tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22728745924380826832024-03-05T03:43:03.021-08:00DutchbabyDutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-11400398744988909212012-05-17T10:03:00.001-07:002012-12-01T09:07:31.233-08:00Between Posts - Still in a Fog<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/7183228602/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_9578 golden gate bridge fog by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9578 golden gate bridge fog" height="381" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7183228602_287f9d3fa5_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Gate Bridge in Fog</td></tr>
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Thank you for all your wishes, prayers,and good thoughts for <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/#uds-search-results" target="_blank">my mother</a>. Her femur is healing beautifully, but unfortunately her mind is on vacation for the time being. She lives next door to my sister now, on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge, where she receives 24-hour care.<br />
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I don't have the bandwidth to resume blogging, but <a href="http://pinterest.com/godutchbaby/">Pinterest </a> keeps my creative juices flowing, even if only for five minutes a day. I hope to return to blogging here in the new year.Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com20Golden Gate Bridge, Mill Valley, CA 94941, USA37.825633500755735 -122.4795965105295237.825584500755738 -122.47967351052952 37.825682500755732 -122.47951951052951tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-81057062199807717902012-03-23T18:44:00.000-07:002013-09-25T12:43:43.816-07:00Full Plate<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6211838672/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC06616 Salad Nicoise by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06616 Salad Nicoise" height="618" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6040/6211838672_899ef14c62_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Salade Niçoise from <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2009/07/boulange-de-cole-valley.html" target="_blank">La Boulange de Cole Valley</a></td></tr>
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Sadly, no time for blogging at this time. <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2009/05/oma-amsterdam-to-lubeck.html" target="_blank">My mother</a> broke her femur two weeks ago and my energies are devoted to ensuring her speedy recovery. Hope to be back soon.</div>
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Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-10990309228436761862012-03-03T09:03:00.001-08:002012-03-16T09:24:43.303-07:00Between Posts<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/3179153640/" title="DSC01229 Golden Gate Bridge vista point by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC01229 Golden Gate Bridge vista point" height="640" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3358/3179153640_99abfdd8b2_b.jpg" width="480" /></a>
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Working through some IT problems. Hope to be back soon.<br />
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In the mean time, please enjoy Tony Bennett's signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", who first sang the song in the Venetian Room of the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill in December 1961 and recorded it the next month. CBS released it as the B-side of the single "Once Upon A Time". DJ's all but ignored the A-side and chose to flip over the record bringing "...San Francisco" to the top of the pop charts. Bennett received the Grammy for Best Male Solo Vocal Performance and the song received Record of the Year. </div>
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I have always adored this song, but now have a Pavlovian response of glee because it is played over the public address system at AT&T Park after every San Francisco Giants home game victory. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mKZzEXhlhfg" width="640"></iframe></div>
</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-3761035011380762632012-02-14T07:45:00.000-08:002012-02-14T07:45:57.265-08:00Happy Valentine's Day<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5055608392/" title="IMG_6264 cork with heart shadow by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6264 cork with heart shadow" height="426" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4110/5055608392_bb938f5a4c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,<br />A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou<br />Beside me singing in the Wilderness—<br />Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!</blockquote>
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Omar Khayyám (1048–1131; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_language">Persian</a>: عمر خیام) </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">from the <a href="http://www.infoplease.com/t/lit/rubaiyat/2.html">Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam</a>, Translated by <a href="http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0818802.html">Edward FitzGerald</a></span><br />
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</span>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-68918021008208096022012-02-09T11:51:00.000-08:002013-01-13T09:49:14.206-08:00Refuel Cafe in New Orleans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843705185/" title="DSC06505 Refuel Coffee & Nosh by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06505 Refuel Coffee & Nosh" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6843705185_2322d7d5c7_b.jpg" width="559" /></a></div>
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Whenever I'm in New Orleans, I make a point to have breakfast at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/refuelcafe">Refuel Cafe</a> at least once during my trip. Ever-charming proprietor Guthrie bravely opened the doors to Refuel only months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.</td></tr>
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He more than met his goal to offer gourmet coffee and delicious entrees to the neighbors in the River Bend district who are "hungry for something light, fresh, and different."</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843703957/" title="DSC06504 Refuel Breakfast Menu by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06504 Refuel Breakfast Menu" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6843703957_128da6b8d8_b.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I have no problem getting a table during the week and off hours...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843786817/" title="IMG_5170 Refuel by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5170 Refuel" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6843786817_42bdfe77e4_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...when there's no line,</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843788219/" title="IMG_5171 Refuel by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5171 Refuel" height="422" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6843788219_9f95f2d4ee_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...but on the weekends, I am prepared to stand in line...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843794519/" title="IMG_5189 Refuel by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5189 Refuel" height="360" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6843794519_8e4ea1814a_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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...and wait for a table.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843790303/" title="IMG_5188 Refuel by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5188 Refuel" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6843790303_425e37d696_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My patience is rewarded with a delicious frothy cappuccino ...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285012_10150263335353108_91517688107_7600003_6086372_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/285012_10150263335353108_91517688107_7600003_6086372_n.jpg" width="423" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.
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...and I am reminded why Yelp reviewers declare the grits and cheese as the best in town. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6843702509/" title="DSC06503 Refuel breakfast by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06503 Refuel breakfast" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6843702509_16555e3a79_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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When I asked Guthrie whether he will share his secret to cooking grits, he cheerfully replied "It's no secret, you just have to start the slow-cooked grits at four in the morning."</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.
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That's what I call a labor of love. </div>
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The <a href="http://www.refuelcafe.com/menus" target="_blank">menu </a>features other tantalizing dishes that are both savory...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284826_10150263335113108_91517688107_7600001_7248893_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="475" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/284826_10150263335113108_91517688107_7600001_7248893_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.
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...and sweet.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/refuel-cafe-bar/423139790353" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Refuel is located just around the corner from The Camellia Grill on South Carrollton and a brief walk from the St. Charles trolley stop at Fern Street.<br />
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8124 Hampson Street • At the Riverbend • NOLA • 504.872.0187<br />
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 7am-2pm • Saturday and Sunday Brunch 8:30am-2pm</blockquote>
If you decide to visit Refuel, please be sure to tell Guthrie that Dutchbaby sent you.</div>
Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com198124 Hampson Street, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA29.944204 -90.1340189999999674.422169499999999 -131.61839399999997 55.4662385 -48.649643999999967tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-69954286397868074662012-01-21T10:22:00.000-08:002012-04-17T05:11:04.033-07:00Dale Chihuly at the De Young Museum - Continued<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663337515/" style="text-align: center;" title="DSC02660 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02660 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6663337515_f629bb7705_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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This post is a continuation of <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2012/01/dale-chihuly-at-de-young-museum.html" target="_blank">my previous post</a> touring Dale Chihuly's exhibit at the <a href="http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/exhibitions/chihuly-de-young" target="_blank">De Young Museum </a>during the summer of 2008.<br />
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My favorite part of the 12,000 square foot installation was the Boat Room, where t<span style="text-align: center;">wo wooden boats were placed on highly reflective black glass.</span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663287825/" title="DSC02651 Dale Chihuly canoe reflection by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02651 Dale Chihuly canoe reflection" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6663287825_602cc5fb9b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One boat was filled with <i>Nijima Floats</i>, inspired by the small Japanese fishing floats Chihuly used to find on the shores of Puget Sound when he was a child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <i>Ikebana Boat</i>, was filled with glass floral forms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">_____</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/chandelier-room_detail.aspx" target="_blank">Chandelier Room</a> housed Chihuly's iconic designs. </span></div>
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<i>I'd seen a chandelier in a Barcelona restaurant when I was traveling. There was a chandelier hanging at eye level over each table, because the room had a low ceiling. And it was really beautiful. I loved this idea of hanging a chandelier at eye level. It triggered something that said that now I could make a chandelier, because it doesn't have to be functional.</i></blockquote>
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--Dale Chihuly<i> </i></blockquote>
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<i><br />...The parts can be bulbous, long and twisted, short and spiraled, or even frog-toed. Hung together, the many pieces that make up each Chandelier create a unified, though complex, composition.</i></blockquote>
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--Dale Chihuly</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631462553/" title="DSC02255 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02255 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6631462553_c617a9c86c_b.jpg" width="498" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631466183/" title="DSC02256 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02256 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6631466183_887f38d209_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
Orange Hornet Chandelier<i> was installed in my old loft space in the Railway Building. One great story is that the color was so intense at night, with low voltage light on, we used to get calls because people thought the space was on fire. I always liked that one.</i></blockquote>
<br />
--Tracy Savage, Savage Fine Art, Portland, Oregon<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631455859/" title="DSC02253 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02253 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6631455859_c78a6169a8_b.jpg" width="480" /></a>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The blue <i>Urchin Chandelier</i> provided a wonderful contrast in texture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663288623/" title="DSC02652 Dale Chihuly blue sea urchin by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02652 Dale Chihuly blue sea urchin" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6663288623_e6449e941e_b.jpg" width="480" /></a>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">_____</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
The <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/macchia-forest2008-001_detail.aspx" target="_blank">Macchia Forest</a> looked like a prehistoric garden.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<i style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br /></i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>I pushed Billy Morris to make </i>Macchia <i>bigger and bigger and bigger. By the time we got done, we were making </i>Macchias <i>about three feet high and three feet wide. At the time, that was the largest glass I'd ever made, and some of the largest glass that had ever been made.</i></blockquote>
--Dale Chihuly<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663321201/" title="DSC02643 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02643 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7020/6663321201_8135974bb7_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pushing the envelope of the medium comes with risk and reward:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>It's important that we lose pieces. You get there faster, I think, by losing pieces, because you're pushing yourself and you know how far to come back.</i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
