky Countries.

My friend, Paul, had invited me to the "Morrocan World-Market" Benefit that took place at a private house in Manhattan Beach that was transformed into one of the best fundraisers I've been to in a long time.

Great people - a fun, interesting crowd. Lots things to see and try from tarot readings, live music (and my favorite Hawaiian version of "Over the Rainbow), to artists creating live art with attendees as the subject matter, a silent auction, cocktails and food....Fun. Fun. Fun.

The cause? Big Sky Countries has a wonderful mission.- donating large-scale murals to children's facilities around the world. Since 2006, murals have been painted in Thailand, Ireland, the Philippines, Bolivia, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. These children's facilities include elementary schools, orphanages, children'shospitals and youth centers. All children, faculty members, and well, everyone is encouraged to paint.

Nicole's next project? You guessed it - Morrocco.

I wish I could join her.

Lunch at Terranea

Last week a friend and I decided we wanted to have lunch at Terranea at Nelson's. I had heard it was a new hot spot and being that it is right in my backyard in Palos Verdes - I was eager to try it.

Terranea was packed. What economic slump? The valets couldn't keep up with the volume of cars and the lobby was buzzing. Map in hand, my friend and I explored the property. The family pool was filled with splashing kids and the adjacent patio restaurant was full. The view from the lobby balcony of this scene, coupled with the backdrop of the private beach was really wonderful. It was great to see people laughing and having fun.

Next - a quick walk through of the spa - large yet inviting - with intriguing and inviting pieces of art - a terrific retail area - spa bar and outside dining - and quiet adult pool for spa clients only. The fitness center was small and compact - by this time - we were eager for lunch.

There was a line for Nelson's - but it was worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed my lobster roll and beer but my friend - a chef - said his fish sandwich was just so so.

Would I go back? Yes. There were so many wonderfully planned sitting areas and nooks for socializing and enjoying the fabulous views.

Camille at the Kurotel

I have finally launched a blog about my travel experiences at the Kurotel Longevity Center in Brazil.

If you enjoy first-hand account travel writing, I invite you to read it!

http://camilleatthekurotel.blogspot.com/

When You've Been Googled

I'm always curious to see where my readership is coming from and what key word searches are conducted to route them to my blog. For some reason, I'm surprised when the key word search happens to be my own name.

Over the last couple days, I have had an avid reader from Oak Park that read all of my blogs. Interesting. Who do I know in Oak Park. Hmmm. I can name at least 3 people I know of that live in Oak Park off the top of my head.

During a business lunch and the gentleman I was meeting openly mentioned that he had googled me to have an understanding of who he was establishing a relationship with. That makes sense to do your due diligence.

A couple months ago I met an interesting fellow on a flight from Brazil. We exchanged emails and in our exchange I learned that I had been googled. I had forgotten that I had briefly mentioned him in my blog which upped the ante so to speak in our mutual interest.

I guess in a way, I find being googled can be flattering and/or a little bit creepy depending on who is doing the googling. Realizing, I am the one putting myself out here and making my thoughts and experiences accessible to cyperspace, I pause and wonder.

I'm pleased when the articles that I write and the work I have done are sought after or when one experiences that I have written about have gotten some good play.

As to my own name being searched...that is food for thought.

Shout Out To Katie Wagner

Way to go Katie Wagner!

That's my niece in the picture. Read on and you'll find she's a very special person. Smart, beautiful, always cheerful and always willing to lend a helping hand. Goooooo Katie!

Released 16 July 2009
Seventy-five interns from the ExxonMobil Foundation partnered with the Volunteer Center of North Texas to hold a field day event for 200 boys and girls from Salvation Army centers in the DFW Metroplex.The event was organized by the Exxonmobil interns and was held at The Salvation Army in Pleasant Grove. Boys and girls enjoyed face painting, relay races, carnival games and open-gym activities.The ExxonMobil internship is an eight-week paid internship program designed for interns to gather exposure to the non-profit sector, and help develop skills necessary for their future career.

ExxonMobil intern, Katie Wagner, co-chair for the ExxonMobil Intern Field Day event, hands Case Garther a bag of popcorn. Wagner, a student at the University of Kansas says, the event was a very rewarding experience.

Andrea Bocelli at the Hollywood Bowl

El Bizcocho - The Tasting Menu at Rancho Bernardo Inn

I knew within seconds that I had to try the tasting menu. It looked unusual, elegant and like an incredible dining opportunity. I am happy to report, it did not dissapoint. It was FANTASTIC!

