
Andrea, photo by Scott Brooks
Off to Italy for Sardinian blue water, fresh mozzarella, cobblestones and Fiats, tasty espresso, motorbikes and old friends, nocciola gelato, and the Venice Biennale.
I can’t believe all of this goodness is still happening. It’s like a marathon of pleasure.
See you in July!

Liam, Kim & Brian, Canon A-1
I had the pleasure of sailing for the first time on the San Francisco Bay yesterday on a gorgeous yacht called the Kaiulani. What a treat to see the world from that perspective!
The funniest thing about this photo is that all of these people have web sites.
Does that mean I live in San Francisco?
Baby Liam
Kim Indresano
Brian Romer

Photo by Kim Indresano
a peek.
Jacques sang for us. Does it get any better?

Chinatown, Yashica T-4
My submission to Photo Friday for the theme “packaging.”
Spin, Nikon coolpix 4500
Friday Five asks five questions each Friday for people to answer on their web log.
I would love to hear your answers as well!
1. How many times have you truly been in love?
Twice? Gosh, this is a hard one.
I’ve been in love several times, but I have one true love, and his name is Matt.
2. What was/is so great about the person you love(d) the most?
He is the Giggler, and I giggle.
3. What qualities should a significant other have?
The ability to burst your heart wide open with love, laugh til you pee your pants, and feel truly safe all the while.
4. Have you ever broken someone’s heart?
oh, yes. But never on purpose.
5. If there was one thing you could teach people about love, what would it be?
When I was going through a hard breakup many years ago, my mom told me something I never forgot. She said, “You know honey, when you find the right one, it just won’t be this complicated or hard or dramatic. It will just be right, and you will know it.”
I’ve found this to be so true.
Your turn!
And for those of you more visually inclined, here’s another Friday challenge.
A weekly photo challenge can be found here.
Big Sur, Nikon coolpix 4500
A hilarious article by Mighty Girl Maggie about getting engaged.
orchid, Santa Barbara
I’ve gained a new appreciation for flowers recently.
My friends Chris and Jacques (who kindly hosted my wedding at their house) asked me about my vision for the day. After describing the grilled chicken and vegetables, the taste of the wine, the sound of musical instruments, the parade we would lead to the wedding site, our first dance (complete with a short but sweet break dancing routine) and the chuppah we would be married under, they asked curiously, “And what am I smelling?” and waved their hands towards their nose.
It was a sense I hadn’t even considered. Even when I thought of the flowers, I had only considered them visually.
They explained that if you find an unusual scent, every time your guests smell that flower, they will be reminded of the beauty and magic of that day. “We’ll import https://superherolife.com/files/2003/plumeria and tuberose from hawaii!” they suggested, “and string leis to hang from the trees.”
The day before the wedding, we sat on the floor of their house with dental floss and fat needles and strung bloom after bloom of plumeria, the scent wafting from the large cold box they were shipped in. The experience of making these leis became a sacred part of our day. It felt sensual, ritualistic, and ancient.
When we looked out at our family and friends’ faces (beaming) framed in these flowers (by this time strung around their necks) it made us joyous, and every time we hugged someone, we drank in the scent.
It’s true. Forevermore, this smell will always be magic to us.

Big Sur, Nikon Coolpix 4500
We spent a glorious little mini-moon in Big Sur at the Ripplewood cabins.
We fondly called it the sensory deprivation tank because after all of the excitement of the previous days, we relished the stillness of no phone, no tv, no family, no friends, etc. Only the ocean, each other and our memories of the amazing days before.
Another highlight of our trip was discovering a photography show at the Post Ranch Inn restaurant. We were thinking about eating there, decided it was a bit too fancy for us, but were blown away by what we saw on the walls.
The artist was Gil Mares and his photos of ship hulls are exquisite abstract expressions of color and light. They look like oil paintings in their rich, lush tones. Matt and I dream of having one hang on our walls.
And finally, we delighted in one serendipitous occurence while on the beach at Andrew Molera State Park. A boy, about 9 years old or so, walked up to us and said, “Do you have a free foot?” When we nodded yes, he proceeded to tie a long rope of kelp around Matt’s foot. The kelp had somehow grown into a big rock, creating a ball and chain effect. He returned and tied one around mine.
It took us a few minutes to realize that only a day after our wedding, we had already been awarded our balls and chains!