--Dale Chihuly</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Yet Chihuly and his team never strayed from their artistry; they didn't create these just for the sake of their grand scale. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663323343/" title="DSC02646 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02646 Dale Chihuly" height="456" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6663323343_4499579e7f_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">_____</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have a special affection for this red and black object, <span style="font-family: inherit;">showcased on the <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/venetian-wall2008-002_detail.aspx" target="_blank">Venetian Wall</a>, because it looks like </span>three-dimensional <span style="font-family: inherit;">calligraphy.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663299755/" title="DSC02629 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02629 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6663299755_a9fe7e6c04_b.jpg" width="480" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>Putti are these little characters, they're male, and they were used in Renaissance and Baroque times, and they were put up in the churches, or in the paintings--they were carved out of wood or made of plaster. And they were meant to make people feel good. And to get people together...and maybe they were a little mischievous. They were just meant to suggest a good time, and they looked good. And they probably made people think about youth and this was a great symbol.</i></blockquote>
--Dale Chihuly<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663294943/" title="DSC02628 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02628 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6663294943_118b66e40c_b.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
_____<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
I felt like I was on an exotic snorkeling excursion when I walked under the <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/persian-ceiling2008-003_detail.aspx" target="_blank">Persian Ceiling </a></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631480889/" title="DSC02263 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02263 Dale Chihuly" height="508" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6631480889_a423767ee9_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
I caught myself spotting for Putti swimming among the aquatic forms.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663326353/" title="DSC02656 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02656 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6663326353_7d70c68d2f_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>Although Chihuly forms are essentially abstract, they seem nature-based. The undulating sides, swirling lips, and progressively spaced stripes suggest they may have been shaped by eddying water or gusts of wind. Though the scalloped edges are in fact stationary, their apparent fluidity hints at potential movement like the swaying of organisms responding to tidal changes. </i></blockquote>
--David Bourdon, "Chihuly, Climbing the Wall"<br />
<i>Art in in America</i>, June, 1990<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631493265/" title="DSC02269 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02269 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6631493265_2d171e061d_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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_____<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.chihuly.com/mille-fiori2008-001_detail.aspx" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Mille Fiori </a> looks like it came directly from Lewis Carroll 's imagination. This grand glass garden rises out of a 12' x 56' reflective platform.</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663339625/" title="DSC02662 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02662 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6663339625_6ed9dba585_b.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>People have asked what inspired me to do the </i>Mille Fiori<i>. It wasn't so much trying to replicate plants as it was a way to work with all the techniques we've learned over the last thirty-five, forty years.</i></blockquote>
--Dale Chihuly<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663342027/" title="DSC02664 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02664 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6663342027_96db933ec8_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>The idea of the </i>Nijima Floats<i> was not only to make them big, but to use a lot of color in different ways. </i></blockquote>
<br />
--Dale Chihuly<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663346533/" title="DSC02668 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02668 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6663346533_49bd771b47_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663349473/" title="DSC02669 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02669 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6663349473_ab185a5f50_b.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663344439/" title="DSC02666 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02666 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6663344439_ea9ea233a4_b.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i>I have to say that it gives me great satisfaction that I am often able to bring members of the public into a museum, who don't normally go to museums, and that the membership increases. So a new type of person is brought in to see my work, and not only my work, whatever else is inthe museum at that time. </i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
--Dale Chihuly</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I dedicate these two posts to <a href="http://deyoung.famsf.org/blog/memoriam-john-edward-buchanan-jr-1953-2011" target="_blank">John Edward Buchanan, Jr.</a> whose collaboration with Dale Chihuly brought 400,000 visitors to the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco. He lost is battle with cancer on December 30, 2011.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Update (April 17, 2012): Click <a href="http://elliemeure.blogspot.com/2012/04/chihuly-at-halcyon.html" target="_blank">here </a>to see how Chihuly repeats many of these components for the exhibit at the Halcyon in London.</div>
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_____</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">All quotes from: Chihuly, Dale. <i>Chihuly: 365 Days</i>. New York: Abrams, 2008. Print.</span></div>
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</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-50326624075984762032012-01-13T11:57:00.000-08:002012-01-21T11:08:04.833-08:00Dale Chihuly at the De Young Museum<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663292169/" title="DSC02618 Dale Chihuly - Saffron Tower by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02618 Dale Chihuly - Saffron Tower" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6663292169_5b96430759_z.jpg" width="464" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After I watched "<a href="http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/calendar/chihuly-fire-light-premiere-screening-and-qa" target="_blank">Chihuly: Fire & Light</a>" on PBS last week, I was
inspired to dip into my photo archives to find the photos I took during the
"<a href="http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/exhibitions/chihuly-de-young" target="_blank">Chihuly at the de Young</a>" exhibit in the summer of
2008. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Director <a href="http://deyoung.famsf.org/blog/memoriam-john-edward-buchanan-jr-1953-2011">John E. Buchanan Jr.</a> expertly lured Dale Chihuly to come to San Francisco. He leveraged the excitement of the shiny new De Young Museum building and promised an astonishing 12,000 square feet of gallery space to showcase four decades of Chihuly’s illustrious career as a glass artist. The crowning glory was Buchanan’s sweeping gesture of granting full artistic license, which sparked Chihuly and his team of world-class glassblowers to create new pieces for this exhibit. The 400,000 visitors that viewed the show are a testament to the genius of this magical collaboration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">___</span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
I still miss the 30-foot saffron neon sculpture that stood proudly in the Pool of Enchantment during the show. It was spectacular during the day and <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/saffron-tower2008-001_detail.aspx">at night</a>. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">___</span></o:p></div>
<br />
Glass Forest #3 is one of the earliest pieces and has not been viewed in the US since 1972<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> [1]</span>. This installment represents Chihuly’s early experiments with neon. The milk glass gives the appearance that the long tubes are white hot.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631434177/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC02231 Dale Chihuly - Glass Forest #3 by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="DSC02231 Dale Chihuly - Glass Forest #3" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6631434177_173d901c7f_z.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">___</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My son’s favorite of the entire collection is<i> Neodymium Reeds on Logs, 2004</i> with larger-than-life reeds rising dramatically like stalagmites from birch logs. The violet neon continues the soothing cave-like atmosphere. See the full scale of the installation <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/neodymium-reeds2008-001_detail.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I made the first </i>Reeds<i> in 1995 at the Hackman factory, a small glassblowing shop in Nuutajarvi,k Finland. Unlike other factories, the Hackman facility had very high ceilings, which inspired me to make these elongated forms.</i></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">--Dale Chihuly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631449027/" title="DSC02241 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02241 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6631449027_6e73041bd5_z.jpg" width="480" /></a>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">___</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Persian Wall, 2008</i> is a grand installation made especially for the De Young Museum.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">The </i><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Persians</span><i style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> – that’s one of the most difficult series to describe. It started off that they were geometric shapes. I think it was a search for new forms. We worked for a year doing only experimental </i><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Persians</span><i style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> – at least a thousand or more...</i></blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631443805/" title="DSC02238 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02238 Dale Chihuly" height="501" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6631443805_b704828b82_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
</span></u></div>
<u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></u><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Sometimes the </i>Persians<i> became very </i>Seaform<i>-like...</i></span></div>
<u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></u><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631446327/" title="DSC02239 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="DSC02239 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6631446327_5773918eb4_z.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></u></div>
<u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></u><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631439293/" title="DSC02236 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02236 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6631439293_640754b157_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></u><u><br /></u></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">...or they became very geometric. </span></i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> --Dale Chihuly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631441819/" title="DSC02237 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02237 Dale Chihuly" height="608" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6631441819_b846792264_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></u>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> See an image of the full wall <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/persian-wall2008-001_detail.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">___</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.chihuly.com/tabac-baskets-room_detail.aspx" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Tabac Basket Room</a> ’s dark lighting evoked the feeling of stepping into a smoke-filled teepee. Pendleton trade blankets covered one wall...</span></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663312069/" title="DSC02638 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="DSC02638 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6663312069_95c8be4b8c_b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
… and woven Indian baskets and their glass counterparts glowed on the opposite wall.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663305373/" style="font-family: inherit;" title="DSC02636 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02636 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6663305373_36e980c5b3_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The center of the room showcased the pieces that </span><span style="text-align: center;">retained the same organic palette and feeling...</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663314947/" title="DSC02639 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="DSC02639 Dale Chihuly" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6663314947_474556f4c1_b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">...yet </span><span style="text-align: left;">transcended the original basket shapes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6663318325/" title="DSC02640 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02640 Dale Chihuly" height="413" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6663318325_4e799d8193_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">***</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Though he has been creating cylinders for over thirty years, Chihuly hadn’t created any in black until the De Young exhibit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631475613/" title="DSC02261 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02261 Dale Chihuly" height="569" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6631475613_3c4e318b93_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Drawing inspiration from his extensive trade blanket collection, Chihuly “painted” woven images by fusing glass rods onto the cylindrical forms…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631474043/" title="DSC02260 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02260 Dale Chihuly" height="620" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6631474043_4ccae15da3_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">… which appear to glow against the black "canvas" and their bright interiors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6631470863/" style="font-family: inherit;" title="DSC02258 Dale Chihuly by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02258 Dale Chihuly" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6631470863_5307036819_b.jpg" width="526" /></a></div>
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More on this show later.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[1] <a href="http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=11432">San Francisco Sentinel</a></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[2] Chihuly, Dale. <i>Chihuly: 365 Days</i>. New York: Abrams, 2008. Print.</span></div>
