Saturday - July 01, 2006
Celebrating my Birthday with friends in Costa Rica
This trip was all about spending time with my
girlfriends and experiencing "Pura Vida. Pura Vida means pure life. I was
gradually more and more enchanted with this saying that can mean a variety of
things from good friends, hello, goodbye and many other interpretations. Most
of all it means what it says. I love the saying so much I think I'll keep it
going here in SF with my close friends. I was very surprised by the differences
between Mexico and Costa Rica. This trip was a genuine vacation from being
cold, commercialism, TV, cell phones and basically life in SF. It was
incredible and I have learned so much about myself as well as gained insight
into a culture that has always been intriguing to
me.
Some moments that caught my eye.
I love clouds and flying! From five years old on I flew back to Norway for the summers and I believed that if I jumped into the clouds it would be the softest landing beyond anything I had ever experienced. Softer than a down comforter and my huge white cats fur. This was taken from an eight seater flying from San Jose to Quepos. I love small planes. I always sit right up front and watch the pilots master each and every dial and switch. This was my favorite cloud formation.
Every young mother seemed to want an American name for her child. Leonard along with his mother and father live here in this small room without a door. Children's hide and seek is universal. I adored playing with Leonard and talking with his mother. Somehow they have a TV. Although they are about a 30 minute drive from the main road and then an hour drive to anywhere with food they did not have a car. Her husband wound up the horses for us to go horse back riding and look at the properties for sale.
Just about everything not already sold to a European or a an American "Gringo" was for sale and the prices were pretty steep! The time to buy was 5 years ago at least. The locals call themselves "Ticos" and this means native Costa Ricans. They call the Nicaraguan's "Nicos".
These eleven year old students were so much fun. They warmed my heart with their honest and open kindness with each other. Juan Luis in the middle is almost too darling for words.
Kassandra Perez with her neighbors dog. She is ten years old and bursting with creativity.
Her smile is alive with tropical life.
Friday - June 09, 2006
Talk about tradition!
I have been attending The Mountain Play on Mt. Tamalpais in Mill Valley, for 22 years with my family. Three's a charm! My third time seeing Fiddler on the Roof. But, I loved it of course because I LOVE MUSICALS! I can't wait for The Sound of Music to come again. You could not ask for a better setting than this to relax in the sun, laugh, clap and enjoy a yummy picnic. With over 4,000 people gathered together in the most beautiful outdoor Greek theatre nestled into the trees and a view over looking the San Francisco Bay, I often wonder why I do not make it to my favorite mountain more often?
2006 - Fiddler on the Roof
2005 - Oklahoma!
2004 - My Fair Lady
2003 - Annie
2002 - Bye Bye Birdie
2001 - Oliver!
2000 - Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum
1999 - West Side Story
1998 - Hello Dolly
1997 - South Pacific
1996 - My Fair Lady
1995 - Guys & Dolls
1994 - Fiddler on the Roof
1993 - The Music Man
1992 - Oklahoma
1991 - Wizard of Oz
1990 - Anything Goes
1989 - Brigadoon
1988 - South Pacific
1987 - King & I (75th Anniversary)
1986 - Peter Pan
1985 - The Sound of Music
1984 - Fiddler on the Roof
I was around my niece Emma's age when my family began this tradition.
We always eat the most incredible BBQ chicken in the world on a long table in the garden. We were lucky enough to have Kara with us this year and yet again she was making me crack up!! (laugh a ton)
Kara's favorite quote of the day: Karina to her father "You can laugh it's OK". It stills kills me thinking about it. He can be a very serious Norwegian man and she even got him to laugh out loud! No one can resist her contagious laughter. (I should have her laugh come in now;))