As a glass of Moet White Star was being poured, a dish with 3 butters - honey, olive and plain - were delivered with a warm French crusty bagette. Then a shooter of gazpacho and clear jello like substance on spoon appeared. The substance popped in your mouth like a giant caviar only much cleaner and more refreshing.

The tasting menu has 7 items but I received an incredible 9 of which 6 were paired beautifully with wine. Diet? What diet? Having been careful for the last month - I threw caution to the wind and in my mind said "Bring it on!"

What I delighted in was comparing the brief description on the menu to the plates that were delivered with flourish. The presentation on the Santa Barbara Prawns was really whimsical. The avocado and uni mosaic was shaped into a flat and perfect square, with crispy tapioca that were small, white round crunchy beads. The head the prawn had been fried and stood upright as an architectural 3D element to the plate. Thankfully the Captain, Mickey McSurdy is approachable, knowledgeable and personable - and I asked if the head was something I was suppose to eat. No. Glad I asked! I felt comfortable asking him any question about the menu and knew that I was in excellent hands.

Next came the Sweet Onion Bisque which sounds plain but was quite extravagant. A slow-cooked duck egg wrapped in gold leaf appeared with a slice of manchego cheese then a server pours the sweet onion bisque to the side of the egg. Wow. Yummy.

After that came the Pan Seared Diver Scallop wit hasparagus consumme, toasted sesames and maitake mushrooms, followed by Fonduat Pyramid Raviolis which came with shaved truffles and a hazelnut pesto. Taking my fork to cut through the perfect pyramid shape, the fonduta was rich, creamy and delicious. I am not a huge fan of truffles but I really enjoyed this dish.

Next came Butter Poached Lobster with razor clams, abalone mushroom confit, fiddle head ferns and compressed fennel. The Captain and Chef were kind enough to switch out Slow Cooked Lamb Loin since with a Slow Roasted Prime NY Strip. Ooo. ooo. ooo. It came with a truffled pommes puree and heirloom carrots and since I haven't eated red meat in a long time, this was divine!

Throughout the night - I was made to feel very comfortable. Rick Cortez, the Matre de, stopped by to chat several times. He's been with the Rancho Bernardo Inn for twenty three years - which I find really incredible. I had a great time talking with Alaun Grimaud, Executive Sous Chef, about the menu and what I enjoyed in particular (EVERYTHING!).

I took my time to really savor every part of the dining experience and to ask a lot of questions. (What's a pithvier? What's barigoule mean? etc)

Dessert was an incredible series of indulgences. I asked if it would be not too much trouble to have a chocolate souffle instead of what was on the menu selection. Not a problem. But first came a hand made mango ice cream that was prepared table-side by Mickey. The three ingredients were vanilla creme anglaise, mango puree and liquid nitrogen! The white smoke produced from the liquid nitrogen gave it a very theatrical, dramatic appeal. It was like something out of a Broadway show! The ice cream magically appeared and it was delicious. Then came the chocolate souffle and THEN came the Carmelized Pineapple with coconumt sorbet, caramel espuma and rum jelly. Mickey thought I need to try it and he was right! I took a few bites of the souffle and shifed my total attention on this dessert because it had a lot of flavors and textures to offer. Outstanding!

Hats off to the entire staff at Bizcocho for a very memorable dining experience. I highly recommend Bizcocho to food lovers everywhere!

Seven Course Menu $105
Matched Wines $50

Camille at the Rancho Bernardo Inn

A Room with a View
This morning I am sitting outside on the patio overlooking a perfectly manicured champion golf course and the birds are all a twitter and a bubbling fountain works its charm nearby. It's still fairly earl in the morning and a group of golfers, making the sweet sound as their club makes contact with the golf ball.

A Girl Who Loves Amenities!
My room is lovely, spacious and comfortable with lots of great amenities like a 42” Flat Screen, TV, luxury bath amenities, waffle robe, quality linens, coffee maker and wireless internet and an wireless internet with a huge, well designed and inviting workspace. A huge king bed sits at an angle with a oversized, extended custom made headboard with bult-in modern sconces and night stands. Above the headboard sits a 5 or six foot sculpture for dramatic effect and below the base is wired with light which not only adds estheticlly but also functionally - when the lights are out - no hitting your feet on the wooden custom built bedframe. I love the warm and inviting color scheme of white, tan and green. and the artwork in keeping with the Resort’s Southern California/Spanish style. Very natural, rich and relaxing. This is great room to hang out in. However, I have been so busy enjoying the rest of the property yesterday that I am now just able to fully take in the ambiance and fully enjoy.