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</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-58318251975880710332012-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:002012-01-08T08:24:55.267-08:00New CPR Procedure<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EcbgpiKyUbs" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Here's to a happy healthy New Year!Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-25647115453425500162011-12-30T19:42:00.000-08:002012-01-03T10:25:06.600-08:00New Year's at Hotel Monteleone<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5332040418/" title="IMG_0869 reunion buffet by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0869 reunion buffet" height="426" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5283/5332040418_932b7e0fe5_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Whenever I visit New Orleans I love to stay at the <a href="http://hotelmonteleone.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Monteleone</a>, not just because we are related to the owners, but because it exudes the essence of the city. It is easy to understand how it has earned the title of “Grande Dame of the French Quarter.” Its beaux-art architecture blends in beautifully with the rest of the Vieux Carre.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/3664132084/" title="DSC06343 Hotel Monteleone front door by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06343 Hotel Monteleone front door" height="640" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3393/3664132084_a408a10888_b.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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It is conveniently located on Royal Street (Rue Royale), home of some of the swankiest antique stores in New Orleans. A lobby display case features collectibles from Moss Antiques… </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595195859/" title="IMG_1155 Hotel Monteleone oyster plate display by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1155 Hotel Monteleone oyster plate display" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6595195859_5380f37aa4_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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…showcasing colorful oyster plates… </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595199549/" title="IMG_1156 oyster plates by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1156 oyster plates" height="337" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6595199549_d2dc628c44_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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…and fancy epaulettes in the original box.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595224401/" title="IMG_1293 gold epaulettes by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1293 gold epaulettes" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6595224401_d3c0d580d5_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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Another display case boasts of the hotel’s rich literary history… </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595822949/" title="IMG_1501 Hotel Monteleone - authors display case by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1501 Hotel Monteleone - authors display case" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6595822949_36e12f0a44_b.jpg" width="413" /></a> </div>
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…including a letter written by Tennessee Williams. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595839931/" title="IMG_1508 Tennessee Williams letter by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1508 Tennessee Williams letter" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6595839931_8601df9f4b_b.jpg" width="472" /></a> </div>
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The lobby flowers are always spectacular, but the lobby is at its finest in December, with the traditional Christmas tree… </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595040661/" title="IMG_0723 Hotel Monteleone Christmas lobby by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0723 Hotel Monteleone Christmas lobby" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6595040661_3eb9958207_b.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
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…and the antique grandfather clock… </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595045353/" title="IMG_0732 Hotel Monteleone grandfather clock lobby by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0732 Hotel Monteleone grandfather clock lobby" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6595045353_6014dc72b7_b.jpg" width="426" /></a> </div>
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… all gussied up for the holidays. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595051053/" title="IMG_0736 Hotel Monteleone grandfather clock by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0736 Hotel Monteleone grandfather clock" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6595051053_f1a810a95c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I like to tag the spot in front of the clock where the years have worn a dip in the marble floor.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595831641/" title="IMG_1506 hotel monteleone lobby by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1506 hotel monteleone lobby" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6595831641_c70d48e31b_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The decorative wood panels by the elevators add a flair of elegance. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595187439/" title="IMG_1151 Hotel Monteleone lobby panel by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1151 Hotel Monteleone lobby panel" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6595187439_f10e45f24e_b.jpg" width="555" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595192137/" title="IMG_1154 Hotel Monteleone lobby panel by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1154 Hotel Monteleone lobby panel" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6595192137_d1371facc5_b.jpg" width="426" /></a> </div>
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*** </div>
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One year ago, one hundred of our closest relatives converged upon the Hotel Monteleone for a family reunion. We decided that the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve was the perfect time to gather because all schools, universities, and many businesses are on holiday. </div>
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When my husband and I were getting ready for the reception in our room upstairs, I watched the sun set from our window. I held my breath as I watched a barge make the impossibly tight turn at the bend of the Mississippi.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5747536894/" title="IMG_0747 barge going around bend of the mississippi by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0747 barge going around bend of the mississippi" height="426" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2435/5747536894_04c6ffa929_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The reunion gathering was in a downstairs meeting room overlooking Royal Street.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5332019662/" title="IMG_0865 reunion by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0865 reunion" height="406" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5282/5332019662_7434eda2f4_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The hotel’s catering staff did a spectacular job preparing and serving a delicious and beautiful buffet of fruits… </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5332033086/" title="IMG_0868 reunion buffet by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0868 reunion buffet" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5006/5332033086_7a37577da0_b.jpg" width="426" /></a> </div>
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… and crudités. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5332052744/" title="IMG_0879 reunion crudite by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0879 reunion crudite" height="426" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5243/5332052744_f1c7b49d28_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The soup buffet offered a choice oyster artichoke, white asparagus and brie, and seafood gumbo served in demitasse cups. I can attest that all three soups were fantastic.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5331482429/" title="IMG_0876 soup buffet by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0876 soup buffet" height="415" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5089/5331482429_ffd5e00e0e_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I can also tell you that the martini glasses with grilled artichoke heart with lump crab and avocado brunoise with radish sprouts and lemon for garnish were scrumptious. As for the shooters with tomato, basil, and dilled watercress pana cotta - my goodness, they were delicious.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5331449733/" title="IMG_0908 reunion buffet by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0908 reunion buffet" height="418" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5125/5331449733_6b3dbb73f4_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I forgot to take photos of the barbecue buffet and I didn’t have room for the sliders, but I did stop to admire the gorgeous jewel-toned floral arrangements by <a href="http://www.perfectpresentationsflorals.com/" target="_blank">Perfect Presentations</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5331413893/" title="IMG_0867 reunion by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0867 reunion" height="640" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5202/5331413893_16becc346a_b.jpg" width="413" /></a><br />
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Most of all, though, I loved catching up with relatives I hadn’t seen in a long time and meeting new ones that I never knew existed. </div>
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*** </div>
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Two nights later, on New Year’s Eve, my daughter, my sister and I had a cocktail the Carousel Bar, where you can literally feel the room spinning every fifteen minutes.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595109471/" title="IMG_0727 Hotel Monteleone Carousel Bar cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0727 Hotel Monteleone Carousel Bar cropped" height="505" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6595109471_3f96e6ecb6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595859363/" title="IMG_1518 Carousel Bar detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1518 Carousel Bar detail" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6595859363_0245cbab2c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Earlier in the week, my father-in-law reminisced about his courtship with my mother-in-law when they used to listen to Liberace play here.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595861843/" title="IMG_1522 carousel bar piano by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1522 carousel bar piano" height="460" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6595861843_cc372f14f3_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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After weighing all our options, we chose to bring in 2011 in the comfort of our room upstairs, watching the fireworks across the Mississippi while sipping mango bellinis. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6595236499/" title="IMG_1398 fireworks at the bend of the mississippi by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1398 fireworks at the bend of the mississippi" height="426" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6595236499_4397dda42c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<br />
Here is a glimpse of the fireworks at Jackson Square about seven blocks away.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TP4YMAhUip0" width="640"></iframe>
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From the comfort of my home in Palo Alto, I wish you all a Happy New Year!</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-68847910675566295012011-12-25T13:44:00.000-08:002011-12-26T08:42:50.677-08:00Happy Holidays<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6570362721/" title="DSC07161 Four Seasons Christmas bling by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07161 Four Seasons Christmas bling" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6570362721_7881248ab3_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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Wishing you all a happy holiday season. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6570358781/" title="DSC07160 Four Seasons Christmas Lobby by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07160 Four Seasons Christmas Lobby" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6570358781_1f014b88d5_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I snapped these photos when I had lunch with my mother and sister at the always-elegant Four Seasons Hotel in Palo Alto.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6570365341/" title="DSC07162 Four Seasons Lobby Christmas Decorations by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07162 Four Seasons Lobby Christmas Decorations" height="550" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6570365341_c4d80ffcba_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6570374971/" title="DSC07167 Four Seasons Christmas decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07167 Four Seasons Christmas decoration" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6570374971_9cbcbbcf88_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6570370583/" title="DSC07165 Four Seasons Fireplace decorations by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07165 Four Seasons Fireplace decorations" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6570370583_f771ba3d2c_b.jpg" width="485" /></a></div>
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Even though it's not cold here this Christmas day, this duet by Norah Jones and Willie Nelson reflects the spirit of the season perfectly.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LIrqA2HhiQo" width="640"></iframe>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-75396462282462316292011-12-12T18:36:00.000-08:002011-12-26T09:48:53.299-08:00Endemic, Indigenous, Native, Migrant, and Introduced<div style="text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464372321/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6464372321_caf38922b6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Galápagos sea lion <i>(Zalophus wollebaeki)</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After four days in <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/search/label/Quito" style="text-align: left;">Quito</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, we flew to the Galápagos Islands for a week-long </span>adventure on the <a href="http://www.discovergalapagos.com/eclipse/index.htm" style="text-align: left;">Eclipse</a>. Each night after dinner, the passengers gathered in the lounge where one of the naturalists on board briefed us on our excursion options for the next day, followed by an informative talk about the islands. On our first night, Naturalist <a href="http://daganet.net/oceanadventures/javier-cando.html" style="text-align: left;">Javier Cando </a>explained ecological terms to describe how native a species is. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Endemic</b>: The organism is unique to one geographic location and nowhere else in the world. An endemic species may have originated here, or evolved into a separate species, or subspecies, due to geographic isolation. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Indigenous (native)</b>: The organism occurs in the location naturally, without the aid of humans. These species are carried to the region by wind, water, or by another organism. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Migrant</b>: The animal travelled long distances in search of a new habitat.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Introduced</b>: The organism is either deliberately or accidentally brought to a new ecosystem by human activity. </blockquote>
