THE BEAUTY OF NATURE IN SNOQUALMIE, WASHINGTON

Ah what great trip, to see my friends in Issaquah in the Snoqualmie Valley. About 35 minutes drive from busy airport of Seattle , WA I feel transformed into pure nature. Well I am a Californian and  at this time of the year anywhere where it is green and lush I feel embraced by all this beauty. I got to pick  salmon berries right from the bush, there is something about feeling so real when picking berries .

My friend Amy feels just the same way, here she is harvesting some rhubarb for a great pie, ya she lives here. Amy is a great talented writer ! Being so involved into the local community  offering information’s of what’s going on as far as events, food bank etc… she has her own website snovalleyscene, it’s a MUST to check it out.

So one day she took me along with a group and a naturalist leader for a hike up to Rattlesnake lake mountain. It was beautiful hike when we got to the top it started to rain, really pouring, and I had looked forward for a grand view over the valley.

That could be just my backyard…..

or maybe a yard on the roof???

This would be my spot , a bench with a book for the day.   But it’s actually my friend’s back yard!

Listening to the  gurgling sound of the water at the creek and gazing at the light’s reflections,..

CALIFRENCHCUISINE COOKING CLASS @ ANTOINESCAFE IN SAN CLEMENTE

Recently at my friend’s house in Laguna Beach, I had the pleasure to met Caroline a french chef. She is a cooking instructor & caterer and the owner of  Califrenchcuisine. We immediately connected and she invited me to come to one of her cooking classes at the Antoine’s Cafe in San Clemente.

 Antoine’s Cafe is a small restaurant downtown San Clemente on Camino Real with a very charming atmosphere, a great place for breakfast and lunch.

Caroline had put together a menu of 5 appetizer’s and handed out printouts of the recipes.

 Greeted with a glass of wine takes the students  right into a food and cooking mood. She teaches with enthusiasm and quite some humor. To me the highlight of all courses was the desert, a french pear almond tart, the butter and all the flavors just melts in your mouth.

Bon Apetite! It is a great experience for food lovers  who like to learn new cooking techniques and it’s fun to share the creations together. Voila! Sign up for a class.

THE THREE LITTLE GIRL’S BIRTHDAY BASH

Balloons and laughter,  giggles and tickles……

cupcakes and kisses, cookies and candles…..

….what a fun birthday party for the three little girls.

SOKA UNIVERSITY

CELEBRATING IT’S 10th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

 

Soka University of America is located in Aliso Viejo, California and is a private four-year liberal arts college. The University’s mission is to offer global citizens an education.

The other weekend it celebrated its 10 th anniversary. Dance and music performances from different cultures like Thailand, South America, Japan and other asian countries were scheduled all day long. Certainly a place of happiness and celebration which offered diversity in food, art and handcrafts. Go look!

LITTLE KAHVEH

This is precious ” Prince” Kahveh when he was ten days old. Kahveh is from the Eskandari line. I have been photographing the family and their older ” prince” throughout the years.

Jade Buddha of Universal Peace

A DAY OF DEVOTION

This post is an addition to my post from February 201o. After touring in the U.S. the Jade Buddha had come back to Escondido  for just a short time and was displayed in the garden of the California Center for the  Arts. The purpose of exhibiting The Jade Buddha around the world is for everyone irrespective of their religion, to take a moment to reflect upon peace, peace for the world. The Jade Buddha is currently on tour throughout Europe until it reaches it’s final destination in Australia.

 

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

I’ve abandoned my blog for quite a while, but it got a new face as well as my website got a pretty facelift, check it out . Trying to catch  up with a few new posts.

The other week I went with my friend Fariba to see the Antelope Valley California Poppy reserve, it’s been years that I wanted to go there. My new camera needed to be taken out, what a celebration. At the visitor center we had to learn that this season had been very disappointing as far as blooming, for two reasons. For one the weather had been too cold this season, as the seeds were trying to come out it got really cold up there and the seeds had to change their mind. The other reason is that it seems that a certain type of European grass, which was brought over in the 15th century ( yes you are reading this right) from European settlers is affecting nature drastically. It takes away the nutrition and the water from all the other plants and that makes the survival for like poppies really hard. What an interesting cause.

Oh well , we were here and tried to make it the best and got to see some nice blooming.