Cristina Jill Mosqueda

Art

To love a painting is to feel that this presence is… not an object but a voice. ~ Andre Malraux ~      Tents at Lake O’Hara by John Singer Sargent My interest in American artist has certainly grown, since being exposed to more of their efforts, on the East Coast. I was instantly drawn to…

Food

Pickled Beets My first memories of a “real” delicatessen are in California, going into Canter’s Deli that was open 24 hours a day! The deli had enough neon to belong in Los Angeles and enough of everything else – from good food to ambiance – to be a Jewish deli; however, I do not remember…

Perfect Post Cards

  The Giant Redwoods I love this old postcard; it has been in my collection for years. This tree had been hallowed out by fire; allowing one to step inside of a giant redwood – or park your car! Our fascination with the giant redwoods, of northern California, began when they were first sighted, by…

From the Editor

Surprise Kate was driving home, and she mentioned that she was bringing me a surprise. I asked a few questions, none of which were answered, and in my mind I settled on something like guava pastries or cheesecake. When she arrived, she handed me the above package. Kate had carried this bundle on an airplane. …

In Nature

Riverbanks Botanical Garden “And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.” ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett ~ The Secret Garden I love gated gardens with architectural features that invite you in to explore their treasures. It was particularly nice to have this garden to myself. One of the things I most enjoyed, during…

In the Wild!

Alpacas Over our morning coffee, as we looked out, on our back yard, we pondered exactly how nice it would be to see alpacas roaming through the trees and maybe, going down to the river, for a drink of water. We actually contemplated what we would need to do, to give them a happy place…

Favorite Books

Sitting By My Bedside “One sure window into a person’s soul is his reading list.” ~ Mary B. W. Tabor ~ What are you reading?  Are you looking for your next great read?  Here is a look at what is sitting by my bedside, and which I am pleased to recommend. Let me know what…

Public Square

Sagamore Hill   Theodore Roosevelt’s Home Oyster Bay  “Death had to take Roosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight.” ~ Vice-President Thomas R. Marshall ~ Sagamore Hill was President Theodore Roosevelt’s home for 33 years; it was a home he shared with his second wife, Edith, after having…

Perfect Post Cards

Play Ball! As the All-Star game gets ready to start, I share with you the only postcard I bought, when we visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame, at Coopers Town, in the autumn of 1991. I had seen A League of their Own, and was thrilled to see some small mention of women in…

A View From the Road

The Seated Ballerina Hitting the streets of New York City, I felt a bit like Forrest Gump, at the moment, where after years of running, he suddenly decided he was done, stopped, and headed home. Of late, I have been feeling like “been there, done that” when on the road, and thinking instead about things…