The Day After Tomorrow Turns 20

If you’ve noticed that we haven’t been posting quite as many entries over the last week or so, there’s been a good reason. It’s because our official 20!! show season starts the day after tomorrow. Today being Thursday and Saturday Market’s opening day is, well, Saturday means everything begins the day after tomorrow.

The Day After Tomorrow has ushered in, gulp, twenty seasons and did you notice how perfectly the year aligns for us to celebrate this milestone? Since January first, it’s my habit to write our current blip in history of Two Thousand and Eleven with exclamation points instead of numeral ones.

We started our business of designing jewelry in 1991 when Groom and I were newly weds and college grads. As if to punctuate our 20th anniversary, the year of our Lord thoughtfully became 20!!

I enjoy words for groups of things like a murder of crows, a smack of jellyfish or a deceit of lapwings, but I’m not quite sure what the right one is for a group of many things that must be done: A nuisance of errands, a riot of hurdles, a siege of tasks?

Our “to do” list is longer than Santa’s scrolls of naughty or nice. The 8’ X 8’ wooden booth must be located, de-cobwebbed, tweaked, waxed, the fabric washed and re-fireretarded, the panels refurbished, the van repacked, all the accoutrements found and organized and there’s something else to do niggling at the back of my mind. What is it?

Oh yeah, stock to be made. Ha! I’ve been living on Fantasy Island for the past three months, studying and playing in Mexico in January, celebrating my birthday and Fashion week in New York during February and obsessing about my hair in March. Well, that’s another story, but I must confess, it’s been lovely to be at home these last few weeks, slowly getting into the swing of things whilst playing with friends and luxuriating in our final free weekends until Christmas Eve. Aaaaaiiiiieee, I’ve been a slacker!

Now the time has come and we must be ready. The house and studio are fairly tidy, we’ve made a few new pieces, but we’ve got to be more focused on designing NOW. With our newly emerging style and fresh jurying slides, we’ve been accepted into far more shows than rejected, so while that brings us tidings of joy, it also sets a little fire of panic, I mean motivation under our seats, so I’m off to get ready for a dinner party tonight, I mean, create more necklaces…

Sueno

We’ve all heard references to the expansion of the Universe and the gathering momentum at which time seems to be accelerating, especially during these mythical, mystical months heading toward the unknown events of 12-12-12.

But I just experienced it. The time warp, that is. I dreamed that it was next year already, thanks in part to Richard and Jane Salley, the rock star jewelers that I’ve written about here a time or two. You see, while I’m still processing the new techniques we learned from them in Mexico in January they’ve already planned next year’s retreat and sent out the invitations.

So, dear amateur therapists out there, I need some assistance with dream interpretation. Ready?

It is the first day of spring in Oregon, which means a cloudy morning followed by a wink of sun and a temper tantrum of hail. Through the grey bars of rain I can see blurred pinks and greens of blossoming things.

Suddenly I am in Mexico at the Hacienda Mosaico. The sun has charmed the flowers into full blush and the breeze tickles our ankles and cheeks. The sound of salt melting on the margarita glasses followed by cheers and clinks make me smile as the participants reunite. And this time, Lola has joined us!

Dead giveaway cowboy boots, we hear Richard and Jane sauntering up the stone path before we see them. Cheers erupt and there’s a flurry of hugs and shoulder claps and how-you-doings as we sit poolside nibbling, noshing and catching up.

Sascha is wearing the necklace she won a Blue Ribbon first prize for in the Ajijc Society of the Arts Annual Judged Show. Congratulations, we’re all so happy for her!

With us egging her on, Lori slowly inches up her pant leg to reveal the impressive scar she recently acquired from knee surgery. Ouchey wah-wah!

David is holding a copy of Best of America Jewelry Artists Volume II and casually flips to pages 45-46 to show us some of his work. After the group expresses the appropriate number of ooh’s and aaah’s, I subtlety cough under my breath, “pages 61-62” and what do you know, there’s some of our jewelry in there too! The group raises a glass to our 15 seconds of fame as well.

Then we get down to business. Richard and Jane pull out examples of the new techniques we’re going to learn over the next five days and then –

And then I wake up. Noooooooo. It was warm. It was beautiful. I was happy and about to start creating again with interesting people in the lush environment of the Hacienda Mosaico.

So, gentle analysts, what ever could this dream mean?

Viva Mexico - The Nature of Art

I recently read or heard an insightful quote about the inspiration of art. But I can’t quite remember what it was. It had something to do with all art being religious or, ahem, feminine and masculine in nature shall we say.

These two photos are examples of just that, both taken in Mexico. I love this one of Groom’s, how he managed to frame the subject matter - pointy, male leaves in front of lady spirals – and all that color. He’s showing us the birds, the bees, nature, plus human-made art layered with fractals. Every day, I seem to fall a bit more in love with him as he reveals yet another facet of his personality.

Meanwhile, the next photograph is one I took in a beach-front cantina. When Groom looked at it on the computer screen when we got home, he tried to rotate it 180 degrees so it would be right side up, but I stopped him, telling him that’s how the saint’s painting was hanging.

So whether or not you agree or disagree on the themes of art, go out and make some today.

Viva Mexico - Zolo Ma cheese mo

“Deep down I’m very superficial.” - Ava Gardner

While traveling, I’m always riveted by the sights, sounds, weather, and experiences of wherever I am and part of that includes people watching. Or people watching me. At least that’s what I thought was going on.

Let me set the stage. Groom and my traveling companion to Mexico, the person who made it possible for us to go by receiving a week’s stay at a resort as a business-related incentive, and used his accumulated airline miles to get us there, is nicknamed Zolo. For those of you haven’t heard this part yet, he misread my handwriting and interpreted the date of 2010 as Z0l0 and he’s been known as Z0L0 ever since.

