Today's iPhone Polaroids

I took a walk around Santa Rosa early this evening. People were out walking their dogs, heading to restaurants, beginning their weekend.

I took the iPhone along with me to take a few pictures.

Of course I had to stop at Cokas Diko to see what was new. I found this amazing trunk that I fell in love with. It's one of those pieces that you would keep forever. Like so many things at Cokas Diko, there was just one and it came in today. I'm pretty sure it will be gone before I could justify spending the money.

Walked past the scooter shop. How old is too old for a scooter? Although if I had one I would want a buttery yellow model.

Artful Blogging - Autumn 2009

Just got my latest issue of Artful Blogging. Off to pour myself a glass of Ravenswood Zinfandel and read what the latest group of artist bloggers are creating. Artful Blogging always offers up lots of inspiration!

We Have A Winner For the $30 iTunes Card

Thank you to all who suggested quotes for my With Love Roses image. I had so many great suggestions that I could not decide. So I asked my sister to choose. She picked the Swedish Proverb "If I had a rose for every time I thought of you, I'd be picking roses for a lifetime." Congratulations to Krissy for posting that quote and winning the $30 iTunes Gift Card!

Moleskine Journals

I love seeing what people do with their Moleskine Journals. I just came across a wonderful collection of Moleskine Art and Sketches. Click here for the link. I couldn't find the reference on who did the art above. If anyone knows let me know so I can link to them as well.

Thanks to BetteJo, I found out who the artist above is (from the Moleskine Journal Art Collection). It's Suana Verelst and here is a link to her blog.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 6

It's Wednesday and you know what that means. . .

Best Routine - I thought the first routine of the night with the three men was the best. I loved the walk they did where they were hitting hard with their shoulders.

Best Couple - Brandon and Kayla

Best Male Dancer - Brandon

Best Female Dancer - Jeanine

Best Solo - Brandon

Best Choreographer - Sonya Tayeh

Best Music - I Put A spell On You, Nina Simone 

Most Likely To Go Home - Evan and Melissa

Update

Melissa and Ade were sent home. I'm sad that especially Ade won't be in the finale. He's such a pleasure to watch dance.

Lavender In The Vineyards

Path To The Vineyards

Mantanzas Creek Winery

Today's iPhone Polaroid

I took this picture at a terrific store called Cokas Diko. They have stores in Windsor, Santa Rosa and San Diego. Their prices are really good and their items, (running from small figurines to large pieces of furniture) are unique. The stores are somewhat crowded which makes it feel like a treasure hunt. I usually have to go around at least twice to feel like I'm not missing anything. Their inventory in the stores, changes often and I don't see many of the same things two visits in a row. Quite honestly their web store feels rather ordinary, where as, their two wine country stores feel anything but ordinary.

It's Sugar Free Tuesday

This is my 3rd week of Sugar Free Tuesdays and Flour Free Thursdays. The hardest part for me is no sugar in the mornings on my cereal (okay I admit it or a "goodie" from Starbucks). Knowing it's just one day and I can have my regular sugar tomorrow helps a lot. If I can't go without sugar for one day, is there any hope for me at all?

Update

So a question for myself...Am I eating more sugar on Mondays to prepare for Sugar Free Tuesdays?

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Wine tasting at Sones Cellars. They have the best Petite Sirah I have ever tasted. It's a double gold medal winner.

Today's iPhone Polaroid

WIN A $25 STARBUCKS CARD (PLUS MORE)

Win a $25 starbucks gift card...plus...

a stuffed toy mama and baby penguin...plus...

a children's book about emperor penguins.

All you have to do is vote to get a very deserving young woman on a ship to the Antarctica.

For your first entry - go here to vote for Danielle and come back and leave a post in comments that you voted and what number Danielle was at when you voted.

To get two more entries - post on your blog about Danielle and link to her voting page. (Then come back to the comments and tell me you linked to her.)

