Gallery: Summer 2018
Category Archives: ◆◆◆
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Exploration: Mid-Century Cafe – Chocolate Cafe
EASTHAM, MA – This past weekend, I spent sometime with my family in Eastham, MA. We spent the day boating on Saturday and on Sunday my mom and I stopped by a few local favorites. We had heard of a new chocolate cafe in town and wanted to check it out since the Chocolate Sparrow, has been non-stop crazy crowded since its’ inception. With Eastham being small, local residents are always eager to checkout a new business in town. This cafe has a fun artistic twist in finding inspiration in mid-century design. Their cafe has traditional black and white checkered flooring and cutesy ephemera to help tell the tale of their cafe concept.
Breakfast, Lunch, Homemade Chocolate, Smoothies, Coffee and More
Located on historic Route 6 in North Eastham on Cape Cod, you will find the Chocolate Cafe. Featuring a fun and brightly colored 50’s Diner Theme, the Chocolate Cafe serves freshly made breakfast sandwiches, lunch, homemade chocolate, truffles, pastries, gourmet organic coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, iced and frozen drinks, freshly made smoothies, frappes, root beer floats, assorted bagged candies, fudge and freshly made breakfast sandwiches daily. Looking for a fun gift to take home? The Chocolate Cafe has a very eclectic variety of cards and gifts, both salty and sweet.
Stop by and enjoy a freshly made cup of coffee to go, a “Honeymooner” grilled cheese, an “I Love Lucy” hotdog, a sweet treat or a cold drink, and enjoy it on one of the many seating options available inside and outside on the front porch or brightly colored picnic tables.
Photography: Cape, Aug. 2018
Collection: Fishing
Year: 2018
A series of photographs from a fishing trip.
Video: 5 Striper
Realize: Through the Scope
During this trip to Costa Rica, I finally found some new inspiration. I went on the hanging bridges tour at Mistico park and the tour guides had these large scopes to view wildlife from afar. I had impressed a bunch of people on the tour by putting the ipod/smartphone up close to the scope to take a picture. I had learned this from my residency in the overgrowth forest. I think I will purchase one, one day to add to my tool box. This also inspired a new photographic series, “Scopeography”; in which contains series of images taken through the ‘scope; micro or other. I realized that this series also can have kaleidoscopes as well as micro or other types.
Activities: Hanging Bridges
One of the main activities of my trip to Costa Rica over 10 years ago was a trek up the mountain, through a rainforest to an indigenous village of the Cabecar indian tribe. This was before the age of google, and blogging and travel PR… I had my travel notebook with me (no laptop!) and took down notes about this secluded culture; their religious views and way of life and quite frankly I was so fascinated by the entire experience. Unfortunately, I overexerted my body and I think jump started my hypothyroid issues since I spent close to 14 hours hiking within one weekend. Afterwards, I pretty much slept whenever I could and did the rest of the activities in a bit of a daze. So going back there, was huge. I had quite a few flashbacks of this trip, seeing the hills and remembering spending time resting and taking in the landscape. It was quite an interesting experience, now that I live in western Mass to compare the volcanic mountain range of Costa Rica to western Mass. Very similar in regards to the animals and lifestyles. However, one is obviously tropical and with that a variety of different plants, animals and insects. From a research perspective, it is an ecological paradise and a place I think I’d like to spend some more time in.
Going back, I wanted to re-experience a few things, so I did a hiking activity and did the hanging bridges. Since that hike over 10 years ago, I’ve been interested in hiking/walks through the woods. Nothing too strenuous, but enough to take in the landscape and photograph the nature around me. Since moving to western Mass, I have been interested in doing nature hikes/walks around the trails here learning about foraging and other nature topics. However, since Costa Rica, it’s come to my attention that I have heat exhaustion and over the years have learned to control it and catch it before my body overheats. I was quite happy with myself that I only had one incident on the hanging bridges tour and thankfully the rest of it was quite easy to do. Regardless of my health issues, I quite enjoyed being in the rainforest – as I’ve done in the overgrowth forest in Canada and around here in western Mass.
In my next nature adventure, I think I might try hiking alone. While I very much appreciated the tour guide as he spotted a few things that I wouldn’t have seen and provided information that was interesting about the landscape; it was a bit difficult to take photos and really spend sometime with the rainforest. I am getting a better sense of what I have to work with while traveling and I think next year I’m going to try and take some of my traditional art materials with me.
