Exploring tide pools at Leo Carrillo State Park

This is the first time I've ever seen a tide pool and I'm hooked! This is a sea anemone. When you poke it it bunches up into a little ball and looks like a pile of rocks and sand. It squirts water and its tentacles are sticky like a leech. Later, I learned that you really shouldn't touch them since they've got a nasty sting.

Orange starfish like these and the purple ones like the one pictured in the "California in Mosaics and Photos" post--along with too many hermit crabs to count--abound in these tide pools. If anyone knows what they're called leave a comment and let me know!

Leo Carrillo State Park is popular destination for camping, swimming and beach combing, but when we visited it seemed like we were the only people on the coast for miles. See more of Seth and my California vacation at my Flickr account.

The Virgin Knitters

Back in 2008, my friend Kim taught me to knit in exchange for my first scarf as part of her Virgin Knitter project:

Kim and Justin.

She started this project because (as she says on her Web site): "I believe that the first scarf a person makes is especially unique—even lucky—because you can only make something for the first time once."

Well, lucky me-- last night my scarf was part of the collection of first scarves on display at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn.

There was music and dancing by Radio Jarocho.

It was okay to take the artwork off the wall to try it on. I met a lot of people who said they wanted to learn to knit because of Kim's exhibit. It really is inspiring. Makes me want to (finally!) finish my second scarf.

Laurie modeling Tina's scarf. (Tina, if you're reading this, wish you could have been here!)

Everyone got to bid on their favorite scarf/scarves. But not for money. To win one of these scarves you have to explain why you like it or what it means to you. Bids ran the gamut from serious, to heartfelt, to funny. And in some cases, a little bit crazy:

Here's the scarf that started it all:

There's still time to check out the show. Read more about it in BUST (the red scarf in the bottom picture is mine!) and see more pics at my flickr account. Thanks, Kim, for teaching me how to knit and congrats on your exhibit!

California in mosaics and photos

Carrillo's Tortilleria in Canoga Park. It's in the same strip mall as a pupusaria. Too bad we were way too full to try west coast pupusas!

San Buenaventura Mission in downtown Ventura.

Starfish and tide pools.

Air Force One beautifully displayed at the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library.

A stormy late afternoon in the normally sunny Ojai Valley.

Lovely mosaics depicting the history of Ventura, CA, by artist Larissa Strauss, can be seen at the Museum of Ventura County. See more of Seth and my vacation at my Flickr account.

Somewhere over the rainbow...

Spotted 27 October 2010 on Bergen Street...and in Dumbo and over the Brooklyn Bridge and here and here.

California dreamin'

Wonder if I'll see my long lost twin again!

Saturday, What a day!

Video shoot on the 'bush.

Scenes from Open House New York:
The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen

The most beautiful Art Deco murals on the ceiling of the Chrysler Building Lobby.

The 69th Regiment Armory.

Grand Lodge of the Masons.

Oh, and Washington Square Park is undergoing a major renovation (and it looks terrific), but, thankfully, some things never change:

M-O-T-H-E-R mother, a word that means the world to me!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Wish I could be there to celebrate with you.

Love, Rachel