To say Zolo is a character would be underselling things. For those of you who have met him, you know what I mean. He’s got a booming voice, a white beard and his personality is larger-than-life. He often wears patchwork pants and whether he’s being compared to Santa Claus, Popeye or a Sea Cap’n, people gravitate to him like a magnet.

Now, I know he’s friendly and very popular here in our town, we can’t go anywhere without people calling out his name and saying hello, but quite honestly, I didn’t know how his style was going to be received within a different culture.

Ha! No need to worry.

Let me take us back to the beach, on our first full day there, when the three of us went sightseeing in Puerto Vallarta. We’re sauntering along the boardwalk with the ocean on one side and interesting shops lining the other. I’m trying to take it all in, including the people.

I can’t help but notice how many smiles I’m getting. As I walk by I take note of all the staring and friends punching each other on the shoulder to get their attention and pointing my way. Well, why not? I’m looking not so bad, I’ve got on a nice outfit, oversized sunglasses, I’m feeling so happy and excited to be there, why shouldn’t folks notice the beaming American girl?

After quite a bit of this, I wave to the next group of people who are smiling at me. But they don’t wave back. And that’s when it hit me. Nobody was looking at me. All that attention was going straight to our 63-year old friend! Then I started laughing, relieved nobody knew what going through my head.

I asked Zolo if he realized he was causing a stir and as soon as he looked up and realized it, men and women came out of the woodwork to talk to him and have their photo taken with “the rock star.”

We sat down at a beach front restaurant and hadn’t even ordered water yet when one woman came up to him and told him how darling he was and they started chatting and exchanged email information. While we were in class one day, he went on a “jungle tour” and by the end of it, a woman had slipped him a napkin with her contact info on it.

Oh, my goodness, he danced and flirted his way through Mexico. They loved him down there.

And on a related note, today is Groundhog’s day. Rumor has it Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow so predictions for an early spring are in the air. This is good news, considering all the snow blanketing much of the country. A week from today, the three of us are supposed to be in New York for Fashion Week and to celebrate my birthday. Hmmm, will those patch pants end up on the catwalk?

Viva Mexico - Shutterbug Fever

Groom and I differ in how we go after a photograph. He notices the direction of light, waits patiently for the right scene, sets up a shot carefully. Me? I point and shoot. One can usually find me with a camera in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. My approach is, well, rather casual.

I take 2-3 times as many pictures as Groom because I don’t have the patience. If it catches my eye, it triggers my finger.

I’m a documenter. I like to capture moments like this when we got our bill from the beach-front cantina. It was a simple, torn piece of paper written in pencil and deposited on our damp table, held in place from the tropical breeze by a dirty salt shaker.

Most of the people shots I take are in the moment. I try to capture what I see, not spoil the moment by walking up to them, interrupting the tableau and asking permission. When I’ve tried that, most are quite cooperative, but then they pose, giving me their camera faces. I want the real scene. That’s why some of my shots are blurry, like this one of the little girl staring at me on the bus.

I shoot while I’m walking, parasailing, in a taxi or on a bus, so I don’t always have the most steady hand. I don’t get to set up the shot or have time for a “redo.” But even if they are a little blurry or dark or too bright, I have the memory which brings back the feeling I wanted to save in the first place.

These photographs are a few in the people series and I hope you enjoy a peek into the second-hand window of our cameras.

Viva Mexico - La Comida!

It happens before every trip. At least one person will express fear and trepidation about ever going to a foreign country without speaking the language. I guess I’m lucky, because I went on my first overseas trip to Japan as a teenager and had not one word of Nihongo under my belt.

But no worries I soon discovered, people who must traverse the language barrier often have more meaningful conversations than those who share their mother tongue. Why? Because we have to listen, try harder and incorporate body language, hand signals, humor, smiles and graciousness.

Everywhere we’ve ever gone, we travel as guests. We understand that it is a privilege to enter someone else’s country and do our best to quickly learn the phrases of politeness, such as Bonjour Madame before ever asking a question, or Buenos Dias, Senor before launching into any attempts at conversation.

We have discovered that with even the slightest attempt at speaking their language, most people are patient with us and are more than willing to interact. In other words, it has not been necessary to be fluent in order to travel agreeably.

And, with many phrases being used situationally, it is easy to pick up the necessary meanings or gist right away. For instance, La Comida. I’m not sure if it means the food, the lunch, the supper, or the meal, but I’m pretty sure it has to do with edibles.

And this is what today’s entry is about, one of my favorite subjects, food! I love to eat as you can see by this truth telling photograph, and while that large glass looks like it be filled with a margarita, that, my friend, contained the most delicious fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.

Groom and I think we are fairly adventurous eaters, but haven’t worked up the nerve or the appetite to try say, roadkill or anything with brains, intestines and the like. We try not to eat at chain restaurants, instead preferring to discover out of the way restaurants and immersing ourselves into the local cuisine.

We have a pretty good knack for finding great places to eat and this trip was no exception. The only thing I have to complain about is that we could not find anything spicy. Groom and I love to eat food that is muy picante and caliente. My effort at saying very spicy and hot. En fuego. On fire.

But as for having eggs and refried beans for breakfast, that was not unusual. We often have beans for breakfast including today. Oh, we’ve been known to eat spicy quesadillas for the first meal of the day at home or roasted jalapeños so we had no fear of either the food or the water. We mostly sipped the bottled stuff, but drank tap water from our room sink that had a “filter.” No problema.

We love our coffee and the stronger the better. We giggled at having found some “Legal” coffee and wondered what the illegal stuff might taste like?

These are just a few of the pictures we took of food. Don’t be surprised, later on down el camino, the road, if you don’t find some more mouth watering images posted here.

Via Con Dios!