Inquiry: Rediscovering Heart of Palm
LA FORTUNA, CR – I’ve been to Central America several times now and this is the first time that I’ve ever put a name to a vegetable from that area of the world. Perhaps it was because I had been traveling all morning that made it taste especially good, but I recently rediscovered the vegetable; heart of palm. I had the cream soup at Arenal Kioro, several times in fact. Who knew a tree could taste so good.
Hearts of palm are tender, white cylinders that have a mild flavor similar to artichokes. They’re often found in salads but can also be cooked and served as a side dish. Hearts of palm are low in calories and a good source of vitamins, easy to find in grocery stores, and can be added to any healthy, balanced diet.
High in fiber with a good chunk of protein and a low glycemic index, hearts of palm make a welcome addition to vegan diets, low-carb diets and even the healing diet, which is focused on decreasing inflammation and lowering blood sugar to optimize health. They also fit in well to many different dishes, from salsas and stews to quiches and casseroles. Heart of palm is incredibly versatile and often used as a meat substitute for those on a vegan or vegetarian diet. It’s also revered for its health-promoting properties and is especially rich in fiber, protein, manganese, iron and vitamin C.
Here are some additional information about Heart of Palm (source: Specialty Produce). From a nutritional perspective:
Description/Taste
Hearts of palm is encased in a tough cylindrical, ivory husk. Inside is a velvety, tender flesh that is delicately flavored. Tasting somewhat like an artichoke, it has the appearance similar to that of white asparagus. About four inches in length, individual hearts may be as thin as a pencil or measure nearly one to one-and-one-half inches in diameter.
Seasons/Availability
Enjoy Hearts of Palm year-round.
Nutritional Value
Containing no cholesterol, fresh hearts of palm is a good source of nutritious fiber.
Applications
Hearts of palm may be packaged fresh, or jarred in water, and may be served raw or cooked. Steam or peel outer husk if still intact. Slice and add to salads, grains, pastas and fresh salsas. Top pizza with thin slices. Stuff or fill hollow cavity with cheeses, meats or herbs. Add to stews, chowders, quiche and casseroles. Mild in flavor, hearts of palm pairs well with greens and seafood.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Also known as “swamp cabbage” or “millionaire’s salad”. Favored in Costa Rica, “Picadillo de Palmito” is a traditional dish.
Geography/History
Young stems produced by a palm tree known as “bactris gasipaes”, hearts of palm have been cultivated in Central America since the time of the Mayas. In the Republic of Panama, Central America, top quality hearts of palm thrive in the rural area of Panama. Also field-grown in the tropical humid areas of Costa Rica, hearts of palm are, literally, the heart of the sabal Palmetto tree. This spectacular tall tough-barked palm is the state tree of Florida and is protected by Florida state law. The hearts of palm grown in the United States are mainly from Florida.
ref: https://draxe.com/hearts-of-palm/
Residency: Personal Wellness at Arenal Kioro
LA FORTUNA, CR – Arenal Kioro offers a fabulous place with a natural viewpoint to the Arenal Volcano which make a great retreat for Personal Wellness. The hotel has 27 acres of undulating land, surrounded by two streams (La Palma and Kioro) with crystalline waters that begin to flow in the Arenal Volcano National Park. Private Thermal water surround exuberant gardens for our guests´ pleasure.
The hotel hosts 53 suites, 11 with one king bed and a daybed and 42 with two Queen beds and a daybed, with two “Juliet” balconies with the best panoramic volcano and mountain view , hydromassage hot tub, air conditioning, safe deposit box, minibar, coffee maker, hot water, direct dialing telephone, cable television, hair dryer, key card, safety locks and wireless Internet.
With Costa Rica being a short 6 hour flight away from Boston, it makes a great getaway destination. Surrounded by lush greens and flora, the Arenal Volcano makes for a luxurious backdrop for a personal wellness weekend. Staying at a suite and spa resort promotes personal wellness; everything from scrumptious Costa Rican dishes to accessibility of the hot springs and an experience at Arenal Kioro gives you a sense of green luxury, promoting sustainability practices to help keep the area green and lush.
