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CONTINUING MARCH

A highlight of March has to be being serenaded by Universal Renaissance man, my friend Stanley Penner, playing a bit of Mozart, Brahms and more... ...on his Bösendorfer. I was told to "Look up!" So many treasurers... A lovely "Gratitude Luncheon" at the Athenaeum....

MARCHING THROUGH MARCH

The Children's Festival was a wonderful way to begin the month. Three days of getting up at five, wearing a white apron and helping all the kids find their way to seats at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for an exciting dance performance by the Hubbard Street Dance...

SHORT BUT WONDERFUL

February, being the shortest month, has to cram a lot of joyful happenings..I can't think of a better way to begin the month than by celebrating Susie Kat's birthday at the Jonathan Beach Club! Yours truly, Maggie, Susie's cousin, Carol Soucek King, our amazing...

JANUARY, AND THE NEW YEAR BEGINS…

I'm not too sure what to make of January. Perhaps it's because December is such an amazing high with Christmas and New Years that it's hard to re-focus on business as usual. Well, maybe not as usual but certainly not at the extreme! It took Veronica and me two days to...

THE MOST WONDERFUL NEW YEAR’S …

began with guests getting their bling on. Here Alexis decides on hers. Also, signing the guest book and indicating what yummy treat they brought. Here's Jan making her entry. And with her bling on. Then it was time for amazing Magician Tom to mesmerize all of us,...

CHRISTMAS AND SO MUCH MORE!

Valerie Foster Hoffman is truly the Hostess With the Mostest, a real-life Auntie Mame! And to be at her Christmas party is to partake of an unforgettable experience. Cookies anyone? With Sherry in the garden. With Santa and our Lovely Hostess! Photographer Karl....

MOVING ON TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

The partying began at the California Club for the CTG Affiliates' Annual Christmas Luncheon. There are beautiful mystery boxes that everyone bids on....here's the one I got. Delightful Mary Kay with her treasure box. Sweet Diane chats with Artistic Director Snehal...

BEST THANKSGIVING EVER!

It's impossible to express how much I love Thanksgiving! Shopping for all of my traditional recipes starts about a week before, and this time it only took five trips! I begin with making the cranberries the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and the next day, the stuffing....

NOVEMBER’S JOY

Sandie girl came to the studio to work on her Christmas card. It's so lovely, but I can't show it to you just yet! This is where it all began on November 6th. Backup from the water drainage area. It's the 25th and work continues... On to lighter moments. Dinner at...

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY AND SO MUCH MORE

It was time to celebrate delightful Patricia Faber and sooo much fun was had by all! Architrect Miller Yee Fong had to leave early so he wasn't in the group photo. Happiest of birthdays dear Patricia! Make a wish!!! Soooo cute! I was so thrilled to see the recent...

HIKING to the SNOW MONKEYS…….

Courtesy Eileen Ogle. Dateline: Nagano, Japan - Friday March 28th, 2014 Lead by our intrepid guide, Eva-san, shortly after 12 Noon, eight of us arrived at the trail head in the mountains of Nagano to begin hiking through the forest to see the Japanese Macaque Snow...

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SAYONARA JAPAN…….

Just overnight in Osaka.  It's hard to believe that my artwork had traveled to Osaka 20 years prior to my being here. (It was in an exhibit sponsored by Sony that later traveled to Paris.) With special thanks to Amy for being such a wonderful guide during the...

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MR. FUKUOKA……

....and his Ink & Brush shop 'Suiko-do' in Nara where we went shopping after the Deer Park adventure.  It's in the most interesting shopping arcade I'd seen so far..... And here we are....in the land of the 'big brush'! I'm anxious to see the quality of the...

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SOME of the THINGS I DIDN'T BLOG ABOUT…..

Toshogu Shrine with Yomeimon Gate in Nikko designated as national treasures or Important Cultural Properties.  (A mixture of Shinto & Buddhist styles.)Meiji Shrine....( a Shinto Shrine).The Snow Monkeys in Yudanaka.  I took the day off but word is that...

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THE TOP OF THE WORLD…..

.....away from it all on Mt. Koya, Wakayama prefecture, Japan.  The Sekishi-In Temple. It's quite high up there and the road is steep and winding....sort of shut your eyes going around the curves' drive. But so incredibly beautiful with trees over 60 feet high....

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REFLECTIONS & RECOLLECTIONS……..

BBONNIE-SAN: THE CHERRY TREE This morning.  I was seated in the restaurant facing a magnificent old Cherry tree growing in a waterfall garden.  I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion and began to weep, tears streaming down my cheeks - for those I have loved...

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DEER ANYONE?

We got excited when we saw a few deer as the bus entered the city of Nara.  It's here that the world's largest bronze casting, the GIANT Daibutsu sits in the Todai-ji Temple.  The Buddha sits in the 'Daibutsuden' (the largest wooden structure on earth!) What...

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MIKIMOTO PEARL ISLAND

Early morning & we left the hotel for Kinetsu Kyoto station.....destination...Toba Station and Mikimoto Pearl Island.  On the train.  Amy, our wonderful guide for the second half of our journey looks as if she's wearing a Mickey Mouse hat! We have...

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GION WALKING……

Adjacent to Shirakawa Dori Street.....through the old wooden houses, lined back streets & alleyways of Kyoto's famous geisha districts and you can see geiko or maiko ( Geisha's and Geisha 'apprentices') walking along in full dress, hair and makeup. (Sorry, my...

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SHIRAKAWA DORI STREET………

..........This incredible street is next to the Shirawaka Canal.  During the day or in the evening you're transported to a dream world.  Throngs of people celebrating and photographing the Cherry trees do not deminish the experience.  It's as if you're...

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WELCOME…

to my personal blog where I’ll be sharing adventures and how I determine each day to live joyfully as an Artist, Teacher, and Author. My latest book “What If… We Have the Power to Change Our Lives” an inspirational book that hopefully will empower you to live your best life! You can find me and my work at nanraestudio.com My hope is that this blog will inspire you to find joy everywhere and in everything and that is what I wish for you!

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