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We all laughed when Javier told us that he was endemic to the Galapagos Islands. I guess I can say that my sisters and I were introduced into the United States by our parents, who migrated here. </div>
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***</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I was a bit timid about using the camera my brother-in-law loaned me for this trip. Even though it was a point-and-shoot, it was the fanciest camera I had ever used. It was during this afternoon on July 29th, 2007, that marked the beginning of my love affair with the camera, and for that, I owe a great debt to my brother-in-law.</div>
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***</div>
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For our first excursion, the Eclipse cruised to Las Bachas Beach , on the north end of Santa Cruz Island. As we came close to shore, we watched a flock Frigatebirds dive for supper.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464367393/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00803 Galápagos frigatebirds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00803 Galápagos frigatebirds" height="298" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6464367393_4f999c9ef1_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frigate Birds <i>(Fregata)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I don’t know if they were the endemic Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificence) or the smaller, native Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)... <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464369369/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00810 frigate bird by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00810 frigate bird" height="406" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6464369369_296f709414_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frigate Bird <i>(Fregata)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
…but I do know that both species of Frigatebirds are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptoparasitism">kleptoparasitic</a>. These rogues love to mob flocks of Blue-footed Boobies and force them to regurgitate so that their catch can be intercepted.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464366657/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00801 Galápagos frigate birds and blue-footed boobies by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00801 Galápagos frigate birds and blue-footed boobies" height="442" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6464366657_55d135d0d7_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frigate Birds <i>(Fregata) </i>and<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Blue-footed Booby<i> (Sula nebouxii)</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I was excited to explore the mossy boulders to see what I could discover. Javier told us to stay away from the moss, not only because it’s slippery, but because we are not to disturb any of the fauna or flora. Careful not to tread on any moss, I did manage to photograph this American Oystercatcher, endemic subspecies galapagensis. This uncommon resident has only around 200 pairs in the Galápagos Islands. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464368125/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00804 American Oystercatcher by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00804 American Oystercatcher" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6464368125_3931088d63_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">American Oystercatcher <i>(Haematopus palliatus galapagensis)</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464368705/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00808 American Oystercatcher by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00808 American Oystercatcher" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6464368705_37311ea5cb_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">American Oystercatcher <i>(Haematopus palliatus galapagensis)</i></span></td></tr>
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A Yellow Warbler hopped between the rocks picking insects off the moss. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464370125/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00816 yellow warbler cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00816 yellow warbler cropped" height="502" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6464370125_901e58b00f_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Yellow Warbler <i>(Dendroica petechial aureola)</i></span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Its race, <i>aureola, </i>is near-endemic<span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span>and also known as the Mangrove Warbler.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468335631/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00856 yellow warbler cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00856 yellow warbler cropped" height="446" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6468335631_0854e8d45e_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Yellow Warbler <i>(Dendroica petechial aureola)</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Looking across the rocky shore, I occasionally saw orange dots scampering about.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464365801/" title="DSC00830 Galapagos Sally Lightfoot Crab habitat by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00830 Galapagos Sally Lightfoot Crab habitat" height="421" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6464365801_ea3b64c4a6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Sally Lightfoot Crab is the most common crab along the west coast of the Americas and native to the Galápagos Islands. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464365097/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00822 Galapagos Sally Lightfoot Crab by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00822 Galapagos Sally Lightfoot Crab" height="458" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6464365097_ba976f81cb_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sally Lightfoot Crab (Grapsus grapsus)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<br />
John Steinbeck‘s entertaining observations about how the Sally Lightfoot Crab lives up to its name can be read <a href="http://sites.lafayette.edu/hollidac/research/osmoregulation/atpase-assay/">here</a>. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464365395/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00826 Galapagos Sally Lightfoot Crabs by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00826 Galapagos Sally Lightfoot Crabs" height="481" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6464365395_cb0eaedaee_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sally Lightfoot Crab (Grapsus grapsus)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464370939/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00831 two sally lightfoot crabs by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00831 two sally lightfoot crabs" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6464370939_bdb77702fe_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sally Lightfoot Crab (Grapsus grapsus)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We saw a solitary Galápagos Flamingo feeding on the far end of a saltwater lagoon when we joined Javier for brief walk. It is believed that the flamingo migrated from the Carribean and then evolved into an endemic subspecies here.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464369801/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00814 American Flamingo by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00814 American Flamingo" height="502" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6464369801_1a3a74ee0e_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Galápagos Flamingo <i>(Phoenicopterus ruber glyphorhynchus)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A Galápagos Mockingbird hopped around our small group, flitting back and forth between the sandy beach…</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464378171/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00854 Galápagos mockingbird cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00854 Galápagos mockingbird cropped" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6464378171_ba1c4c765b_b.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Galápagos mockingbird <i>(Mimus parvulus) </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
…and the mangrove trees. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464377097/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00852 Galápagos mockingbird by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00852 Galápagos mockingbird" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6464377097_f5c4c9da19_b.jpg" width="525" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galápagos mockingbird <i>(Mimus parvulus)</i></td></tr>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Charles_Darwin_by_G._Richmond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Charles_Darwin_by_G._Richmond.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It was the mockingbird, not finches, that first caught <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Charles_Darwin_by_G._Richmond.jpg/397px-Charles_Darwin_by_G._Richmond.jpg">Charles Darwin</a>’s eye when he visited the Galápagos Islands at age 26 in 1835:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I have specimens from four of the larger islands…The specimens from Chatham and Albemarle Isd. appear to be the same; but the other two are different. In each Isld. each kind is exclusively found. “ </blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Mimus_trifasciatus.jpg/465px-Mimus_trifasciatus.jpg%20" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Mimus_trifasciatus.jpg/465px-Mimus_trifasciatus.jpg%20" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Floreana Mockingbird or Charles Mockingbird <br /><i>(Mimus trifasciatus) </i></span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Mimus_melanotis.jpg/459px-Mimus_melanotis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Mimus_melanotis.jpg/459px-Mimus_melanotis.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">San Cristobal Mockingbird or Chatham Mockingbird <br />(Mimus melanotis) </span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Sadly, many mockingbirds were driven to extinction, or near extinction, by rats introduced to the islands by buccaneers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When Darwin returned to England, he used his mockingbird observation as the basis for concluding that the thirteen finches he observed in the Galápagos Islands all evolved separately due to the isolation of the islands.</div>
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*** </div>
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Early during the walk, our 13-year-old son shared with Javier that his goal was to see a marine iguana on this trip. Javier smiled and told him that this could be arranged. Imagine my son’s excitement when he saw them on his very first excursion: <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468304197/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00866 Six marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crab by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00866 Six marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crab" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6468304197_a2c53b673d_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Marine Iguana<i> (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
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Charles Darwin was not as enamored with them as my son was.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The black Lava rocks on the beach are frequented by large (2-3 ft), disgusting clumsy Lizards. They are as black as the porous rocks over which they crawl & seek their prey from the Sea. I call them 'imps of darkness'. They assuredly well become the land they inhabit.” </blockquote>
I have to agree with my son; what's not to love about this remarkable creature?</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464379705/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00858 marine iguana cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00858 marine iguana cropped" height="336" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6464379705_0931b9edb6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marine Iguana<i> (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468305763/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00867 marine iguana by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00867 marine iguana" height="451" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6468305763_4086ac5c8b_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marine Iguana<i> (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Once he saw them on land, my son's next goal to was to see them swim in the ocean. They swam gracefully, swishing their tails in smooth back and forth waves.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468299299/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00861 marine iguana swimming by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00861 marine iguana swimming" height="443" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6468299299_a3aaf73ba1_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marine Iguana<i> (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
As an extra bonus, we saw a green turtle swimming nearby.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468303077/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00860 Green Turtle and Sally Lightfoot Crab cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00860 Green Turtle and Sally Lightfoot Crab cropped" height="450" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6468303077_6ea6b54949_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Galápagos green turtle<i> (Chelonia mydas agassisi) </i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468302339/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00859 Green Turtle cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00859 Green Turtle cropped" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6468302339_2689ccf57d_b.jpg" width="573" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Galápagos green turtle <i>(Chelonia mydas agassisi) </i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The Galápagos green turtle is a subspecies of the green sea turtle we see in Hawaii. The species is indigenous, but the subspecies is endemic to the Galápagos Islands .<br />
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The same holds true for the Brown Pelican, with the amusing subspecies name <i>urinator</i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468300597/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00864 Galápagos Brown Pelican by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00864 Galápagos Brown Pelican" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6468300597_15ce771630_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis urinator)</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6468301067/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00864 Galápagos Brown Pelican cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00864 Galápagos Brown Pelican cropped" height="448" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6468301067_332a19eaf8_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis urinator)</td></tr>
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When we returned to the beach, we sat among the Galápagos sea lions.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464373101/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00839 Galápagos sea lion by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00839 Galápagos sea lion" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6464373101_11120e516c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galápagos sea lion <i>(Zalophus wollebaeki)</i></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464371569/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00837 Galápagos sea lion by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00837 Galápagos sea lion" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6464371569_801443899d_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galápagos sea lion <i>(Zalophus wollebaeki)</i></td></tr>
