Normally, I’m not a fan of Lacoste. When they recently made their “big comeback” into fashion, I was less than impressed. Now that we are entering spring, I’ve noticed their ads are featuring a lot of nautical-style clothing. I’m glad this is one trend that refuses to die just yet.
Someday, I’ll realize my dream of being a sailor girl. Until then, I’ll probably be giddy every time I see a striped- or a navy- anything.
I would prefer not to do any major traveling until we’re settled down where we want to be. Nevertheless, I’ve ordered a number of brochures and Jeffrey and I are narrowing down the options for our next big trip. We’re thinking that we’d like to start getting the more physically demanding travels out of the way while we’re still young. So I’ve been thinking Africa (Mt. Kilimanjaro and/or a more ecologically/animal-sensitive safari) , Machu Piccu or Antartica. I’d also like us to visit Vietnam with my mother.
I’m curious if any of you have done any international traveling with a tour group (e.g. Contiki)? If so, what was the name of the company? Was your experience good or bad?
Now, I’m a self-admitted “Star Trek: The Next Generation” geeky fan. I grew up watching it. I rooted for Counselor Troi’s and Commander Riker’s on-and-off-again romance. I was scared the crew would be no match for the Borg.
That said, I’m not an across-the-board “Star Trekkie”. I never watched any of the other shows, including the original with Captain Kirk and Spock. So when I first heard that JJ Abrams (yay, Felicity!) was making a new Star Trek movie chronicling the life and times of the original Enterprise crew at the Starfleet Academy, I remained disinterested.
But then I saw the guy playing young Kirk and now… my interest is now piqued. Mmm.
My fiancee, Jeffrey, and I took a weekend trip to St. Augustine, Florida. The above is a very short video clip from the Fountain of Youth attraction. It’s an exhibit right next to the very spot where the fountain/spring used to be. A cross made of stones, intended to mark the spring and the year of the discovery (1513), was uncovered only a few decades ago and the area’s had several archaeological excavations since that date.
Fountain of Youth is clearly not a well-funded attraction, but worth the $7 admission nonetheless. We also visited the beautiful grounds of Mission of Nombre de Dios, the site of the first mission in what is now the United States. We also checked out Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum (the first) and, of course, the fort, Castillo de San Marcos. We also took a nice stroll down and had lunch on the walking-room-only St. George Street, which is full of quaint little shops.
Jeffrey and I had a great time. I was mostly impressed with how nice and patient everyone was! Normally, in a place like St. Augustine which is crawling with tourists, the locals can be endlessly grouchy and disgruntled. St. A’s locals were always smiling and pleasant, everywhere we went.
*Flickr pictures from our trip.
I’m in the process of consolidating my various blogs all over the internet into one. My “Happiness Is” entries, formerly housed at Vox will now go here as well. This is a ‘Happy List’ from a year ago.
GENRE: drama / foreign
ACTORS: Akira Tereo, Masayuki Yui, et.al
MY RATING: 4/5 (very good)
I finally got around to watching “Dreams”, a collection of beautiful short stories written and directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa. The opening story tells the tale of a young boy who, even though forbidden to do so, ventures out into the sunlit rain to spy upon a wedding processional of foxes. In “The Tunnel,” a military commander tearfully makes amends with ghosts from his immediate past. Another story (”Crows”) weaves a dreamlike tale of an art admirer entering the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh (played by Kurosawa fan, Martin Scorsese!) The above clip is of a joyful funeral processional from the sixth story about a Watermill Village.
“Dreams” is a cinematic wonder. Each of the six stories will leave a mark on you. Poignant, thoughtful and a visual marvel. I was enchanted and can’t imagine that you wouldn’t fall in love with this movie as well.
Not long ago, my wonderful and generous boyfriend decided to give me his laptop, which was much faster, much cooler and much… bigger, than my old unassuming little 15″ Acer laptop. The HP Pavillion DV9000 laptop, with it’s 17″+ widescreen frame, entered my life.
The girly in me, with an addiction for accessories, became frustrated. It’s a known fact that laptop bags that will truly fit widescreen laptops are very few, as is. Stylish ones? Nonexistant.
But today is a better day, because Mango Tango has answered the prayers of all widescreen laptop owners everywhere. Mango Tango has been a source for affordable and attractive laptop bags for a long time. I even attempted to buy a Mango Tango laptop case once before, only to be bitterly disappointed when my laptop couldn’t be squeezed into it. Ebags.com’s Laptop Case Finder assures me that these brand new selections from Mango Tango WILL fit my big boy though:
Pretty? Pink? Classic? Brocade? Canvas? Decisions, decisions…
GENRE: drama
ACTORS: Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern, Peter Krause, Naomi Watts
MY RATING: 2/5 (bad)
This is a movie about two married couples that are friends with one another. Two of the friends start an affair with one another. Then the bulk of the movie aimlessly flits about with the resulting guilt, the suspicion, the jealousy, the lies, etc.
One of my rules about movies is that if it’s going to handle weighty material, it better do so beautifully. “Lawrence of Arabia” had me depressed for an entire week following, but I don’t regret watching it. It was well-done, powerful. We Don’t Live Here Anymore, however, just left me feeling blank and frustrated with the characters and the entire movie itself. Not a rewarding experience and not one I cannot say I don’t regret.
Hi, my name is Grace. Apparently, I save all my yakkety yak for the internet.
Also spotted at:
Bookmooch From Me!
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