Monday, July 13, 2009

ARTISTIC ADVENTURE

"Happiness is life served up with a scoop of acceptance, a topping of tolerance and sprinkles of hope, although chocolate sprinkles also work."- Robert Brault

I had been away from my paintbrushes and oils for a while. It's good to take a break from painting. Change of scene re-energized me. So many things demanded my attention this summer. I am back babysitting my grandchildren. Then I was also busy shopping for our recent trip. Then planning my stuffs for a lightweight trip. Not easy to do but it took planning and lots of color coordination w/ my clothes, purses, shoes, hats, etc. I like to travel in style.
Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. When I got home from our trip/cruise with Queen Mary 2 last week, the first thing I did was weigh myself. After all the fine dinning and good food on board the cruise ship, who wouldn't gain pounds. I sure did!!!
Before my husband & I go on a cruise, we make it a point to diet a month before. Unfortunately the weeks prior to our trip, there were many unavoidable special events and celebrations like Memorial week-end, wedding anniversary, Philippine Independence Day celebration, graduation dinner, funeral receptions, Father's Day, etc. Thank God, I returned home with only two pounds added.
Our trip started from New York City. We were there for 3 days and then embarked on the Queen Mary 2 for the 4th-of-July-get-away-cruise to New England. During our trip, we stayed at Grand Hyatt New York. Nearby is the Grand Central Station. We walked there the night of our arrival, but next day we came back because we wanted to explore and take more photos. Ebb at the entrance to the Grand Central Market. The Market is very colorful. They have many kinds of organic produce, fruits and flowers. "Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music."- Julia ChildThere are many beautifully and artistically created delicious desserts. Yum! Yum! "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." -Ernestine Ulmer A closer view of the tempting strawberry cheese cake. "Talking of Pleasure, this moment I was writing with one hand, and with the other holding to my mouth a nectarine-----how good how fine. It went down all pulpy, slushy, oozy. All its delicious enbonpoint. Melted down my throat like a large beatified STRAWBERRY." - John Keats (1795-1821)."Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie." Jim Davis.
Food for thought: "Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!" - Author Unknown