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…and all cooed when we saw the baby sea lions nursing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464374969/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00842 Galápagos sea lions nursing by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00842 Galápagos sea lions nursing" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6464374969_7192bb663e_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galápagos sea lion <i>(Zalophus wollebaeki)</i></td></tr>
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This small beach was a great choice for our first excursion because it provided an intimate setting where the 47 passengers of the Eclipse had a chance to become acquainted with each other.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6464375767/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC00843 tourists at Las Bachas Beach by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC00843 tourists at Las Bachas Beach" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6464375767_60048ef1a8_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Galápagos sea lion<i> (Zalophus wollebaeki)</i> and <i>Homo Sapien</i></td></tr>
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Even though we <i>Homo Sapiens</i> are an introduced species into the Galápagos Islands, it is my sincere hope that we will not have a negative impact to the abundance of this ecology.<br />
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***</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Works Cited <br /><br />"File:Mimus Melanotis.jpg." <i>Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia</i>. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mimus_melanotis.jpg>. <br /><br />"File:Mimus Trifasciatus.jpg." <i>Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.</i> Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mimus_trifasciatus.jpg>. <br /><br />"Grapsus Grapsus." <i>Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia</i>. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapsus_grapsus>. <br /><br />"INaturalist.org · Galápagos, EC." <i>INaturalist.org</i> · A Community for Naturalists. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.inaturalist.org/places/12990>. <br /><br />"Marine Iguana." <i>Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia</i>. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Iguana>. <br /><br />Stewart, Paul. <i>Galapagos: the Islands That Changed the World.</i> New Haven, Connecticut, CT: Yale UP, 2007. Print. <br /><br />Swash, Andy, Rob Still, and Ian Lewington. <i>Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galápagos Islands: an Identification Guide. </i>New Haven: Yale UP, 2005. Print.</span></div>
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</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com20santa cruz Hwy, Galapagos National Park, Ecuador-0.52458983850488072 -90.3460693359375-0.7786373385048807 -90.6619263359375 -0.27054233850488074 -90.0302123359375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-40634989409943934532011-11-17T13:03:00.001-08:002011-11-27T10:40:48.270-08:00Broiled Figs with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5190263861/" title="IMG_5247 Roasted figs with prosciutto and goat cheese by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5247 Roasted figs with prosciutto and goat cheese" height="603" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5190263861_b9787b17b1_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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We have an old fig tree in our back yard and this is one of my favorite ways to prepare them.</div>
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<b>Broiled Figs with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese</b><br />
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<li style="text-align: left;">With a paring knife, slice an "X" at the bottom of each fig.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Insert a dollop of soft cheese into the "X". Suggested cheeses: goat cheese, blue cheese (especially "Maytag Blue"), burrata, brie</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Wrap a slice of Prosciutto di Parma around each fig.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Place under broiler until the edges of the prosciutto are crispy, around 5 minutes.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Serve warm as an appetizer. </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Lick your fingers.</li>
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</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-16018848732759502632011-11-09T10:36:00.000-08:002011-12-26T08:58:23.999-08:00Innovative Quilts at Pacific International Quilt Festival XX<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6300385801/" title="DSC06846 A Simple Touch - Pat Rollie cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06846 A Simple Touch - Pat Rollie cropped" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6050/6300385801_8ffeb2eea8_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011/11/traditional-quilts-of-california-at.html">As promised</a>, here are a few of my favorite innovative quilts that competed at the<a href="http://www.quiltfest.com/activities.asp?id=7"> Pacific International Quilt Festival XX</a> last month. With over eight hundred works of textile art showing, it was difficult to choose.</div>
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The quilters drew inspiration from boundless sources. Roberta Deluz did not have to go far to let her imagination go wild. She designed <i>It Came from Beneath the Sea</i> as a tribute to her father who instilled a love for classic monster movies in her.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244284528/" title="DSC06783 It Came From Beneath the Sea by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06783 It Came From Beneath the Sea" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6244284528_d11f0a49a4_z.jpg" width="461" /></a></div>
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I will never be able to look at the clock of the San Francisco Ferry Building without wondering what might ooze up the tower from the bay below.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244285508/in/set-72157627893235294/"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244285508/" title="DSC06784 It Came From Beneath the Sea - detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06784 It Came From Beneath the Sea - detail" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6244285508_dfb4ee09a5_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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I can related to Janet Fogg's <i>Magic in Times Square, </i>her interpretation of her first cab ride in New York City .</div>
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<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6321140440_9c7ac0d491_z.jpg" /></div>
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Other quilters were inspired from faraway continents. Pat Rollie's thirty years of quilting experience is evidenced in her original design depicting a tender scene from the Serengeti. As I saw this quilt, I longed to go back to Africa and <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011/05/south-african-giraffe-and-their-calves.html">encounter a mother giraffe and her calf</a> once again.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6300921652/" title="DSC07002 A Simple Touch by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07002 A Simple Touch" height="631" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6300921652_155e720681_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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My 85-year-old mother made a small wall quilt for an Indian friend featuring the Taj Mahal...<br />
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<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6244287362_822e7b8d2d_z.jpg" /><br />
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...and exotic creatures.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6327830524/" title="DSC06984 Alligator detail - Oma by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06984 Alligator detail - Oma" height="536" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6327830524_982505c01c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.nancybrownquilts.com/html/bio.html" target="_blank">Nancy S. Brown </a>deservedly won the best hand workmanship ribbon for her wonderfully composed penguins of South Georgia in Antarctica.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243786893/" title="DSC06810 Georgia On My Mind - Nancy S Brown by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06810 Georgia On My Mind - Nancy S Brown" height="538" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6116/6243786893_cbf3b77b7b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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It wasn't until I took a closer look that I noticed that the penguins were navigating between mounds of elephant seals.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244306856/" title="DSC06812 Georgia On My Mind - Nancy S Brown detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06812 Georgia On My Mind - Nancy S Brown detail" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6052/6244306856_20e7364f7c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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In contrast to the cold of the South Pole, Hilda Koning-Bastiaan chose to depict the warm hues of a blooming desert.<br />
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<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6244286504_eb507a15fd_z.jpg" style="text-align: center;" /><br />
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<a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011/10/america-let-it-shine-quilt-by-sherry.html">Sherry Reynolds</a> honored her beloved Wyoming with this cowboy quilt. She made five variations of the traditional <i>Wyoming Valley</i> block pattern in the upper right.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6321030922/" style="text-align: center;" title="DSC06848 My Wyoming - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06848 My Wyoming - Sherry Reynolds" height="519" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6047/6321030922_fcfbf27347_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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In another warm desert scene, Kathleen Malvern of Colorado celebrated the majestic saguaro cactus...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6321041678/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6321041678_e629d1f2c8_z.jpg" /></a></div>
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... while Kimberly Buzolich celebrated the Sierra Tiger Lily. I like how she produced the soft-focus feeling of the background with the pools of greens and the swirled quilting.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6300826498/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6044/6300826498_920dc4d087_z.jpg" /></a> <br />
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Pat Durbin used every scrap of her twenty years of quilting experience to render the larger-than-life interpretation of <i>Begonia Picotee Lace...</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243789919/" title="DSC06813 Begonia Picotee Lace - Pat Durbin by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06813 Begonia Picotee Lace - Pat Durbin" height="509" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6243789919_67a1011c17_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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,,, in exquisite detail.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243791107/" title="DSC06814 Begonia Picotee Lace - Pat Durbin detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06814 Begonia Picotee Lace - Pat Durbin detail" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6243791107_2fa96f1008_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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While Pat Durbin zoomed in on her subject, Jo Bauer took a panoramic view in <i>Reflections of Mt. Shuksan.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6321137100/" title="DSC06991 Reflections of Mt Shuksan - Jo Baner by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06991 Reflections of Mt Shuksan - Jo Baner" height="431" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6321137100_dbc7c2976e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Other quilters turned to fine art for inspiration. Megan Farkas mimicked a Japanese woodblock print...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6321138492/" title="DSC06992 - The Tsar's Decree by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06992 - The Tsar's Decree" height="465" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6214/6321138492_cc5b8d1c0c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...and Kim Butterworth's <i>Cherry Blossoms</i> reminded me of Van Gogh's almond blossoms.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244303532/" title="DSC06806 Cherry Blossoms - Kim Butterworth by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06806 Cherry Blossoms - Kim Butterworth" height="471" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6244303532_b67387c97b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ellen Wong embraced abstract art by piecing together strips of commercial fabrics...</div>
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<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6243772863_6e52813797_z.jpg" /></div>
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...and quilting a grid pattern that gives the work a pleasing uniformity.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243774027/" title="DSC06794 Orange Rhyme - Ellen Wong, detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06794 Orange Rhyme - Ellen Wong, detail" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6243774027_6c6dd760c1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Kathleen Collins's fascination with 18th century European court paintings of women in headdresses inspired her to create original paintings on cotton cloth...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6321151272/" title="DSC07038 kLTranquility II - Kathleen Collins by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07038 kLTranquility II - Kathleen Collins" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6321151272_a1af79de81_z.jpg" width="401" /></a></div>
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... which she then incorporated into a pair of elegant quilts.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6320627157/" title="DSC07036 Reflections - Kathleen Collins cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07036 Reflections - Kathleen Collins cropped" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/6320627157_473300757c_z.jpg" width="427" /></a><br />
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Nancy S. Brown had productive year. In addition to the penguin and seal quilt above, she finished this poignant quilt of a grandmother at the San Francisco Zoo.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6320499049/" title="DSC06781 Nancy S Brown by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06781 Nancy S Brown" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6040/6320499049_8233d75ca3_z.jpg" width="506" /></a></div>
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Sue Anthony found a wonderful way to preserve her grandmother's dress...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244312112/" title="DSC06816 Maranantha - Sue Anthony by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06816 Maranantha - Sue Anthony" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6244312112_d8e9e53464_z.jpg" width="561" /></a></div>