Arenal Kioro also offers tours and activities to give you a chance to explore the area. It is always convenient to work through a hotel to organize excursions in the area. I took advantage of the hanging bridges tour since that was something different than my last trip to Costa Rica that I hadn’t done. After the tour, I spent the afternoon sipping Pina coladas and mojitos and enjoyed the hot springs. Despite the rainy weather and season, I went into the experience embracing it as the locals would say – Pura Vida!
Exploration: Discover the Bohemian North Beach Lifestyle
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Discover the Bohemian North Beach Lifestyle by walking through pier 39 and uncovering the whimsy and amusement, the pier to plate delicacies, and the authentic European flavors of San Francisco.
San Remo Hotel
Beginning in the 1930s, artists, musicians and poets found a home at the San Remo, some paying their room tab with a painting or two, most moving on when they could find a larger place more suitable for use as a studio. The easygoing environment at the hotel, a perfect fit for the bohemian North Beach lifestyle, attracted creative talent for several decades. Local San Remo Hotel artists like Julius Hatofsky and Ernie Biggs were San Remo guests in the 50s. Hatofsky became an emeritus instructor at the prestigious San Francisco Art Institute after a long career as an artist, and Biggs gained a reputation in New York. Sometimes the less glamorous tenants needed a little looking after. Proprietor Nello Ragghianti, who operated the hotel from 1945 to 1972, would bank their monthly Social Security checks and dole out funds as needed so they weren’t squandered.
Pier to Plate
Since 1965 local fisherman have been bringing their catch to Scoma’s pier. This local favorite is home to fresh seafood in a diverse menu. I dined on a Mediterranean Mussels dish and had a cocktail. While this restaurant is in the higher fine dining end of the spectrum, it was refreshing to see a local favorite still in existence. Its’ longevity shows its’ importance the ever-changing landscape of San Francisco.
European Flavor
If you are visiting San Francisco and suddenly crave some French flavor, head to pier 39 where there is a wide array of shops, restaurants and kitschy experiences. One of my favorites was the Crêpe Cafe, serving authentic crepes in a buttery envelope. I personally had the Florentine, a crepe of Spinach, Diced Red Onion and Feta & Cheddar Cheese. Made for a lightweight but filling lunch and a great alternative to the abundance of fried food.
Experience Whimsy
Experience the whimsical and amusement side of Pier 39 and the bohemian lifestyle, from mirror houses to authentically painted carousels, there was an air of otherworldly in San Francisco. From pier 39 the above carousel is described as, “Handcrafted in Italy, the San Francisco Carousel is intricately hand-painted with famous San Francisco landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Chinatown, Lombard Street, Alcatraz and the popular California sea lions at PIER 39, making it the only carousel in San Francisco (that we are aware of) that has artistic renderings of the city.”
Residency: Experience Victorian San Francisco
About a year ago I got the opportunity to do a media stay at San Remo Hotel in San Francisco but because of the circumstances at the time, I had to push it to this year. It’s truly amazing to me how much a year can change in terms of one’s circumstances. Since I’ve started working full-time, I’ve been figuring out how to keep a pre-established lifestyle while maintaining a 40-hour work week. Quite frankly it’s been difficult and the pace has been much slower, which I don’t mind at all. Working full-time has breathed new life into my routines that had been missing previously.
San Remo Hotel is a centennial time capsule. Just over a hundred years ago in 1906 after the earthquake and fire that destroyed most of San Francisco, Bank of America founder A.P. Giannini, constructed a new hotel on 2237 Mason St. just blocks away from Fisherman’s Wharf. The hotel has 62 rooms and was originally named the “New California Hotel” hoping to infuse optimism and rebirth after the fire into the city. The hotel ambiance is Old World: quiet rooms without phones or TVs, Victorian heirloom furnishings and hallways lined with historic photos. Guests share bath facilities, reminiscent of European pensione-style lodging.
Beginning in the 1930s, artists, musicians and poets found a home at the San Remo, some paying their room tab with a painting or two, most moving on when they could find a larger place more suitable for use as a studio. The easygoing environment at the hotel, a perfect fit for the bohemian North Beach lifestyle, attracted creative talent for several decades.