Chit Chatting at the Manager's Poolside Reception
Yesterday I attended a "Manager's Reception" replete with warm and gracious hospitality, cocktails, appetizers and live calypso music poolside. I learned from the Maureen, the Assistant General Manager, the reception takes place every Friday for selected guests and members of the Rancho Bernardo Inn (executive membership is available to local residents). I had the pleasure of meeting Spa Director, Golf Directors, the Director of Golf Tournaments, the Concierge and a couple who were eager to share their recommendations at El Bizcocho Restaurant. I can truly say - this was a fun and casual event - not a sales pitch - and a great opportunity to mix and mingle.

El Bizchoco - A Spectacular Dining for Foodies
I wish my brother could join me - he would have loved this elegant, incredible dining exeperience. The couple highly recommended the tasting menu. Oh my gosh - this was so wonderful that I am posting a seperate entry on my blog. (see above)

The Spa -aaahhhhh
I am pitching my spa experience to several magazine so ...readers...watch for a future article with more details! But here is the quick low down! I was running late from LA and was concerned I would unravel the full afternoon of services that Spa Director, Michelle S. had carefully planned for me. It took me a bit of time to decompress - and I realized I was too keyed up when I declined an eye pillow and stared at the beautiful wooden beams in my treatment room. My first treatment was a orange peel body scrub. The body scrub exfoliates and I was told the vitamin C in the orange is an antioxidant and helps with anti-aging. I was finally able to relax during the shea butter wrap. Enveloped in a cocoon of warm sheets and an wonderful scalp massage was the moment I was able to take a deep breath and "get into the moment." My third service was a full body massage in which I was expertly rubbed the right way from head to toe. My tired muscles were soothed and drank plenty of water afterwards to help remove toxins. My last service of the day was a Margarita pedicure in which Margarita's are served while your tootsies are pampered. I was also fortunate to enjoy a couple slices of Margarita pizza which was a great combo. After all the attention - I enjoyed an hour or so lounging by the pool and jacuzzi, admiring the lavender in the garden, watching the bunny t nibble on grass, and taking a big ahhhh.

I am going to pause here - time for my morning walk around the beautiful grounds.

$50 Raffle ticket for $20,000 Cruise to Benefit the PV Art Center

Win an Exotic 15 night Cruise for Two

Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Cruise includes all wines, spirits and gratutities

Luxurious suite accommodations

This cruise retails for $20,000!!!

Exclusive, Luxurious and Exotic

$50 per ticket - only 500 tickets will be sold.

Drawing held on Aug 1,2009

Winner need not be present to win

Raffle will benefit the Palos Verdes Art Center

Send checks made payable to "The Associates" in care of

"Celebrate Chef's V Raffle Prize" and mail to:

Palos Verdes Art Center

5504 W. Crestridge Rd.Rancho

Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Telephone: 310.541.2479

Fax: 310.541.9520
http://www.pvartcenter.org/

The Great Gatsby Chef's Dinner

I blogged last year about the PV Art Associates knowing how to throw a party. Well, the Spanish themed dinner was a real show-stopper. The event was held on a private estate in Palos Verdes with incredible views and vistas. The Andalucian horse show had the crowd of 200 oohing and ahhing and Christine's Restaurant did a fabulous job with catering. Who throws these kind of events? " I wondered, "I'd like to join them!"

Well, a year later and I am part of the planning committe for the themed Great Gatsby dinner which will take place July 18th. Our group is fabulous with great ideas, enthusiasm and a knack for planning stellar parties.

Today I headed to the library to research July 18th, 1925. For those of you who might need to brush up on The Great Gatsby - the book takes place in the roaring 20's and was actually published in 1925. Since the date of our soiree is July 18th - well, you get the idea.

Memorial Day

A friend of mine invited me to do a walking tour of L.A. that included Lake Hollywood, Hollywood Memorial Park, followed by one of the top pizza places in the country. At first, I wasn't too excited to go to a cemetery but after I realized it was Memorial Day it made sense.

So our trek began first with meeting at local park in Beverly Hills and carpooling to our first destination. Neither one of us realized Hollywood had a Lake. Here's the description from Wikipedia: Hollywood Reservoir (Lake Hollywood) is a reservoir located in Hollywood, California. It is a man-made reservoir built in 1924 and held by the Mulholland Dam. It was designed by William Mulholland. The lake currently holds 2.5 billion gallons of water and provides Los Angeles with most of its water. The surrounding area is open to hikers and joggers, however, since the lake provides drinking water, swimming and boating is restricted. The reservoir is maintained by the Department of Water and Power. The reservoir and surrounding neighborhood are located just below the Hollywood Sign.