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... and Giny Dixon showcased her father's silk ties...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6320621213/" title="DSC07034 Ties That Bind - Giny Dixon by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07034 Ties That Bind - Giny Dixon" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6320621213_ff98da2021_z.jpg" width="526" /></a>
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... set in wool flannel pinstripe resulting in a true work of art.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6321146488/" title="DSC07035 Ties That Bind - Giny Dixon by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07035 Ties That Bind - Giny Dixon" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6321146488_d74e12ab14_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Congratulations to all the quilters here. I am inspired by your creativity and sewing artistry.</div>
</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-48788132194717704672011-11-04T07:24:00.000-07:002013-05-23T05:56:19.752-07:00Traditional Quilts of California at Pacific International Quilt Festival XX<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299401043/" title="DSC06997 Crazy in Black and White by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06997 Crazy in Black and White" height="599" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6059/6299401043_4cb65dd752_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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California quilters had a productive year this year. Here is a sampling of my favorite traditional quilts that were shown in the <a href="http://www.quiltfest.com/default.asp" target="_blank">Pacific International Quilt Festival XX</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.theloomisnews.com/article/geraldine-nall-queen-miniatures" target="_blank">Geraldine Nall</a>'s miniature wall quilt stopped me in my tracks. She used a mind-boggling 6,300 pieces of fabric to create a quilt that is a mere 23" square. Using only the <a href="http://www.everythingquilts.com/pineapplepassionpattern.aspx">pineapple blocks</a> pattern, Nall created 140 tiny 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" squares. The result is a stunning, balanced interplay of black and white.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299398915/" title="DSC06998 Crazy in Black and White by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06998 Crazy in Black and White" height="501" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6109/6299398915_fc8f5d2ac1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Diana Tatro belongs to a group of sixteen quilters that exchanges quilt blocks each year.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299406017/" title="DSC07007 Bloomin' Baskets by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07007 Bloomin' Baskets" height="508" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6051/6299406017_1dc28b3845_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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This year's red and white basket theme created the building blocks that produced a beautiful quilt with unity and rhythm.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299403699/" title="DSC07008 Bloomin' Baskets by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07008 Bloomin' Baskets" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6055/6299403699_ab0abc5eb7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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Holly Casey drew inspiration for this striking blue and gold Dizzy Geese quilt from a book by L. Amanda Owens and Patricia Wilens. I like the trend-setting geese in the lower right corner.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299415797/" title="DSC06861 Dizzy Geese by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06861 Dizzy Geese" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6116/6299415797_7bc4f862d3_z.jpg" width="499" /></a>
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Clem Buzick and Ann Helbling created "Maritime in Red"...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299930176/" title="DSC06987 Maritime in Red by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06987 Maritime in Red" height="548" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6299930176_600d871a5d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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...with intricate quilt motifs.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6299395213/" title="DSC06988 Maritime in Red by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06988 Maritime in Red" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6229/6299395213_31e48fc4a5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next time, the innovative quilts. </div>
Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com175001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA37.4037157 -121.97559937.4021392 -121.9780665 37.4052922 -121.97313150000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-28946859051360691682011-11-01T11:37:00.000-07:002012-01-18T11:09:58.423-08:00Stanford Pumpkins 2011<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6303362894/" title="DSC07127 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - ghoul by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07127 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - ghoul" height="573" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6110/6303362894_7e5d2b4356_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Stanford University art students turned in their homework last night. Their assignment was to carve a pumpkin that says "Boo".</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6303366652/" title="DSC07104 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 three by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07104 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 three" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6050/6303366652_ca98a4da29_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6303365502/" title="DSC07102 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - face by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07102 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - face" height="471" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6303365502_2d11173638_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6302839199/" title="DSC07117 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07117 Stanford Pumpkins 2011" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6302839199_a48220fcd3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6303360472/" title="DSC07112 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - giraffe by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07112 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - giraffe" height="523" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303360472_086e5778de_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just when you thought you've seen every imaginable design, take a look at this one:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6303361614/" title="DSC07116 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - jigsaw by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC07116 Stanford Pumpkins 2011 - jigsaw" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6303361614_3898d49b62_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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See previous years' Stanford Pumpkins <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2009/10/stanford-pumpkin-art-2009.html">here </a>and <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2008/10/stanford-pumpkin-art.html">here</a>.</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-70553592138422917042011-10-30T16:54:00.000-07:002011-10-31T20:19:29.498-07:00Halloween at Pacific International Quilt Fest XX<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6296208263/" title="DSC06860 M&M Ruffle by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06860 M&M Ruffle" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6101/6296208263_38b0068836_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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For all you overachieving recyclers out there, I have a suggestion for what you can do with the Halloween candy wrappers your kids will be bringing home tomorrow night. You can follow in Charlotte Kruk & Carol Traumiller's footsteps and get a head start on next year's Halloween costume. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6296738788/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC06858 M&M dress by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06858 M&M dress" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6233/6296738788_2aefb5c675_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Flam & Menco" by mother-daughter team: <a href="http://www.kruktart.com/">Charlotte Kruk</a> & Carol Traumiller </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Or you can be inspired by Flora Story and create an original Halloween quilt and ask June Hollister to do the long-arm quillting for you.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6296203673/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC06804 Witches R Us - Flora Story June Hollister by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06804 Witches R Us - Flora Story June Hollister" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6296203673_a3a067bd83_z.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Witches 'R' Us" by Flora Story and June Hollister</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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If don't have time to do either of these projects, perhaps you can buy a kit to make this whimsical wall quilt. The candy corns are buttons that may be purchased separately.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6296742060/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DSC06969 Candy Corn Lane by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06969 Candy Corn Lane" height="510" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6296742060_0366221496_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Candy Corn Lane", Quilt pattern and kit by Holly Hill Quilt Designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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All three projects seen at the<a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/search/label/Pacific%20International%20Quilt%20Festival%20XX"> Pacific International Quilt Festival XX</a> in Santa Clara, CA</div>
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Enjoy your Halloween!</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-72760359119287717412011-10-26T11:37:00.000-07:002011-11-01T08:07:07.258-07:00Crochet Coral Reef Sculptures Explain Mathematics<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cynical-c.com/archives2/bloggraphics/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://www.cynical-c.com/archives2/bloggraphics/21.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.cynical-c.com/2006/04/13/crochet-hyperbolic-coral-reef-project/">here</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
My thanks to Patricia Powell Kessler for posting this <a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED </a>video <span id="goog_870074995"></span><span id="goog_870074996"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>on the sidebar of <a href="http://abyssalplain.blogspot.com/">her blog</a>. This talk appeals to me on so many levels. Margaret Wertheim discusses marine biology, the mathematics of hyperbolic geometry, textiles, folk art, environmental activism, and the passion of spontaneous creativity.Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-7123885222253302942011-10-23T06:07:00.000-07:002011-10-31T08:42:07.923-07:00Recycled materials at Symposium 2011<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267187822/" title="IMG_5553 Pallet love - cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5553 Pallet love - cropped" height="558" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6229/6267187822_c486032354_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The <a href="http://www.aifd.org/">AIFD </a>florists at Symposium 2011 proved that sustainable
business practices don’t have to be boring or dreary, but in fact can be playful
and beautiful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These pallets were elevated to a new high as grouped calla
lilies, steel grass, hala leaves, and eremurus strike a pose reinforcing the geometric lines, while the orange roses and anthuriums provide a perfect accent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6266660161/" title="IMG_5553 Pallet love by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5553 Pallet love" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6266660161_eb946343a2_z.jpg" width="423" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://loismauigirl.com/">Lois Hiranaga, AIFD</a> used the whimsical <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/rugs-carpets/pinocchio-felted-wool-rug-from-hay-082796">Pinocchio rug </a>as a youthful backdrop against sunflowers and crespedia. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6268291916/" title="IMG_5925 sunflowers and rug by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5925 sunflowers and rug" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6268291916_2a61a6d376_z.jpg" width="312" /></a><br />
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I smiled when I saw this display of Chinese steam baskets...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267112845/" title="IMG_5557 Chinese Steam Basket arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5557 Chinese Steam Basket arrangement" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6267112845_73b7283421_z.jpg" width="457" /></a></div>
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...wafting with fresh flowers.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267763076/" title="IMG_5791 Chinese steam basket flower arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5791 Chinese steam basket flower arrangement" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6267763076_b0b32e46e1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The next time you trim your birch tree, rather than filling
the dump or burning the branches in your fireplace, follow Gerry Gregg’s lead
and slice them into discs to create a unique, reusable, 100% natural
base. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267410243/" title="IMG_5860 Gerry Gregg flowers by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5860 Gerry Gregg flowers" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6267410243_822ed5ceea_z.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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Who knew that plastic water and soda bottles...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267114163/" title="IMG_5730 recycled plastic water bottle arrangement in progress by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5730 recycled plastic water bottle arrangement in progress" height="505" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6267114163_cba8f78420_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...could look so great with phaleonopsis orchids and albino gloriosa lilies...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267236605/" title="IMG_5785 recycled water bottles flower arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5785 recycled water bottles flower arrangement" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6267236605_84b236346a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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...and be illuminated into pillars for a green, urban look?<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267234251/" title="IMG_5779 recycled soda bottle arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5779 recycled soda bottle arrangement" height="597" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6051/6267234251_0544322d29_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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How great would it be to see these freesias and hala leaves springing from an urban landscape?</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6267641230/" title="IMG_5742 Urban arrangement with hala and freesia by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5742 Urban arrangement with hala and freesia" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6267641230_92eac726d8_z.jpg" width="326" /></a>