Local San Remo Hotel artists like Julius Hatofsky and Ernie Biggs were San Remo guests in the 50s. Hatofsky became an emeritus instructor at the prestigious San Francisco Art Institute after a long career as an artist, and Biggs gained a reputation in New York. Sometimes the less glamorous tenants needed a little looking after. Proprietor Nello Ragghianti, who operated the hotel from 1945 to 1972, would bank their monthly Social Security checks and dole out funds as needed so they weren’t squandered.
San Francisco itself is situated in the Silicon Valley and is home a diverse array of industries most famous for technological and biological innovation. Silicon Valley (abbreviated as SV or The Valley) is a region in the southern San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California, referring to the Santa Clara Valley, which serves as the global center for high technology, venture capital, innovation, and social media. San Jose is the Valley’s largest city, the 3rd-largest in California, and the 10th-largest in the United States. Other major SV cities include Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. The San Jose Metropolitan Area has the third highest GDP per capita in the world (after Zurich, Switzerland and Oslo, Norway), according to the Brookings Institution.
The word “silicon” originally referred to the large number of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers in the region, but the area is now the home to many of the world’s largest high-tech corporations, including the headquarters of 39 businesses in the Fortune 1000, and thousands of startup companies. Silicon Valley also accounts for one-third of all of the venture capital investment in the United States, which has helped it to become a leading hub and startup ecosystem for high-tech innovation and scientific development. It was in the Valley that the silicon-based integrated circuit, the microprocessor, and the microcomputer, among other key technologies, were developed. As of 2013, the region employed about a quarter of a million information technology workers.
Learn more about the San Remo Hotel: here.
Inquiry: Textiles and Weaving
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Saturday, I toured the town of San Juan during a cultural tour. I visited the textile and weaving demonstrations, as well as the medicinal and herbal gardens, coffee plantations and art galleries. I had a lot I wanted to do but in all honesty, that particular location was so relaxing that it made it hard to do more! In fact, I can’t remember the last time I was that relaxed. Just napping out on the hallway outside my room made for a perfect activity that weekend.
Textile Demonstrations
Through the hotel’s instructions, I met up with a guide in town who was also giving another couple a tour. The couple was from Montreal and the woman spoke French and her husband spoke French and a little English, both spoke Spanish. So during our conversations, I understood French better through my studies than I did Spanish, so at some points four languages were being exchanged. Mayan to Spanish, Spanish to French and then occasionally French to English/Spanish to English. It was an interesting use of French and Spanish and glad I had that experience. We were sitting at the restaurant for lunch and our guide was teaching us a few Mayan words, and it got particularly interesting.
Our first stop was a textile and weaving demonstration. Here, they taught us the dying methods used since ancient times to dye the material and fabric. They also taught us how to spin the yarn, and showed us the loom. This was particularly interesting to me because I had done a similar project at work that used all-natural dyes and to see this process being done since ancient history was pretty cool. Here I bought a vibrant purple scarf in bamboo material.
After this, we stopped by a medicinal and herbal garden and learned more about the local plants used in every day life. As an artist with a focus in organic material, it was particularly interesting to see how familiar plants were used in a different culture. Some plants I recognized from Italy like rosemary and oregano and some that were relatively new. For example, they grew Euphorbia which I learned about in Italy but never learned much about it’s medicinal properties! After this, we went to a coffee tour and plantation. We learned more about the different types of Guatemalan coffee and saw it growing on site, as well as sampled it.
After this, we stopped by a church, and another weaving coop that worked with cotton and then from there we stopped for lunch and then the art coop. After the art gallery, it was time to go back to the hotel. We parted ways and I took the ‘took took’ back to the hotel.
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Exploration: Lake Atitlan for the Non-Backpacker
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SAN JUAN LAGUNA, Guatemala – Celebrate a birthday through solo travel by traveling to one of Central America’s most Non-Backpacker friendly destinations!
As I was searching for my next destination to go to celebrate my 28th, especially for a short duration, Guatemala kept coming up. I’ve been inspired by Lake Atitlan for ages from the spiritual and artistic points of view of the area. Not only that but the area is still very authentic in Mayan culture and as you may know I’ve studied and researched their culture in my art history classes and independently. I’ve said this when my family and I went to Yucatan in Mexico for my 21st, but I’m always fascinated when I’m actually standing in the same exact location that their ancestors did who built the pyramids (and other structures) that have lasted thousands of years. I have yet to go to Egypt but am working up to it, however, I am sure I will feel the same about Egypt when I do eventually go.