What we didn't know was that after 9/11, public access was reduced to weekends and limited hours during the weekday so although the access road was locked, we walked along the perimeter for about an hour and it was quite pleasant. My friend was a little disappointed but it was a beautiful day and no harm, no foul. Getting there was very easy on the eyes - there were many lovely homes in the Hollywood Hills to admire and there were many opportunities to spot the Hollywood sign. If you are interested in learning more, check out the sites below or follow the links above.
www.hollywoodknolls.org/hollywood_reservoir.htm
http://www.hollywoodsign.org/see_lakehollywood.html

On to the cemetery. As we drove in, it's architecture hearkened back to an earlier more glamorous and stately period. I started looking forward to our walk...but quickly, I felt myself drifting into wonderment about the past lives now interned there.

My friend had a card which gave directions to notable stars and celebrities. I did not see any flags on any gravestones and was surprised. However, there were some fake miniature Christmas trees scattered around - some recently removed and thrown in the trash and others ignoring the march of time.

Johnny Ramone was by far had the easiest memorial to find. Cecile B deMille's was classicly understated. But what I found most surprising, most shocking actually, was the amount of dog doo around in the real estate of the deceased stars. Dog poop was on flat memorial stones - not once, but at least half a dozen times. I can not fathom the number of insensitive, moronic clods who visited the sacred grounds and showed no respect. We tip-toed around a huge area to avoid mounds and mounds of poop. It put the kabosh on the experience. This would never happen where I grew up. What a shame. I can't say that I enjoyed the experience, but I can say that it made me think about how fleeing life is. "FVGET VITAE NOVAE" was on the Grecian style masoleum and I could only make out life flies new so I tried looking it up online from the University of Notre Dame.
novus -a -um [new , fresh, young; fresh, inexperienced; revived, refreshed; novel, unusual, extraordinary];
vita -ae f. [life].
fuga -ae f. [flight , running away]; esp. [flight from one's country, exile, banishment]. Transf., [swift course, speed; avoiding (with genit.)].

Thus life is short. Life is fleeting. Make the most of it while you can - were the messages I got out of today's little exploration. If you are interested in learning more about Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the links are below but be fore warned about the lack of care and ground maintenance. The Cemetery should institute a no dogs allowed policy.

http://www.seeing-stars.com/buried2/HollywoodMemorial4.shtml
http://hollywoodforever.com/Hollywood/

A good pizza always uplifts the spirit. On to a place called Tomato Pie. (www.tomatopiepizzajoint.com) We ordered the "Grandma" which was apparently voted the top 25 pizzas in the country by GQ magazine.
Yes, it was very good - infact, the crust was great. I however, like way more cheese. Inferno pizza in Upstate NY gets my vote for best pizza. Two slices and a shared salad later and it was time to walk again.

We walked for another 40 minutes around Roberston Blvd.

Life is short...it's good to be back home.

Details on Today's LA Earthquake

Earthquake Details
Magnitude
5.0
Date-Time
Monday, May 18, 2009 at 03:39:36 UTC
Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 08:39:36 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
33.940°N, 118.338°W
Depth
13.5 km (8.4 miles)
Region
GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA
Distances
2 km (1 miles) E (91°) from Lennox, CA
2 km (1 miles) SSE (159°) from Inglewood, CA
3 km (2 miles) NNE (22°) from Hawthorne, CA
15 km (10 miles) SSW (213°) from Los Angeles Civic Center, CA
Location Uncertainty
horizontal +/- 0.4 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 0.9 km (0.6 miles)
Parameters
Nph=139, Dmin=7 km, Rmss=0.42 sec, Gp= 40°,M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=C
Source
California Integrated Seismic Net:
USGS Caltech CGS UCB UCSD UNR
Event ID
ci10410337
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Earthquake!!!!

There is nothing like big jolt of an earthquake in the middle of a quiet Sunday evening.

It was very short but definately strong.

My brother tells me it was a 5.0 that was only 2 miles from him (which is close to me!)

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/118-34.html

The sound of items falling off shelves was a bit rattling to say the least.

Neighbors decided to hang out outside in case of aftershocks.

Let's hope there aren't any!

Greetings from Miami Airport - Top of the Port Restaurant

What a great find!

