prime gods

I chatted with Romar, my well-traveled instructor, yesterday. He shared with me that he’d been to Italy, Rome and Venice, France. He took a lot of photos of the places he went to, including the hotels in Italy and the romantic Venice hotels where he stayed in to include in his personal collection. Typical of him.

Anyhow, here are some of the places he visited while in Rome and France:

1) Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), the largest and most famous Baroque fountain in all of Rome located at the small Trevi square in the Quirinale district. (Romar of course did the traditional coin tossing - “A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.”)

2) Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral), located in Lombardy, Italy, is the second largest church in the world and is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan.

3) The Colosseum (Coliseum or Flavian Amphitheater) is the first permanent amphitheater to be built in Rome and one of the largest and greatest architectural monuments created in the Roman Empire. You can also see this in the movie “Gladiator”. 0;)

4) Canals of Venice, France plus gliding in their gondolas provide one of the most romantic experiences in the world.5) Palazzo Grassi, located on the Grand Canal, is the Grassi family’s monumental three-storied marble mansion slash a renowned art and history museum with a 600-seat garden theater.

6) Teatro La Fenice (The Phoenix), Venice’s leading opera house known for its dramatic beauty. This was recently restored from the fire it caught in 1996.

He also visited the Pathenon, Vatican, and Sistine Chapel while he was checked in one of the hotels in Rome. I have yet to see his pictures though, and savor them until it is my turn to visit those places.

I accidentally came across Park West Art Gallery while helping my sister Anne with her thesis about Art Magazines. It’s a fascinating service-friendly gallery wherein you can find unique and meaningful artwork, sports memorabilia and cultural artifacts. The gallery does not only showcase those stuff, they also conduct fine art auctions throughout the United States and Canada.

According to their website, over 6000 works of art each week are cataloged, photographed, custom framed, and carefully checked and registered before leaving their facilities to be distributed to locations worldwide so they will be included in auctions and exhibitions. What sets it apart is that unlike many galleries or auction companies, Park West typically collects works before selling them.

For those interested in visiting the place, the gallery’s located in Southfield, Michigan and it’s open on Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thu-Fri 10am-9pm, and Sat-Sun 11am-6pm.

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Disclosure: This post features a paid link.

When we moved into our very own, newly constructed house (which I now refer to as “gray castle” because of the unpainted but sleek gravel finish of the outside part of the house), one of the first things that caught my attention and made me sigh to myself, “this is THE house where I can be carefree” is having our own mailbox at the gate.

Believe it or not, mailboxes do add a certain home-sweet-home effect to any dwelling. Having lived in military-provided houses in camps for more than 20 years has made me appreciate small intricacies in our house. You see, in those apartment and condos that I’ve lived in, when there’s no one at home to answer the mailman’s taps, the mailman usually just inserts our letters in between the small space of our door and floor. Because of this unavoidable proceeding, we tend to step on our letters (some of which are anniversary and important invitations!).

Turning your nose down on having apt or suitable residential mailboxes or commercial mailboxes is one of the common mistakes of a homeowner or developer. This attractive enhancement is actually an asset to the property and could even provide onlookers some notion about the owner’s character or taste. Remember, in building any edifice, each detail is important. As Ayn Rand wrote, “A building is alive, like man. [sic] A man doesn’t borrow pieces of his body. A building doesn’t borrow hunks of its soul. Its maker gives it the soul and every wall, window and stairway to express it.”

A building is alive, like man. Its integrity is to follow its own truth, its one single theme, and to serve its own single purpose. A man doesn’t borrow pieces of his body. A building doesn’t borrow hunks of its soul. Its maker gives it the soul and every wall, window and stairway to express it.

– The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand

Each detail in the design and construction of a building serves a purpose. The way the components are made to fit together defines the architect’s purpose in creating it. The site, the building’s contour, and the materials used can even define the owner’s character or how he or she wants to be portrayed. In fact, even small, intricate Architectural Classics like an Art Noveau Style Copper Brass Door Knocker can make or break the theme or purpose of the building.

Buildings are commonly used as a statement of one’s life especially since it can outlast the creator or owner’s mortality. Nevertheless, all edifices are a monument both to the owner and the architect. Whether you plan to construct a simple house or a grand skyscraper, keep in mind that no two buildings are alike and every detail is significant.

The second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands is the island of Maui. With the Festival Month of Maui coming up this August, I suggest you start checking out Maui vacation rentals and choose from luxury ocean front homes or island resorts.

The Festival begins on August 5 with the 5th Annual Maui Sugar Plantation Festival. This is a celebration of sugar plantation heritage which highlights one of Maui’s most significant cultural heritages. This is followed by the 18th annual edition of the Maui Onion Festival which features celebrity chef demonstrations and of course, the Maui onion recipe contest. The August Festival ends with the Aloha Festivals – Hawaii’s most important cultural events which is intended to preserve the unique island traditions by a celebration of Hawaii’s music, dance and history.

Looks like an enchanting, activity-filled August getaway? Definitely! So start booking in the “valley Isle”!

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Disclosure: This post features a paid link.

“Picture, picture!”

This is one of my colleagues’ famous (shrieking) quotable quotes on me.

You see, I’m a camera and picture addict. I take pictures at whim; of just about anything I fancy at any given moment (sense of decency, common sense, and all caution being set aside for the sake of art – MY collection of art that is).

From coincidental same-colored shirts of my colleagues to glorious sunsets, I savor them all by freezing them in a photo. And every time, the pictures I take are worth throwing away all caution and enduring the ceaseless banters of my colleagues about my weird photo-hobby. They’re simply exquisite. And looking through them sometimes literally takes my breath away – in an awe or nostalgic fashion, depending on the picture.

Thus, when I have enough money (I know, I know. It will still take time to reach that state.), I intend to upgrade my basic photography skills (I did take a photography class in college if you must know – complete with SLR and developing sessions). Someone recommended Brooks school of photography. I had a look at it and I like the fact that it offers training in filmmaking,graphic design and photojournalism too. We’ll see…