Every October select artists in our city open their studios to the public. Open Studios, sponsored by the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, provides a prime window for artists to showcase their work and to meet face-to-face the people who appreciate and purchase their art. Each year in Córdova (Andalucia), southern Spain, gardeners open their courtyards (Patios de Córdova), grilles and balconies (Rejas y Balcones de Córdova) to the public and compete in a contest, that – taking in account architectonic values and floral design – chooses the most beautiful courtyard, grille, and balcony in the city.
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There are quite a few advisements floating around in our culture that people tend to accept without question, like my pet peeve, “Be a self-made man/woman,” as if we gave birth and raised ourselves or personally reinvented the wheel for every aspect large or small that makes up our world. Evidence to the contrary overwhelms us and loudly proclaims that from the moment we walk onto Earth’s stage, we benefit and learn from others. This is particularly so when it comes to receiving (note the verb) a good education.
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It’s curious to contemplate how, in the course of interactions with friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers, a statement they make will strike us with deep meaning and be remembered for the rest of our lives. I call it a Sparkle. It doesn’t have to be emphatically delivered; more often than not, it’s voiced en passant. Our sudden focus could be because of a stark incongruity between the speaker and his/her words or because at that particular moment, some part of us was alert to hearing it.
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Sometimes, quite often really, I’ve forgotten the simple fact that we’re here to revel in the world, to soak in the awesomeness of it. We’re meant to enjoy the “ride.” Instead, we buckle up, hunker down, and keep our nose to the grindstone. I’d like to ask, instead, that you lift your eyes to the horizon, and walk toward it. Take small steps, if necessary, but find a way to make those innermost desires a reality.
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It’s a well kept secret going back to the glorious days of the Kumeyaay (our native peoples) and the early mission friars. The Kumeyaay Trail and Friars Road both led down Mission Valley and ended at a stunning paradise-like peninsula called Mission Beach. The San Diego River flows into the ocean from Mission Valley, dividing Ocean Beach from Mission Beach while feeding a remarkable estuary called Mission Bay. Few people realize that this beach and bay were a significant food source for our native peoples, important habitat for wildlife, and a point of recreation, relaxation, and exploration for the friars and other early community members.
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Ever wanted to live in a truly green town, full of energy-efficient homes and people working together for the environment? Then follow the lead of Craik, Sask., and start up an eco-village.
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Don’t think for a blue minute
peace lies in dreamy eyes of smiling Buddha
blinking across fields of pink blossoms.
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Four years ago Federico Hewson, an American performance artist living in Amsterdam, asked himself a hypothetical question: Would it be possible to bring Valentine’s Day, the day of Love, together with the cause of Peace, since Love and Peace are intimately connected, to create a celebration of inner, community, and global peace? From this query and his resounding positive affirmation, Valentine Peace Project was born.
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Sorting quickly through my stack of mail, among generic-looking bills, color flyers, and slick magazines, I stop at a plain white envelope – addressed in blue ink, in neat, medium-sized, left-leaning hand-printing – and open it first: a sweet Thank You note from my 15-year-old niece.
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