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Taking these lessons to heart, I
decided to re purpose Tracy’s<a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011/10/tracy-wins-two-awards-at-2011-aifd.html"> award-winning napkin decorations</a> and add an
organic touch to the lampshades in our hotel room.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6266567337/" title="IMG_5430 Tracy Lou napkin decoration recycled by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5430 Tracy Lou napkin decoration recycled" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6266567337_a0d5027357_z.jpg" width="458" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6266568859/" title="IMG_5427 Tracy Lou napkin or lampshade decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5427 Tracy Lou napkin or lampshade decoration" height="574" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6266568859_258ee0bc41_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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<br /></div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-68276210340236059222011-10-14T12:06:00.000-07:002011-10-14T18:39:50.909-07:00"America, Let It Shine" Quilt by Sherry Reynolds<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244318074/" title="DSC06832 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06832 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6039/6244318074_b31e948f1f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yesterday I took my mother to the <a href="http://www.quiltfest.com/quilt_festival.asp">Pacific International Quilt Festival XX </a>in Santa Clara. If you are only going to see one quilt, I recommend you battle your way to the masterpiece "America, Let It Shine" by Sherry Reynolds. You may have to wait a bit before you can see it in its entirety.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243804841/" title="DSC06828 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06828 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6243804841_bd09c993e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In the mean time, you may start by reading<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243801505/sizes/l/in/photostream/"> the tag</a>. You will understand that the use of graph paper explains how Reynolds achieved absolute precision and uniformity of symmetry.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244323834/" title="DSC06829 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06829 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6244323834_074a40fe8b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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You'll be impressed that she used a 20-year-old Bernina 1001 to create the free motion quilt design.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244321810/" title="DSC06827 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06827 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6244321810_fb3fecab5f_z.jpg" width="480" /></a>
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The quilt is steeped with symbolic meaning. The thirteen original colonies are represented in the border's blue rays and red triangles:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6244320598/" title="DSC06826 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06826 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6244320598_06182fa913_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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The 4,886 Swarovski crystals that embellish this quilt represent the sum of the 4,543 words of the Constituion, 312 words of the Star Spangled Banner, and 31 words of the Pledge of Allegiance.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243807085/" title="DSC06833 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06833 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6243807085_876f084dff_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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Reynolds incorporated parts of American history by using parts of the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble of the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243808185/" title="DSC06840 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds = the pursuit of happiness by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06840 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds = the pursuit of happiness" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/6243808185_98b69e1339_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You will know that her goal to create "a tribute to America, our foundations and values, with the hope that they will guide us to a brighter future" was achieved from top to bottom and front to back. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6243800995/" title="DSC06824 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06824 America, Let It Shine - Sherry Reynolds" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6243800995_9b6a09d996_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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The show runs through Sunday at the Santa Clara Convention Center. More information <a href="http://www.quiltfest.com/activities_detail.asp?id=50">here</a>.<br />
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</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com235001 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA37.4037157 -121.97559937.4021392 -121.9780665 37.4052922 -121.97313150000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-76531455062347382652011-10-12T09:09:00.000-07:002011-10-12T15:44:12.104-07:00Willow Manor Ball 2011 - Isn't It Romantic?<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/likeabalalaika/3826634324/">Flickr</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/likeabalalaika/3826634324/" title="Audrey Hepburn in the "Sabrina" dress by Givenchy, 1953 by thefoxling, on Flickr"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div>
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I have no doubt that this year's <a href="http://willowmanor.blogspot.com/2011/10/willow-manor-ball-2011.html">Willow Manor Ball</a> of virtual fantasy will be every bit as fun as <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2010_09_26_archive.html">last year's</a>. Time sneaked up on me this year and I feel a bit unprepared. I don't even have a date yet because Southern Gentleman Husband is traveling on business. Then there is the perpetual problem of not having a thing to wear. At least I can put on some lipstick while I search for a gown. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.doctormacro.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">DrMacro</span></a></td></tr>
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As luck would have it, Count Hubert de Givenchy happened to call for a chat. Not only did he offer me one of his vintage gowns, but he agreed to escort me to the ball. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://top-people.starmedia.com/tmp/swotti/cacheAHVIZXJ0IGRLIGDPDMVUY2H5UGVVCGXLLVBLB3BSZQ==/imgHubert%20de%20Givenchy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://top-people.starmedia.com/tmp/swotti/cacheAHVIZXJ0IGRLIGDPDMVUY2H5UGVVCGXLLVBLB3BSZQ==/imgHubert%20de%20Givenchy1.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://top-people.starmedia.com/">here</a></td></tr>
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Since the ball is Black and White this year, it didn't take long for me to decide to wear the luscious gown he designed for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabrina_(1954_film)">Sabrina</a>. Darling Hubert promptly brought the gown to me and I was pleased how well it fit my tiny figure. He also agreed to take my poodles to his salon for the evening. The boys were hesitant at first but I promised, if they were good, they would get a treat when we got there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsU7Dm8IvhfMiDCky85VhWvhm36SE7dyj2V6Cdd2gC-_kI27JtjK6eWFlwaWGDass3VJPromcM8UeHbbWFIvIU3vXxH23t8ZxqK-HpeiBm9f3WWSVlAdMtW459PBf605JET6NoUSmbBxI/s640/sabrina-audrey-hepburn-wearing-a-givenchy-gown-1954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsU7Dm8IvhfMiDCky85VhWvhm36SE7dyj2V6Cdd2gC-_kI27JtjK6eWFlwaWGDass3VJPromcM8UeHbbWFIvIU3vXxH23t8ZxqK-HpeiBm9f3WWSVlAdMtW459PBf605JET6NoUSmbBxI/s640/sabrina-audrey-hepburn-wearing-a-givenchy-gown-1954.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://fashionportrait-letizia.blogspot.com/2011/04/best-clothes-of-movies.html">here</a></td></tr>
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I'm so glad that the gown has a black petticoat to protect against the Paris sidewalks. On my way out, I slipped my phone into my Guisseppe Zanotti's clutch. The black Swarovski crystals give just the right amount of sparkle.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/giuseppe_zanotti_clutch/thing.outbound?.embedder=0&.svc=copypaste&id=38003672" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Giuseppe Zanotti clutch" border="0" height="200" src="http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/l/tid/38003672.jpg" title="Giuseppe Zanotti clutch" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/giuseppe_zanotti_clutch/thing.outbound?.embedder=0&.svc=copypaste&id=38003672">Giuseppe Zanotti clutch</a> </span></div>
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I always love coming to Hubert's elegant salon. We had just enough time for an aperitif while the boys devoured a tray of canine petit fours the chef always has on hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaijY7NIxaIwVx38JpR-p3dENsWsFOtkN595L3uMi0LHQJ-GE5x9kZtF9TdC5ldpMfC-l2sMYwmMAldiTFincp_IpMJfEFPs10QDt5aiM85MFPi8SyqENcu8zumaP4b61IzYIL_pVdFPMx/s1600/6+JEFFREY+BAILEY+CLOSER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaijY7NIxaIwVx38JpR-p3dENsWsFOtkN595L3uMi0LHQJ-GE5x9kZtF9TdC5ldpMfC-l2sMYwmMAldiTFincp_IpMJfEFPs10QDt5aiM85MFPi8SyqENcu8zumaP4b61IzYIL_pVdFPMx/s640/6+JEFFREY+BAILEY+CLOSER.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Hubert de Givenchy's Salon by <a href="http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2010/08/jeffrey-bailey-artiste-paris.html">Jeffrey Bailey</a></span></div>
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Now it's time to stroll to the ball.</div>
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<a href="http://traveldk.com/dkimages/paris116mansio002_attrlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://traveldk.com/dkimages/paris116mansio002_attrlarge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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and join the party...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://chandelierevents.blogspot.com/2010/02/weddings-we-love-black-white-by-belle.html">here</a></td></tr>
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...decorated with black and white anemones at every table...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mytexaswedding.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/080318mb-reception-167_3-225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.mytexaswedding.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/080318mb-reception-167_3-225x300.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://chandelierevents.blogspot.com/2010/02/weddings-we-love-black-white-by-belle.html">here</a></td></tr>
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...even the food tables were dotted with anemones.<br />
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<a href="http://www.lovewedbliss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/black-white-wedding-theme.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://www.lovewedbliss.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/black-white-wedding-theme.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were delighted to see our favorite clips of Sabrina while Rod Stewart crooned. </div>
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Thank you, Willow, for hosting another splendid evening!<br />
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</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-84228327831862015332011-10-10T15:57:00.000-07:002014-11-17T09:17:21.043-08:00Apple Love<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6227499357/" title="DSC06772 apple love by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC06772 apple love" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6232/6227499357_8f236a9eab_z.jpg" height="583" width="640" /></a><br />
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My Southern Gentleman Husband and I were invited to dinner by our dear friends Dirk and Josine this weekend. I brought this meandering centerpiece, partially to honor Steve Jobs, but also because I know that Josine adores apples. The tulips are a nod to our hosts' Dutch roots and I chose acorns because Josine's maiden name means oak tree. The winter berries? Just because.<br />
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It was a wonderful evening catching up with each other over wine, a gourmet home-cooked meal, and thought-provoking conversation. Thank you Dirk and Josine, we cherish your friendship.Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-77230891044639028432011-10-04T09:44:00.000-07:002011-11-02T08:30:06.564-07:00Tracy Wins Two Awards at 2011 AIFD Student Competition<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5938306832/" title="IMG_5382 floral napkin design by Tracy Lou by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5382 floral napkin design by Tracy Lou" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5938306832_d4f1df855b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Congratulations to the ultra-talented <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2008/11/holiday-wreath-clinic-2008-part-ii.html">Tracy Lou</a>, representing College of San Mateo, for winning not one, but two awards in the 2011 AIFD Student Design Competition.</div>
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Competing is a nerve-wracking experience. Each student is given materials they have not seen before they enter the venue. After a few minutes of planning and sketching, they are given approximately an hour to complete their design. They are judged on the strength of the design, the use of materials, and their workmanship.</div>
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In the Napkin Decor Design category, "the competitors are asked to make two identical napkin decorations with fresh floral/foliage accenting. Duplication accuracy is a part of the point structure for just this category"*. Tracy placed second with her napkin design featuring an intricate use of bear grass and deco wire:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5938297580/" title="IMG_5381 napkin design by Tracy Lou by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5381 napkin design by Tracy Lou" height="521" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5938297580_d567de89cc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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...and third in <a href="http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-reception-planning/qa/rules-for-sweetheart-tables.aspx">Sweetheart Table</a> Design:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5938342028/" title="IMG_5389 Tracy Lou sweetheart table design by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5389 Tracy Lou sweetheart table design" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5938342028_ea3e331973_z.jpg" width="566" /></a><br />
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College of San Mateo's capable coach was Wendy Pine AIFD, who won the top prize when she competed in the student competition. </div>