To know more about Danielle - here is a great article about her and the contest. Click here to visit Danielle's blog.

Cajun/Zydeco Dancing In The Wine Country

The little town of Windsor was shakin last night! There was barefoot dancing, sandal dancing, high heel dancing.

Sometimes it's hard to keep your pants up when you're shakin your "bootie"

Music was provided by Tom Rigney and Flambeau.

Every age was present and dancing.

It was a terrific night - great music, great dancing, great food, great wine, great community, great friends.

Here's a taste of the Tom Rigney and Flambeau band.

Back Alley Strut - 

Rigo's Blues -
St. Louis Blues -
Orange Blossom Special - 

Jambalaya - 

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Putting A Shimmy In Your Wedding Entrance

I saw this on A Cup Of Jo and couldn't resist posting it here as well. What a fun way to start off a wedding.

Keep On Dancing - Day 10

Today I Danced around my kitchen...
time of day - morning
for how long - 20 minutes
mood before -5.5
mood after - 6.75
(mood scale in left column under the clock)

Today's Go To Song - Be Okay, Ingrid Michaelson

Update

Went with my friends to listen to Cajun and Zydeco music at Windsor On The Green. Danced for another 20-30 minutes. Great time. Will post pictures tomorrow.

So You Think You Can Dance

Great night of dance. Ellen Degeneres was a guest judge and she was nothing short of terrrific. She was funny and so full of love for dance. She added a lot to the show. 

Here are my favorites.

Best Couple - One measurement for me is how many times I rewind and replay the routine. I replayed Tyce Diorio's Breast Cancer routine tonight 3 times and saved the show so I can play it again later. I thought Melissa and Ade were in trouble after their first routine, but then they danced the dance of the night, if not the season. They were magnificent.

Best Lifts - Ade and Melissa. Ade is so strong and the two trust each other so much that they make it look effortless.

Best Solo - Brandon

Best Male Dancer - Ade

Best Female - I'm for the first time going to have to call it a tie between Jeanine and Melissa

Best Choreography - Tyce Diorio. I think we will see this routine up for a grammy next year.

Most likely to go home. I hate to see them go as they're both wonderful, but I think it will be Evan and Janette.

Update

Janette and Jason went home tonight. 100th episode - saw some wonderful emmy nominated routines from past years.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 8

Some wonderful dance photos on the So You Think You Can Dance site. Tonight the top 8 will dance.

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Keep On Dancing - Day 9

Today I Danced around my kitchen...
time of day - morning
for how long - 30 minutes
mood before -5
mood after - 6.5
(mood scale in left column under the clock)

Today's Go To Song - Stitched Up John Mayer and Herbie Hancock

Lola Helping Me Make The Bed This Morning

In The Mood For A Road Trip

Tuesday's Ten

Ten things that caught my attention while wandering around the web...

Love these engagement photos by Max Wanger

Sande Chase wraps the most beautiful gifts. I like how she uses portfolio boxes.

Do you like purple? (Joan this one's for you!)

Lemon Verbena Sorbet - Does that not sound perfect on a hot summer day?

I have been looking for good sangria recipes. These look great.

I always dream of having outdoor parties that look like this.

Love this bubble chandelier.

I can't quite get my head around the idea of going castle shopping.

Riding your bicycle in New York City is considered very chic.

I like bird cages hanging in trees - with the birds on the outside not inside.

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Windsor Shakespeare On The Green

Last night I went to see The Tempest at Shakespeare On The Green in Windsor (a delightful small town in northern California). My friend Brianna played Miranda and was wonderful. We took a picnic, sat out on blankets. Everyone was drinking wine and totally enjoying a great summer evening in the wine country.

Windsor also has movies on the green on Tuesday nights and concerts on Thursday nights (through August).

Reading With A Pen In My Hand

I mentioned in a previous post that it is absolutely impossible for me to read a book without a pen in my hand. I underline, draw stars next to favorite sentences and write and draw all over the margins. By the time I finish a book it is a mess. I've promised myself that someday I will go back and read all those notes I scribbled down. Now maybe my blog will give me an excuse to revisit some of those books.

