For the fourth time in a row, a group of my colleagues and I headed to the mountains for a weekend of frolicking in the snow. I had been looking forward to this weekend for quite some time since this year’s winter was extremely mild, and I hadn’t seen any snow since last winter. It […]
Travel
Rome After Hours
Depending on where we go, Alex and I like to take the time to take pictures at night or in the early morning. There is something special about being almost the only ones out and about during blue hour waiting for the sun to rise. Getting up early means that we need a siesta in […]
Visiting the Vatican
In the early morning hours of our first full day in Rome, Alex and I headed to the Vatican. Originally we had planned to attend a workshop, but it had been cancelled. Since we had already bought our train tickets, we decided to go anyways and made the most of our stay in Rome. One […]
Along the Coast
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Jacques Yves Cousteau Many happy moments of my life have been spent at the seaside. The sea has also soothed me when things haven’t been easy, and it has never failed to give me inner peace when I have needed […]
Huntington Gardens
On of my favorite gardens in California are the Huntington Botanical Gardens. The 120 acres feature 16 themed gardens and there is always something blooming. I can visit many times, and each time I’ll discover something new and enjoy the parts that I have fond memories of. This time, various camellias around the gardens, the […]
California Missions
The Spanish missions are part of California’s rich history. Before California became the 31st state in 1850, it was first colonized by the Spanish (1769 – 1821) and then became a part of Mexico (1821 – 1848). The 21 missions built between 1769 and 1833, were founded by Spanish Franciscan priests to try and convert […]