Amazing and Thank You

I am a photographer, philanthropist, traveler and lover of art, books, history, music and people.
A view of Hamilton Pool. Austin, TX 

A view of Hamilton Pool. Austin, TX 

Place des Vosges.  Paris, France. 

Place des Vosges.  Paris, France. 

Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France. 

Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France. 

Hydrangeas over the Grand Plage in Biarritz, France. Ahhh…. Shot on a Nikon FM 10 with Lomo 35 mm 100 ISO fine color negative film. 

Hydrangeas over the Grand Plage in Biarritz, France. Ahhh….

Shot on a Nikon FM 10 with Lomo 35 mm 100 ISO fine color negative film. 

My great aunt, Sofia Isabel, lovingly known as Maña, passed away this past August after 89 beautiful years. She lived a full, incredible life beginning in Cuba in the early 1920’s and later living out her days in Florida and eventually Roswell, Georgia. She grew up in a world made for the movies - life on a farm with her family and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. She attended the university in Havana and fell in love with a dapper young man with a classic moustache, Norberto. They dated secretly with some help from my grandmother who would leave notes in their windowsill to let him know where their family was going each night - which movie they were going to see or where they planned to take a walk in the evening.  Eventually she married Norberto and started a family. Maña taught primary school to children in the selva, riding horseback on a white horse to get to work because she didn’t like to get dirty or exercise very much. Enjoying the summers off, she and her family spent summers at one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Varadero, with my dad’s family. I grew up hearing hilarious stories of children gone wild at the beach, fishing, pushing each other over the edge of the dock, and getting into trouble in all sorts of ways. It was those summers in Varadero that my aunt always recounted fondly with great detail; they were probably the happiest days of her life.    She later saw her world turned upside down by the revolution and eventual infusion of communist ideology.  After just a few years of living under Castro’s regime, she and her family made the very difficult decision to leave her beloved island nation. In 1962, she set foot on a plane to Miami and saw Cuba flash past for the last time. She never returned in person but she told me once that she dreamed with Cuba every night.  She was an inspiration to me: full of creativity, love and lots of joy. My siblings and I grew up with her just a few minutes away and we would spend weekends and holidays with her frequently. She liked to collect small elephant figurines and painted beautiful landscapes of Havana and other tropical scenes.  She was also a master seamstress.  I will miss her very much, and it’s hard to imagine visiting Atlanta now and not being able to see her. But I am so grateful that God gave me a great Aunt like her - someone who was a bonus grandmother in life and poured out so much love and joy.  Love you always, Maña. 

My great aunt, Sofia Isabel, lovingly known as Maña, passed away this past August after 89 beautiful years. She lived a full, incredible life beginning in Cuba in the early 1920’s and later living out her days in Florida and eventually Roswell, Georgia. She grew up in a world made for the movies - life on a farm with her family and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. She attended the university in Havana and fell in love with a dapper young man with a classic moustache, Norberto. They dated secretly with some help from my grandmother who would leave notes in their windowsill to let him know where their family was going each night - which movie they were going to see or where they planned to take a walk in the evening.  Eventually she married Norberto and started a family. Maña taught primary school to children in the selva, riding horseback on a white horse to get to work because she didn’t like to get dirty or exercise very much. Enjoying the summers off, she and her family spent summers at one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Varadero, with my dad’s family. I grew up hearing hilarious stories of children gone wild at the beach, fishing, pushing each other over the edge of the dock, and getting into trouble in all sorts of ways. It was those summers in Varadero that my aunt always recounted fondly with great detail; they were probably the happiest days of her life.  

 She later saw her world turned upside down by the revolution and eventual infusion of communist ideology.  After just a few years of living under Castro’s regime, she and her family made the very difficult decision to leave her beloved island nation. In 1962, she set foot on a plane to Miami and saw Cuba flash past for the last time. She never returned in person but she told me once that she dreamed with Cuba every night. 

She was an inspiration to me: full of creativity, love and lots of joy. My siblings and I grew up with her just a few minutes away and we would spend weekends and holidays with her frequently. She liked to collect small elephant figurines and painted beautiful landscapes of Havana and other tropical scenes.  She was also a master seamstress.  I will miss her very much, and it’s hard to imagine visiting Atlanta now and not being able to see her. But I am so grateful that God gave me a great Aunt like her - someone who was a bonus grandmother in life and poured out so much love and joy. 

Love you always, Maña. 

Thoroughly enjoying our honeymoon in Biarritz, France.

Thoroughly enjoying our honeymoon in Biarritz, France.

Honeymooning

So ready for our honeymoon! Registering on Honeyfund was one of the smartest things we’ve ever done.

Thank you so much to everyone contributed to make our trip possible.

Our action plan:
Aus>ATL>Barcelona>Bordeaux>Biarritz>Paris>ATL
Airbnb apartments all with terraces
Good food and wine
Sunshine and moderate summer heat
Beaches
Wineries
Bikes
Kayaks
Art
Photos
Parks
Picnics
Laughter
Botched French
Love
Amor

So it shall be

Where's Our Sense of History?

           Rocamadour

Today I stumbled upon this great article by David P. Hamilton on The Rag Blog. As a lover of history, it makes my heart ache a little bit when I talk to Americans who care so little (and know so little) about history.

Next week, Seth and I are taking our honeymoon and will actually be visiting this Dordogne region of France. I am excited beyond words. Vino, frommage at vélo here we come.

Watched “The Radiant Child” today. It’s a documentary about life of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I highly recommend it. The film opens and closes with a poem by Langston Hughes. “Genius Child”  This is a song for the genius child. Sing it softly, for the song is wild. Sing it softly as ever you can - Lest the song get out of hand. Nobody loves a genius child. Can you love an eagle, Tame or wild? Can you love an eagle, Wild or tame? Can you love a monster Of frightening name? Nobody loves a genius child. Kill him - and let his soul run wild. I am a sucker for folksy, sketchy neurotic drawings and paintings. I think his work is pretty tremendous.

Watched “The Radiant Child” today. It’s a documentary about life of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I highly recommend it.

The film opens and closes with a poem by Langston Hughes.

“Genius Child” 

This is a song for the genius child. 
Sing it softly, for the song is wild. 
Sing it softly as ever you can - 
Lest the song get out of hand. 

Nobody loves a genius child. 

Can you love an eagle, 
Tame or wild? 
Can you love an eagle, 
Wild or tame? 
Can you love a monster 
Of frightening name? 

Nobody loves a genius child. 

Kill him - and let his soul run wild.

I am a sucker for folksy, sketchy neurotic drawings and paintings. I think his work is pretty tremendous.

Basquiat Painting

Basquiat Painting 2

Basquiat 3