After disembarking from a long journey that started yesterday at 2 pm in Gramado, Brazil, I arrived at Miami airport facing a 4 hour lay-over. I was so happy that Customs was a breeze. There was only 1 person in front of me and at baggage, I met a very interesting, friendly and good-looking (trifecta!) man and we struck up a nice conversation at 5:30 am or whatever time it was. It always make it so much nicer when traveling to have a friendly exchange. Anyhow, dropping off my luggage was also a breeze - follow the yellow circles - another short distance - and viola! With ticket in hand, I asked for a referral from AA check-in on a good place to hang out during my lay-over and here I am at "Top of the Port" - a restaurant at the top of a hotel that couldn't be easier to get to and more accessible from Terminal E. It's civlized.

My waiter was very accommodating as I asked to switch potoatos for fruit and bacon for tomato. What huge portions. The best I could do was to eat only half of everything - and even that was way beyond the portion restriction I enjoyed and became accustom to at Kurotel Longevity Center in Brazil. Before, I would have cleared everything on the plate -thinking that it was all healthy - eggs, fruit, vegetable, whole wheat bread, juice. But I learned even with healthy choices, there must be portion control. As you can see, I am still very food-focused.

Back to the restaurant tip - it's a great place to get away from the crowds, noise and confusion of Miami International Airport. And the bathrooms are very, very clean! I had considered the Admirals Lounge - but this is a much better deal. Quite elegance at a very reasonable price of admission. Breakfast with tip was less than $20.

Camille at Kurotel

It is my last evening at Kurotel Longevity Center in Brazil and I am so sorry to be leaving. This past week has been a wonderful experience - in experiencing the Kurotel philosophy of health, of meeting members of the Silveria family, of making new friends, in siteseeing Gramado and last but not least, in re-evaluating health, what it means to me and reignitiating a sincere interest in changing habits to lead a healthier, more productive lifestyle.

It's well past midnight and sadly, I must pack my bags. More on this subject tomorrow.

Medical Student Receives William Carlos Williams Poetry Award

I discovered this award and poem today and found it so inspiring, I posted it to two of my blogs. For those of you who follow this blog, William Carlos William was my paternal grandfather's cousin. Both were physicians.

Congratulations to Ms. Wlodarski.....here's a bit from the press release found on the University of Vermont website.

Jennifer Wlodarski has received an Honorable Mention in the 27th annual William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition for her poem "Slow Horse". Open to medical students attending schools of medicine or osteopathy in the United States and Canada, the competition is named in memory of William Carlos Williams, a physician-poet born in 1883 who practiced medicine in his hometown of Rutherford, N.J., while writing and publishing poetry with peers including Ezra Pound.

Slow Horse
Come back and outlast,
Like the slow horse.
All bets are in.
And I've got all my money on myself,
Because someone should.
— Jennifer Wlodarski

In Praise of Daffodils

Last year I blogged about the daffodils at Trader Joe's. Two weeks ago, while standing in the check out line I spotted a shopper with the rubber-banded flowers in hand.

Fast forward to shopping at Fresh and Easy. $1.99 Viola. Instand spring. I love daffodils - I love the way they open up like a fresh new sunshiney day. I love the way there are so streamlined with lovely glossy green stalks.

Halleluljah to daffodils.

Weekly Updates

A few things...
Whales - yesterday I volunteered for a couple of hours in the Gray Whale Census Project - their were 2 spotting before 8:30 amd and then another 8 after 1 pm. Again, I delighted in spotting the dolphins cavorting and sea lions flipping around the kelp.

PV Art Center
The PV Art Associates co-hosted the art reception last night and gave $60,000 to the PV Art Center as a result of their chef's dinner fundraising event(s) last summer. The reception was very well attended and I thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese drum performance which added another interesting dimension to opening which focused on Japanese internment during WWII.

Dine L.A. Restaurant Week

Reading the LA Times was a breeze today. Since I didn't see much good news - I bypassed all the articles on the economic slow down, store closures, rising unemployment, crime, war and a smattering of pretty unappealing articles. What caught my eye however, was Dine LA 2009. Oh goodie! Something I coule sink my teeth into and enjoy! (pun intended)!!!

Here's the low down: Jan 25-30 & Feb 1-6, many hot restaurant are offering 3 course meals at lunch and dinner at reduced fixed prices. There are some very good restaurants particpating such at Trump National Golf Course (one of my personal favorites) and Flemings. Lunch prices are $16, $22 and $28 while dinners run $26, $34 and $44. (Excluding tax and tip of course)

This is an opportunity to sit back, forget your troubles and enjoy a first class meal at a decent price. Escapism by dining. Sounds good to me!

