First Position

In these three photos you see dancers and not just any dancers but four of the best out of a cast of 5,000 that tried out for the scholarships and awards presented by the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix ballet competition.  In the movie, First Position, Bess Kargman traces their journey over a year's time.  She chronicles the lives of seven aspiring dancers and gives us an intimate knowledge of their trials and their accomplishments. The film does not use fancy camera work but rather tells the story of these young people in an honest straight forward manner.  It is an award winner in my estimation as well as in the realm of filmmakers.

Energizing Yoga

Namaste.  Welcome to Energizing Yoga.  I signed up for my first yoga class two years ago and I have been attending ever since.  This commitment is due to the personal benefits that I get from attending.  Yoga is defined many ways. If you Google Wikipedia, there are pages of definitions and one gets lost in the verbiage.  The easiest explanation if that it is an ancient discipline/meditation that originated in India and combines our physical, mental and spiritual selves to gain a "higher" mental state. The Hindu developed Hatha or asanas postures.  The postures help to tone the internal organs and our muscles. I can see and feel the benefits of yoga.  For me it helps with breathing and heart rate.  Other benefits are:  improved cognition, reduction of stress levels and help with insomnia. I have a wonderful teacher, Irene Bersola Nguyen, and equally talented and dedicated classmates.  Many of my fellow yoga partners have been in the class since it started. If you would like to join us, call Arden Manor Community Center.  We are currently meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 until 6:45.

The Best Exotic Magnolia Hotel

The Best Exotic Magnolia Hotel is charming.  That is an adjective that I do not use often but in this instance, it is dead on.  My friend, Mary, asked me about the symbolism in the movie and after I paused for a moment, I had to admit that I had found none.  So, I went digging to find out a bit more about this British comedy - drama.  It is based on the 2004 novel by Deborah Moggach, Those Foolish Things.  The premise of the book is that a successful forty something man is having issues with his erratic parent and needs to find a stable living arrangement.  The movie moves this theme forward and we have seven retirees choose to leave their native England for India in order to stay in the exotic Magnolia Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful.  Once committed, the seven wrap up their affairs and begin their journey.  The first hiccup occurs when their connecting flight does not materialize.  They are forced to get to Jaipur by bus and (my favorite) tuk tuk.  When they arrive, Sonny, the hotel manager/part-owner, greets them in classic Asian Rim style, "No Problem." The hotel lacks phone service, clean rooms and is dilapidated.  This culture shock is offset by the energy and beauty of the people, the color, the music and the adventure.  Of course, there is a the doubter, Evelyn, but there is also the Princess Margaret impersonator, Madge, who adjusts to the moment.  The adventures, the personal relationships and the vitality of India combine to make this a wonderful movie.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay means "Descending Dragon Bay" in Vietnamese.  Many stories and legends are told about its formation. What is obvious to the visitor is that it is a beautiful place. UNESCO has designated it as a  World Heritage site. One might even call it a "Wonder". There are thousands of limestone karats ascending from the water.  Some date back 20 million years.  1,600 islands and islets fill the Gulf of Tonkin and caves are tucked into the landscape.  When you arrive in Ha Long you will have to transport yourself out to Bai Chay where the very impressive pier extends along the waterway.  A skiff takes you out to a junk which is a floating hotel.  There are many of these junks available but it pays to do your homework in choosing your accommodations. The junk will take you out into the bay where you will experience the beauty of this mythical place. There will also have a variety of activities planned for you to participate in:  cave exploration, kayaking through the inlets, swimming at Titop Island and if you are lucky, a cooking lesson in Vietnamese foods on board.  There is Tai Chi in the morning and cocktails at night.  The food is delicious and you will share a table with other travelers, so the conversations can be lively.  Over time, the mangroves and seagrass in Ha Long Bay have been cut back and fuel and oil from the boats have leaked into the waterways.  These pollutants and the human waste and carbon dioxide from the visitors on the boats has caused concern.  There are four fishing villages in the Gulf and these towns of floating houses rely on the fish and mussels for their livelihood.  UNESCO is hoping that a balance can be achieved between man and environment.

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus

                                                                        Mo Willems

Patrick and Julia

Mo Willem is a wonderful writer and illustrator.  His cartoon figures jump off the page and into a child's imagination.  He has stolen the hearts of my grandchildren.  They (play) read his books again and again even though they have not learned to decode the text.  The messages are simple and straight forward and have a lesson to teach.  Mo has won two Caldecott Awards and three Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals for his work.  His books have been translated into many languages and we will soon see a theatrical production of, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.

Irises

                                                                      Bearded Irises

                                                                       Beardless Irises

                                                           Flag of Brussel's Capital Region

                                                       Irises by Vincent Van Gogh (1889)

On Saturday, May 5th, I spent the day in the Vacaville area on the Pleasant Valley Iris Farm.  There are over 200 varieties of irises planted in raises beds and most of them are blooming.  The word, iris, means rainbow in Greek. You can find almost every color except red and according to the owner of the farm, the horticulturists are working on that. As you walk through the farm, you read the names and comment on the vibrant colors and flowering stalks.  I was also curious, so I came home and did a little research. The iris is a perennial herb that grows from a rhizome or bulb.  There are two types:  bearded and beardless.  Surprise! I have both growing in my garden. The bearded iris has wide fan shaped leaves and a raised fuzzy caterpillar-like area on each leaf. The beardless iris has more foliage and they need more water when they are first planted. Irises grow almost everywhere even the far north.  Yellow irises are used for water purification. The rhizomes of the German and Sweet iris trade as orris root and are used for perfume and medicines.  They are also used to make Bombay Sapphire and Magellan Gin.  My family has lived in Belgium since before the fourth century.  There is a DePrez family farm that has had continuous ownership since 430, so the fact that the Brussel's flag has an iris on it is of particular interest.

What side of the road should you drive on?

I have been driving since I was sixteen and I use both my conscious decision making skills and my reflexes to navigate. When I was in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, the latter was not effective. To compensate,  I rented a GPS device.  What a life saver!  The voice walks you through the turns and in the case of the roundabouts, the exits.  If it were not for this little gem of a machine, I would still be driving on a back road in northern New Zealand. I will soon be heading to the Philippines and I have researched which side of the road they drive on. I am relieved to say, the right.  Now,  I just have to contend with the traffic.  Rumor has it that you can only drive on certain days of the week because they have more cars then road space. This bring up my other nemesis, mopeds.  After a nasty fall in Greece, I have a fear of hitting the gravel. So I guess it will be buses, boats or my own two feet. We'll see where that takes me.

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