Camping

So these next couple of post will be slightly out of order of when the actually happened. But at the end of August we went camping with 4 families. Total count was 10 adults and 8 kids. We went to the Palomar Mountains near Temecula. It was lovely, perfect weather, not to hot, not to cold. For some first time campers, I'd say they had a great time. We divided the cooking, every couple cooked one meal. Let's just say we all ate great. Not a bad cook in the bunch. I for one had to go on a serious diet the next week due to the sugar shot of evening s'mores. Thanks Deb, Jane and Elliot for organizing.

Gorgeous lillies on the trail

Planetary about a 15 minute drive. SB took these abstract shots.
Are the aliens coming?

Bee caught pollinating.

Doanes Pond, lovely reflections.

My favorite Wildflower shot. Makes me think of my childhood.

Club Ed

So for 1 week in July I went on location for a photoshoot. Not my photoshoot, but another very talented photographer, Lars Toppleman. He has a great crew and the best personality. One of the locations was in the desert, in a place called Club Ed. It's an old movie set, click on the link to read the story. Here are my shots as we walked around the set. Pretty cool place and used for lots of photoshoots and commercials. Just saw a Viagra commercial tonight with gas station.We shot behind the hill on a sandy plateau.

Love the Joshua Trees.And the Easy Rest Inn

Here's the Office to check in at the Easy Inn. It's actually where the caretaker comes during photoshoots. Another person lives on the property keeping all the lookie loo's out.

Old prop gas pumps.

Nice motel pool. Rooms are just facades, I believe only one is proped out.

My favorite Levi's ad with my favorite TV characters from my favorite TV show were shot here. Take a look.

Located off Avenue K in the lovely city of Lancaster. I do have to give props, no pun intended, to the Oxford Inn Hotel, where we stayed. We got two free drink tickets, they offered appetizers and breakfast and let me tell you it was "all good."

Summer Update 2010

It's been a foggy and now, a hot long summer.

I have much to post about and no time to do so.

Work and life have consumed me.

To top it off my scanner doesn't work right either.

I'm ancient of days with film that needs to be scanned in to finish my Cuba journey.

I promised my sister I'd finish my story of Cuba as I have yet to tell my Dad about this blog.

I have three posts to wrap up from July, as it was that month, 10 years ago that I went.

Also coming soon posts on my week long business travel which ended me up in the desert at one point. Awesome old set in the middle of all places....Lancaster.

Don't give up on me....I know I'm talking to myself as by now know one is reading this but me.

Stay tuned.

Afternoon Summer Tea

Every year my friend Sherri hosts a lovely afternoon tea for all the ladies. She is a full-time wife and mom of three and somehow finds the time to make the most amazing creations. She even on occasion does flowers for events as she did from my wedding almost 15 years ago. This year I tried a few new things but the above Pavlova's, made with meringues with cream, kiwi, strawberry, mango, blueberry and passion fruit sauce is my favorite. So lovely to look at and delectable to eat.

Love chocolate and these were rich and unbelievably tasty

Carmelly goodness, yeah I know it's not a word, but I like it anyway.

Can we say sugar coma.

Stress Relieving Chocolate

Some people go for a jog, or to a bar, have a drink or gorge on food. I eat chocolate, not just any chocolate it should be rich, dark and delicious. On this lovely Sunday April day in the midst of cleaning up my kitchen and getting decisively dizzy, cleaning does that to me, I finally realize it's not the normal displeasure at cleaning but in fact it's a 6.9 Earthquake. First time in my city that I felt it roll and roll and roll on forever it did, swaying the chandelier (yes the little wrought iron one in my apartment counts) and blinds. After my heart slows down I need a drink and better than that I need chocolate.

My long-time friend and former roommate Karena and her husband were here visiting and she brought me the best treat. She said to me, "when you just know that you have to get a specific gift for someone nothing else will do." So on her way to the airport in NY they have the taxi stop and wait in Brooklyn while she grabs some treats for me at the Jacques Torres store. I tried to go there when I visited last time but didn't make it. So today after the stressful earthquake I opened the celophane package that wrapped dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds in a crunchy candy coated with the loveliest dark chocolate. Jacques Torres is a genius chocolatier and an amazing cook. I've watched his show a few times, admittedly I can't always understand him, but I'm fascinated by his chocolate creations. Thank you Karena and please come again with Danny and more chocolates.

So what do you do to relieve stress?