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Tracy did not win in the bouquet category, but I thought her entry was impressive. I loved the beautiful lines she created by wiring the equisetum and how the tiny spray roses sheltered by the ti leaf invited closer inspection:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5938351372/" title="IMG_5394 Tracy Lou bouquet and napkin designs by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5394 Tracy Lou bouquet and napkin designs" height="554" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/5938351372_25b42e700d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Other <a href="http://www.collegeofsanmateo.edu/SLOAC/slos/index.php/course/horticulture">College of San Mateo</a> students turned in beautiful designs.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5937811265/" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="IMG_5402 Shannon student competition designs by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5402 Shannon student competition designs" height="389" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/5937811265_466cf1d648_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I thought Shannon's napkin design was beautifully balanced and airy:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5938377478/" title="IMG_5403 Shannon napkin ring design by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5403 Shannon napkin ring design" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5938377478_e8858a2f79_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Victor's dynamic, asymmetric bouquet was my favorite of his four entries:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5938384730/" title="IMG_5404 Victor student competition by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5404 Victor student competition" height="378" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6134/5938384730_405db4b612_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...and I loved the dramatic lines in Kim's tall buffet design in monochromatic green:</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/5937833007/" title="IMG_5415 Kim student competition by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5415 Kim student competition" height="341" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5937833007_b9660b660a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There were other wonderful CSM student entries, but I regret that those photos did not turn out. </div>
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<br />
Over fifty students competed and fifteen awards were given this year. See all results <a href="http://www.aifd.org/NewNews/2011Symposium/2011SAIFDResults.htm">here</a>.<br />
_________________</div>
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*Competition guidelines <a href="http://www.aifd.org/neweducation/StudentCompetition.htm">here</a>. </div>
</div>Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-70870392791321619072011-09-03T10:46:00.000-07:002011-10-10T14:36:03.593-07:00Lavatory Levity<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094370306/" title="IMG_6077 bathroom decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6077 bathroom decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6070/6094370306_b46450df76_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You've seen the <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011/08/aifd-symposium-2011-lobby-flowers.html">lobby florals</a> of AIFD's <a href="http://www.aifd.org/NewNews/2011Symposium/2011SympImagine.htm">2011 Symposium</a>, now you will see how the restroom decorations during the gala night gave new meaning to nature's call. This post is a bit out of sequence, but I had the urge to write this now. </div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/michelle.perrywhite">Michelle Perry White, AIFD</a> was the designer responsible for all the decor on the final night of the convention. Michelle tapped <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/susan-standerfer/a/248/349">Susan Standerfer, AIFD</a> and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/susan-ayala/a/860/709">Susie Overton Ayala</a> as the team to decorate the restrooms. They did a magnificent job interpreting the night's theme: Flourish! </div>
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They used mechanics that I always hesitated to use because I had no idea if they would be fool proof. Originally designed to stick on car windows for flower parades, the team chose Oasis <a href="http://sona.oasisfloral.com/products/oasis_sympathy_products/floral_foam_cages/place_it_grande_holder">suction cup holders</a> to decorate the mirrors.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094379890/" title="IMG_6066 suction cup holder for bathroom mirror decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6066 suction cup holder for bathroom mirror decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6094379890_dedacb993f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My new best friend Robert, learned that they proved to be easy to install...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094381972/" title="IMG_6067 installing bathroom decorations by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6067 installing bathroom decorations" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6068/6094381972_cae8818017_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...and failsafe...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094377704/" title="IMG_6072 bathroom mirrror decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6072 bathroom mirrror decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6094377704_cf7d970f86_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...with gorgeous results.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6093859845/" title="IMG_6088 restroom decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6088 restroom decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6093859845_46cd7759b0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The team went above the call of duty to beautify the otherwise stark room.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6093852217/" title="IMG_6083 bathroom decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6083 bathroom decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6093852217_787e9969b0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Every stall was decorated with a wreath.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094387668/" title="IMG_6085 ladies' room stall decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6085 ladies' room stall decoration" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6094387668_d7977cd0cd_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094370306/in/photostream/"></a><br />
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When it came to decorating the sinks, they left no stone unturned...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094372868/in/photostream/"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094372868/" title="IMG_6081 bathroom decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6081 bathroom decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6208/6094372868_1fabc2ce86_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...giving a rich, succulent look...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6093826517/" title="IMG_6078 bathroom sink decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6078 bathroom sink decoration" height="468" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6093826517_abfa8a01e5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...with a nod to the night's theme.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094374708/" title="IMG_6092 Flourish river rock by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6092 Flourish river rock" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6094374708_2e51dc0fd2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As magnificent as the ladies' room looked, everyone was abuzz over the men's room. They outdid themselves in here...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6094392656/" title="IMG_6086 Men's room decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6086 Men's room decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6094392656_4291db6abd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...with florals flush against the wall. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6093856847/" title="IMG_6087 Men's room decoration by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6087 Men's room decoration" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6093856847_22e4200d5f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I will refrain from making reference to the orbs hanging about the room. </div>
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If you read this post looking for real humor, I suggest you click <a href="http://youtu.be/xrwf9gSLcNM">here</a> where Anderson Cooper looses all decorum when he shares over twenty bathroom puns in four minutes.</div>
Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com4455 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA37.7850941 -122.404687137.783525600000004 -122.4071546 37.7866626 -122.40221960000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272874592438082683.post-63439085929380304372011-08-26T07:46:00.001-07:002011-10-17T09:13:54.165-07:00Hurricane Irene<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6080837401/" title="DSC02183 Nathan's Hot Dogs by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02183 Nathan's Hot Dogs" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6070/6080837401_33730a550b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Irene_%281999%29" rel="wikipedia" title="Hurricane Irene (1999)">Hurricane Irene</a> is threatening a full-force hit on the New York region. Low-lying areas like Coney Island are expected to be impacted the most. I hope the impact will be minimal and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.nathansfamous.com/nathans/" rel="homepage" title="Nathan's Famous">Nathan's</a> will serve its famous original hot dogs soon...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6081374182/" title="DSC02184 The Original Nathan's Hot Dogs cropped by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02184 The Original Nathan's Hot Dogs cropped" height="276" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6081374182_7a5c5a4272_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
...and the single-A minor league team, The <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Cyclones" rel="wikipedia" title="Brooklyn Cyclones">Brooklyn Cyclones</a>, can resume their normal schedule...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6080836533/" title="DSC02194 Coney Island Cyclones by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02194 Coney Island Cyclones" height="344" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6080836533_7f3e765391_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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... in their beautiful stadium.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6080838905/" title="DSC02188 Keyspan Park by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC02188 Keyspan Park" height="487" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6080838905_dfe427bdbc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Wishing all the best to all who are evacuating, boarding up, and bracing for the storm. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024532390/" title="IMG_5371 lobby arrangement detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5371 lobby arrangement detail" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/6024532390_758ae70bff_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The day after my flower partner Tracy and I <a href="http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2011/07/imagine-2011-aifd-symposium.html">checked into</a> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Marriott_Marquis">San Francisco Marriott Marquis</a>, <a href="http://www.bloomsters.com/">Bloomster's</a><a href="http://www.bloomsters.com/"> </a>capable crew installed the remaining lobby flowers. <a href="http://www.aifd.org/newchapters/Northwest.htm">Wil Gonzalez, AIFD</a> was responsible for the lobby flowers for the week of American Institute of Floral Design's <a href="http://www.aifd.org/NewNews/2011Symposium/2011SympImagine.htm">2011 Symposium</a>. He wisely chose to collaborate with local florist <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kren-rasmussen/a/775/96">Kren Rasmussen, AIFD</a>. He brought the seeds of ideas to their first meeting several months prior to the event, and Kren sowed them to transform the lobby into the Garden of Eden. <br />
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Guests arriving from the Fifth Street entrance walked down the ramp...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024425052/" title="IMG_5324 lobby arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5324 lobby arrangement" height="420" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6024425052_d037310217_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...flanked by tropical terrariums the team created inside the glass banisters.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024762786/" title="IMG_5326 lobby arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5326 lobby arrangement" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/6024762786_2e73d980bb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is Kren moving a tall arrangement into place by the elevator bank, while his crew is waiting with the bamboo-pole armature...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024452304/" title="IMG_5333 lobby arrangement - Kren Rasmussen by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5333 lobby arrangement - Kren Rasmussen" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6129/6024452304_807ae1d2ac_z.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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...which brought these works of art to new heights. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024462758/" title="IMG_5345 lobby arrangements by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5345 lobby arrangements" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6024462758_65b9b5a387_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were plenty impressed with the two oversized spray arrangements of Eremerus...</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024470356/" title="IMG_5296 lobby arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5296 lobby arrangement" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/6024470356_cb92796d95_z.jpg" width="449" /></a></div>
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... sago palm leaves, Asiatic lilies, orchids, kangaroo paws, and ruscus,</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024475528/" title="IMG_5297 eremerus Lobby arrangement by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5297 eremerus Lobby arrangement" height="613" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6024475528_565dc605be_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...but we were bowled over when an oasis of tropical flowers blossomed at their feet. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6024566988/" title="IMG_5347 lobby arrangements by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5347 lobby arrangements" height="489" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6024566988_394535a7d3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The glass containers by <a href="http://www.accentdecor.com/product.htm?Product=DUPLEX&Source=Category&Category=CLEAR%20GLASSWARE">Accent Decor</a> allowed the crew to easily refresh the florals throughout the week.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6023947735/" title="IMG_5344 lobby arrangement oasis by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5344 lobby arrangement oasis" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6023947735_4cb3452ece_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/godutchbaby/6023956115/" title="IMG_5367 Lobby arrangement detail by godutchbaby, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5367 Lobby arrangement detail" height="427" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6023956115_c9a2ef9970_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bravo to Wil and Kren for taking the concept of lobby flowers to the next level. </div>
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Dutchbabyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844296297519447526noreply@blogger.com19