I'm starting with A Writer's Paris: A Guided Journey For the Creative Soul by Eric Maisel.

The focus of this book is to go to Paris, not as a tourist but as a writer. Every time I saw the word "writer" I would add artist/photographer to it. It is something that I have thought about for years. What does it mean to travel not as a tourist but to feed my creative life?

One of the first sections of the book is titled Pure Flâneur. To the french, flânerie is strolling as an art form. Maisel says "The flâneur is an observer who wanders the streets of a great city on a mission to notice with childlike enjoyment the smallest events and the obscurest sights he encounters." There is nothing I enjoy more when traveling than wandering - taking pictures of things that catch my eye, stopping in cafes for coffee and chocolate. To me that is heaven.

Here are a few more things I wrote down in the margins or underlined.

• Go to museums (and other major tourist sights) as an artist not as an tourist. If you arrive at 3:00 with the crowds you have no choice but to be a tourist. If you go on a weekday morning when the museum first opens you can experienece it as an artist.

• What do I want my first thought to be when I wake up in a new place. Maisel says that while he is in Paris, his first thought is "Where will I write". For me I think it would be Where do I want to wander? Or more likely - Where do I want to get my coffee and chocolate croissant?

• Writers and artists are built to explore. "You were born to run off to the sea, to visit the world's great cities, to investigate the hidden corners of unfamiliar cultures."

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Win A $30 iTunes Card

I need a quote for the above image. I'm looking for something about love - especially for a new bride. If you have an idea of a quote that might work post it in the comments. On Friday I will choose the best quote and give a $30 iTunes card to the winner.

Keep On Dancing - Day 8

Today I Danced around my kitchen...
time of day - morning
for how long - 30 minutes
mood before -5
mood after - 6.5
(mood scale in left column)

Today's Go To Song - Dancing With Myself, Nouvelle Vague

Keep On Dancing

What I Know For Sure..

1. When I dance around my kitchen my mood increases by 15%-20%. (See charts in left column)

2. Dancing improves my mood and an improved mood effects everything I do the entire day.

3. My body feels so much better when I dance.

4. I'm more fun if I've danced.

5. I eat better when I dance.

6. Dancing is cheaper than therapy.

7. I'm more creative when I dance.

8. I lose weight when I dance.

9. I look better when I dance.

10.I laugh more when I dance.

Won't you join me? How many people do you think we can get dancing around their kitchens?

Keep On Dancing - Day 7

Today I Danced...
time of day - evening
for how long - 20 minutes
mood before -4.5
mood after - 5.5
(mood scale in left column)

Today's Go To Song - My Heart, Liz Wright

Today's iPhone Polaroid

Trying Something New

This is week one of my sugar free Tuesdays and carb free Thursdays. And what blog do I go visit today - my first carb free Thursday? Paris Breakfasts - which is loaded with wonderful pictures of Parisian patisseries and chocolate. Only 1 hr and 17 minutes until midnight. I am then going to make myself a piece of raisin toast!

There's A Winner For My iTunes Gift Card Contest

I printed out my comments page. Cut up all of the comments into strips, folded them up, threw them into a bowl and drew a winner. And...the winner is Marianne at MariZcreationZ. She recommended the song Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake Your Booty by KC and the Sunshine Band.

Be sure and check out all of the songs. I got lots of new "tunes" to dance around my kitchen to. Thanks to all of you for entering and sharing your favorites.

I Am So Behind This Week

I am so behind this week in getting my blog posts done. I did the Los Altos Art and Wine Show last weekend and having been playing catch up ever since.

The picture above is of my beautiful new necklace and bracelet. I bought the necklace from BetteJo at A Bead A Day. She was so very kind to send me the surprise gift of the matching bracelet with my initial. Thank you so very much BetteJo. They are both beautiful.