Graffiti in Granada

Maybe I haven't mentioned that I was in Spain for a year. A few years back I lived (and studied on the side) in the south of Andalucia. I love Granada and it will always have a piece of my heart (after all, it's where my travel bug was born!). One beautiful thing that changed my perspective (aside from the amazing Alhambra, flamenco, and tapas - oh how I miss those!)was the graffiti.

Many of these pieces weren't just graffiti tags (some were), but skillfully created murals which take time, skill, and passion.

I fell in love with the possibilities of creating a positive use of public space, how dimensions can be transformed...

A local bakery's mural art

I fell in love with the messages and meanings behind the paint, the interactions between the artists...

I fell in love with how the colors play with each other, the visual stimulation, and pure creativity...

I fell in love with the distinctive details and styles of the artists...

And I fell in love with the feelings and emotions that can be evoked.

I see graffiti art as an artistic expression written around the city for the world to admire, question, imagine, challenge, etc. What I really love about it, is what it is not - graffiti is not intended to advertise or gain your approval. It's art that everyone can enjoy and it doesn't cost a thing (aside from it's creation)!

Graffiti was such a huge, new discovery for me when I lived in Spain. It took on a new meaning for me - it's definition was no longer strictly related to gangs or negative parts of society. I saw it's artistic possibility and it was so exciting! But one thing that really bothered me was that this art form was so limited in the US. 

In the past few years, I've seen more and learned more (I even wrote a senior thesis on the subject). As least in large cities, I have seen more artists employed for these types of works (ie. ArtStart in Santa Rosa). Not long ago a friend began a campaign that's directly related to the idea of getting more positive art out in the public realm - what a beautiful thing to see! 
{you can check out what it's about here and donate if you're inspired}

In any capacity, I feel it's so important for people who are in society to express things they want to publicly, not only corporations and advertisers. 

Is street art common where you live? What kind of affect do you think it has?

Photographic Ode to Nature

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I love photography. And I love plants. I love trying to recreate a moment and show the beautiful elements of nature. This post is a collection of the delicate intricacies nature shows us in places I've traveled or lived.

Most of the photos are taken and edited by me, but also thanks to Diane Patterson for the beautiful Choquequirao shots (when I didn't have my camera).

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Peru

Cusco

Sacred San Pedro cactus.

My lotus succulent.

Flowers overlooking the city from Cristo Blanco.

My favorite flower in Peru. When
they're on their tree they look like little lanterns.

Furry plants ?

Corn in all colors and varieties. 

Urubamba

Sunkissed.

Choquequirao 

Pricelessly captured. By Diane Patterson

Delicate little fruity lanterns, Aguaymanto.
 By Diane Patterson

Morning trek into the mist. By Diane Patterson

Puerto Maldonado

Sacred spirals.

Quillabamba

A ruffle tree!

Coffee beans preparing themselves.

I connected with this plant because I make jewelry in similar designs.

Cacao pod - mmm chocolate!

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California

North Bay (Sonoma County)

Beautiful decay, Luter Burbanks Garden.

Mid-air splash, fountain in Chico.

Home plant.

Magnificent Oak.

Barnacles at Salmon Creek.

Berkeley

I liked this tree because it feels like it's on fire.

Peninsula Parks

My very favorite, the great Redwoods.

Treasures, lost and found.

He was looking like he wanted an acorn hat.

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Costa Rica

Bamboo is such an incredibly strong yet flexible root. I was amazed how it grows and bows down like this.

Rainbow Eucalyptus! I edited the colors
a bit but it's not far off from the real effect.

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Hawaii

Kona

This lava rock came from the island volcanoes
and covers the beaches, but careful - it's sharp!

Tiger orchids <3

* * *

I hope you enjoyed! Have you ever seen any of these natural beauties?

 Stay tuned for another Photographic Ode to Animals . . .

A Cultural Bit: Guinea Pigs

A lovely appetizing leg and claws on your plate.

What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten? I would say mine is cuy (guinea pig). Although, in countries like Ecuador and Peru this is nothing strange at all. 

Cuyes are raised by many families here, especially out in the campo(farmland). For special events and celebration, like birthdays, it is common to eat cuy. 

Now it's also part of tourist activity and cuy can be found at many restaurants in the center. This can also be very pricey, as you can imagine. See tips below!