Accommodations
Considering the trip was literally 5 days, I had to make sure that it went smoothly and for that I chose to book with Uxlabil Eco Hotels. I particularly enjoyed the fact that this hotel was a chain and had a location in Guatemala City and Lake Atitlan, and not only that but their Atitlan location was adjacent to one of the most artistic towns in the Atitlan region; where you can see textile/weaving demonstrations, coffee tours and plantations, medicinal and herbal gardens, historical architecture and art galleries. As you can guess, my senses had a bit of a field day. I was able to book shuttles and taxis through the hotel who had called them before I arrived and the taxis were extremely prompt and made the trip a lot smoother.
From the outside, the itinerary was ambitious and possibly risky however many articles said to treat the journey to the lake as part of the experience, and I am very glad I went into that trip with that mind-set! My itinerary started about mid-day on Thursday when I departed from Boston, which my flight was delayed due to a technical error and I literally only had about 15-30 minutes to make my connecting flight in Miami. It had been a very long time since I had last connected through Miami and I had forgotten how nightmarish that airport was. I ran with my heavy equipment bag and everything else down at least a mile to the next terminal to make my flight. Considering it was a short trip, I couldn’t waste anytime and needed to make that flight. Thankfully I made it with 6 minutes to spare. Having a connecting flight in Miami, meant that it was 2 and a half hours to Miami and 2 and a half hours from Miami to Guatemala City.
San Juan La Laguna
I got into Guatemala City around 9 pm. Got to the currency exchange, got my luggage and found my taxi and was checked into the hotel by 10:30 pm. It also helped that this location was about 10 minutes from the airport. I ate, showered and was in bed by 11:30 pm. Considering I had to get up at 4 am, which wasn’t too different from my usual 5:30 wake-up time, to make the 6 am taxi to Lake Atitlan.
The taxi to Panajachel was about 2.5-3 hours, then from Panajachel to San Juan La Laguna was about a 2 hour boat ride across the lake. I’ve been surrounded by boats and on them before and I am generally not afraid of them, however, I was totally not expecting this boat ride to be extremely bumpy! So much so I was pretty shaken up upon arrival and I actually fell and banged my leg against the fiberglass boat and bruised my leg! Thankfully it didn’t prevent me from walking around. I also thought for a moment that I was in over my head since the road ahead of me off the pier was literally a 45 degree angle and with all of my luggage and equipment bag and especially after the day before. I thought the entire town was like this! But it apparently was only the side roads and the town itself had plateaued out and was extremely walkable. The region also had 3-wheeled ‘took tooks’ or taxis that were able to climb these steep roads. I was also very thankful for the temperature. The locals may have all been wearing winter coats, but I was in short sleeves and coatless. The temperature never got above 75 degrees when I was there and that made a huge difference for my heat exhaustion, I don’t think I could’ve done it if it was above that.
The hotel consisted of 3 floors of bedrooms, a dinning and lounge area – which had the most spectacular view, a dock, gardens, jacuzzi and spa, as well as many other amenities. The food was geared towards international travelers but had local, authentic flavor and produce. For dinner I had essentially a 3-course meal with soup, a main entree with side dishes of vegetables and rice, tortillas and finally desert. The menu did have an authentic mayan meal if you were looking for something of that flavor.
Departure
Sunday, I made my way back to Guatemala City. And I should have expected this, but Sunday was kind of annoying. There was a lot of waiting around for the public transportation as it was much slower on Sunday. Additionally, there was also a lot of traffic going into Guatemala City, so a 2.5-3 hour trip turned easily into 3.5-4 hours. I basically retraced my steps back to the Guatemala City location. They had also upgraded me to a 3-person suite at the Uxlabil Eco Hotels which was very nice! I also enjoyed the fact that my flight home was in the afternoon so I did not have to get up super early. The flights home went well and nothing went wrong. However, I did find it interesting that I was flagged by TSA for SSSS. SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection and it appears on a passenger’s boarding pass when they’ve been selected by TSA’s Secure Flight system for enhanced security screening. I am very thankful for the travel group I am apart of for teaching me about this. Basically you get swabbed down before boarding the flight from Guatemala City. And actually because of the area I was in, I was actually thankful that that they had done that for possible drug smuggling or something could’ve been on my clothes, etc. that may have prevented me from reentering the country.
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