Miami | Art Basel 2010

I'm headed to Miami for my second Art Basel experience. South Beach is an incredible experience in itself, then inject thousands of artists, galleries and art lovers from all over the world... and voila! Incredible...

Here are a few photos from my South Beach wanderings in 2008.

Another Baja Adventure

I had a five hour drive through the desert once I arrived in Loreto. The air on my face felt like a blow dryer, with the odd cloud giving me only moments reprieve. On the eastern side of the Baja Peninsula, the desert was lush from recent rains. It had come alive with yellow flowers covering the sandy ground, with the odd bright red bloom atop the tall cardon cactus. The roads were very narrow, with steep shoulders so that every time a truck passed I tucked my arm in and held my breath, expecting the side window to be torn off. Miraculously, it was always a clean pass...

As I crossed to the western coast, the land became much more desolate and barren. It is much drier. I passed two donkeys walking a path that follows the highway. Walking to and from where, I had no idea. Besides the odd small town and deserted building along the way, there is nothing here, just a straight stretch of highway that disappears into the horizon.

Normally, we all drive down. My family and I try to take at least one vacation a year together, and it's usually a 40 hour drive to our property in Baja. Although we dread the drive, there is something therapeutic about it. We are forced to slow down, detach from the fast-paced lives we left, and enjoy the time together. So although I missed the 40 hour drive, the drive through the desert, wind blowing, music blaring is helping me slow my mind and appreciate both where I am coming from and what lies at the end of the desert road.

The mornings come quickly. Sleep is so deep here. A red ball rises from the ocean, the sand and water glowing in its light. Everything is still. Then there are the birds, swooping in perfect unison, only inches above the water.

The land looks barren and yet it is teeming with life. In the morning, the tracks in the sand betray all that is hidden. The afternoon winds pick up as the land is heated, creating perfect offshore conditions. We sit patiently in the ocean, waiting for the next set to come out of the horizon. Pelicans fly by, swooping in a sort of dance, and then the arch of a dolphin crests, under, then crests again. The winds whips at the breaking waves, so that rainbows form on the backside, showering us in color. One of us takes each wave, a long ride into the beach... the winds carrying our hoots and hollers far down the bay.

This... is heaven.

Lake Como

Half an hour from Milan, Lake Como is an oasis of tranquility with a beautiful combination of lush Mediterranean foliage and snowy, alpine peaks. Lake Como is known for the attractive villas dotting the lake, many with impressive gardens and statues built hundreds of years ago. There are dozens of picturesque lakeside towns to visit, many having lake-side promenades, narrow cobbled streets, flowering balconies and glorious villas. Bellissima!



Chiavenna... A Northern Italy Paradise

The road to Chiavenna through the Swiss Alps would be considered perilous by most, but with the locals passing us on the tight winding corners, I begin to think otherwise. On the Italian side of the Alps, Chiavenna is nestled in the valley below St. Moritz, down a road that zigs more times than it zags. With steeply tiered vineyards and caves to age their cheeses, a river rushes right through the heart of the city, a vibrant glacial blue.

Chiavenna. She took my breath away. I walked her streets in awe. Like a tired child, she was tucked in for a siesta, the narrow cobblestone streets deserted except for the odd man or woman ambling along. Chilled by the cold air, I ducked into the only store I saw open. An older man called out “Bonjourno!” from the back, greeting me with a warm smile. After only a moment, he was ushering me to the grappa, warming my stomach with samples from various local varieties. After tasting some of his homemade cheeses and salamis, he showed me another prized possession: a photo of George Clooney standing beside him outside his shop. Although I speak little to no Italian, it made no difference with this form of communication; a simple smile was all it took to show my appreication and delight at the friendly exchange.

A Seaside Town Called Portofino | Travel

My life has been blessed with frequent travel. It was instilled at a young age and it has played a large role in shaping who I am. I become another person when I am outside my everyday life. I can't absorb the sounds and sights fast enough... the smells and tastes... my god! I am elevated to a new level of excitement and anticipation, yet feel a sense of calm I'm not familiar with in my regular world. I let go of time. I give way to possibility. I embrace the unknown. In these moments, I am truly alive.

I love to return to places special to me, see familiar faces and street corners. I think it's sometimes easier... and safer... to go to those places that you know you love. Why waste a precious holiday going to a place you might not even like? But sometimes, when you open your world to possibility, incredible things happen. I took a chance on a town called Portofino. Okay, admittedly it wasn't a big chance because I saw photos that took my breath away... but it was nothing compared to walking her streets for the first time, turning a corner and coming across a tiny bay filled with fishing boats, the docks lined with restaurants and shops, the buildings painted soft sunset colors. The air was moist and tropical, the ocean bright blue and clear to the bottom. Olive trees, hazelnuts, bamboo and cactus... It was exhilarating to explore and I felt so blessed, knowing that this moment was perfect, and I would never again be able to experience it for the first time. So my advice? Take a step out of your comfort zone and take a chance on the unknown.

A Walk in the Garden

I've got this thing for gardens... and paths. My heart always skips a beat when I see a meandering path, and I have no choice but to follow it. I am so excited to see what lies around the corner, a fountain or fish pond, a fig tree or a valley of ferns. There is beauty in the wild, there is beauty in the manicured... but more than that, there is beauty in the unknown.