Bonapetite! Dig In. Enjoy. Life is short.

For more info go to dinela.com/restaurantweek

Bottlenose Dolphins off of Palos Verdes

This week after reading "Dolphin birth a magical reward for volunteer spotters off Palos Verdes", and watching the dolphins cavort off Redondo Beach shores while walking the Esplanade, I thought it was a great time to volunteer and help these wonderful creatures.

At 9 am this morning, I showed up at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, borrowed a powerful pair of bincolulars and met 2 women who have volunteered in the ACS-LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project for 20 years. Although I did not spot whales, for a good 10 minutes I followed a large pod of bottlenose dolphins headed south along the coastline, near the kelp beds. And I did see one sea lion jump out of the water and plop back in.

The rain came at 10:30 and cut the visabilty down..and it was cold! So I headed home, with feeling that somehow, I had contributed even in a small way to my neighborhood under the sea.

Here's a blurb from the LA Times Outpost: The volunteers see things both mundane and miraculous as they monitor goings-on in the San Pedro Channel daily from sunup to sunset. If you'd like to volunteer, call Alisa Schulman-Janiger at (310) 519-8963 or e-mail janiger@bcf.usc.edu. Or simply show up and ask how you can become involved.

Inaguaration Day - Today - Streaming Live!

Yes, I am one of the West Coasters who started their day a few hours early to watch the Inauguration. I looked out my bedroom window to see the sweeping bands of blue and peach colored sky, and pulled back the covers. Time to see what is happening on the other side of the country.

I am one of millions of Americans who have optimism for the future. It feels like the New Year is starting today. (Adios and good-bye to 2008 fa-la-la!) I was hopeful that the stock market would improve as I logged onto www.bigcharts.com. I was hoping the economy had magically rallied along side of the collective positive mood of millions of my fellow Americans . Ok, well, time to turn on the TV.

You can't help but have a sense of excitement as the motorcade makes it's way past millions of Americans cheering Obama. History! Streaming live!

This is one of those "I remember when" moments when 30 years from now, I will be able to describe this event to my niece and nephews.

Palos Verdes to Downtown LA View

The picture-perfect views from Palos Verdes these past 8 days of 80 degree, clear weather were glorious. The sunsets were spectacular - with the visible buildings of downtown LA.

On the Esplanade

With the outstanding weather, the Esplanade has been the perfect place to walk, watch dolphins and strike up conversations. I met several dogs (Boomer and Einsteen) and their owners (names unknown) and a person from one of my networking group who's name was familiar but who I hadn't met in person. The Esplanade has been pretty busy lately - a visiting family member asked me what all these people did for a living. Who knows...maybe there are more admireres of the Esplanade with the rise of unemployment and the slidingly south economy. The Esplanade is a great place to unwind and that is what one person I met was doing. Looking out into the ocean, taking it all. Trying to figure out the puzzle in his head. He asked if I thought things would get better soon. Yes.

L.A. Art Month (This January!)

While watching the evening news, it was announced that Jan is LA Art Month. Oooo-ahh! Art month! Hurray? What does it include? Where are the fun events? Go to http://www.laartsmonth.com/ to find out!

There are hundreds of museums, theatres, galleries and other fantastic ways to experience the cultural side of Los Angeles, so take a friend or the entire family and visit a museum or cultural institution you’ve never been to before - you’ll be surprised what you’ll discover. Visit discoverLosAngeles.com/laartsmonth and you will find art, activities, museums, dining, guided tours etc.

I have been keeping my eye on the LA Opera - one of these days!

Holiday line-up

This was a particular busy holiday season filled with all sorts of wonderful performances. Before we move on to 2009 - it's worth mentioning that "Deck the Halls" at the the impressive downtown Walt Disney Concert Hall. Song sheets were distributed for the sing along and it could not have been more fun and festive. The best part was the entire hall belting out the 12 days of Christmas on their "assigned" days. The music center offers free children's performances with music, song and story telling through their World City program. For more info go to www.musiccenter.org/education.

We also saw Fiddler on the Roof which was very well cast and well done. Traaaa-di-tioooon! That was at the South Bay Civic Light Orchestra where we later caught Nun-sense the Holiday version. Original one woman cast. Funny as all heck and good clean fun. Highly recommend that as well. The one woman Sister act does good deeds and collects money for the retiring nuns. Did you know that in 20 years there will be no nuns in the US? This was a shocker. I have fond memories of the nuns at my Catholic elementary school.