Cuy castle...the most impressive one I've seen!

The following article by Alastair Bland (NPR) is an interesting read about the ecological effects of raising cuyes. Here's his conclusion:

"There's a clear cultural prejudice against eating guinea pigs, and rodents in general, in the United States," Miller says. "But finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint is a good idea, and so is eating small livestock, like guinea pigs."

I recommend reading the whole article here: 
From Pets to Plates: Why More People Are Eating Guinea Pigs

Thoughts and Tips 

While I don't eat much meat, I didn't mind the taste of baked cuy. The skin is tough and rubbery but the meat on the inside is tender. It's such a small animal, so it doesn't have a whole lot of meat. Also, be warned that it's served with claws and head, as in the picture at the top. 

Taking my parents to try cuy...dad liked it but it turns out mom's not a fan.

Since cuy is part of the culture in the campo, my favorite experience was going to a birthday celebration with my roommate to the farm where her family lives. If you're going to try something new, might as well get as close to the authentic experience as possible. It would be even better if you can help prepare the meal to see the whole process!

If you really want to eat authentic cuy, I would suggest taking a bus a little outside of Cuzco to Tipon. They are known for their typical oven-baked cuy, served with pasta and potatoes. And it's much more fun to have that authentic cultural experience.

While in Ecuador, I was eager to try cuy so I found a market and asked around for it. There was a place that had it for a reasonable price but it was disappointing, to say the least. I'd recommend not looking for this delicacy at a market.

It's part of the culture here, and they usually want to share it. So try it out, ask questions! 

Would you try cuy? What's the strangest plate you've tried?                     

Cultural Bit: Top 5 Awesome Things About the US

After being abroad for the last 15 months, I have a new-found appreciation for the US. Of course, seeing friends and family is the best thing about re-arriving but the following are close behind...

Top 5 Awesome Things About the US
1. water pressure - it's a little thing, but makes such a difference.
2. hot water - not only in the shower, but there is actually a handle for warm water when washing hands.
3. toilets - they're clean AND they flush!
4. cheese - pepperjack, cheddar, parmesan, oh my!
5. helpful people and customer service - this my be the thing for which I am most grateful. I really appreciate that people care to help, or at least they pretend to.

A Cultural Bit: Customer Service Rant

Never so much have I appreciated the exceptional customer service in the US. Usually, customer satisfaction is a high priority whether the service may be a store, restuarant, etc. For goodness sakes, customer service is so important that there are even phone numbers to call to get the help and information you need (besides the point that it may take a few hours to get through). Here´s my little rant on it´s non-existence in Peru. First, I will share one of many instances that takes place very frequently.

Last week Rafa and I went to a little home-style restaurant (referred to as a Menú) just to get a quick and cheap lunch. The menú of the day usually consists of soup, a main dish, and a tea or drink for a low price. In this case, the menú was 3 soles. A girl came to our table to take the order. We both ordered Milaneza de pollo, a plate of chicken and rice. Rafa wanted a fried egg with it and asked the girl. First, she said no they couldn´t do it. Then Rafa and I looked at each other in disbelief - eggs are a common ingredient that every restaurant has. We asked again, ´´please just a fried egg to go with it´´. She was reluctant and went to ask the chef, probably her father. She came back and said it would be 5 soles. We said forget it because a fried egg should only be worth an extra 50 cents.

So you can imagine a frustrating situation as this. Firstly, we are giving business to this place and they aren´t willing to accomodate what we want, although it was readily available. Even if they were to charge for the extra egg, it shouln´t be 1/3 of the price more.I accredit this lack of customer service to several factors: 1. People hardly ever tip, except in nice/touristy places 2. It´s usually big stores/corporations that influence policy about customer service and this is not as frequent here 3. Generally, there´s not an interest in offering help to potential clients.

What I don´t understand: If vendors and owners showed a bit more interest in trying to please customers, they would have more happy clients. More happy clients = more business.

On rare occasions, someone will offer advice or explain something. On a rare occasion, the woman in line next to me will explain what carnicera meant when she asks ´económico o especiál´ and I had a puzzled look on my face. When little instances such as this occur, it makes a huge impact and gives a little bit more hope that people really care.

Returning to the US I will even appreciate the salesperson, chasing me down and making sure everything is to my liking.