All posts filed under: digital camera ipad iphone itune classics

most memorable photographs of san gimignano, italy

There are some places in Italy I have wanted to see for a long time but didn’t dare to rent a car, so this trip I decided to take a day tour just to get a glimpse of the small villages throughout Tuscany. After Siena, we headed out to San Gimignano, which is situated on a hilltop somewhere in Tuscany, click here if you want all the statistics and other vital information.  After given a brief explanation of what to look for, we were let loose to wander about the village. Which is exactly as it should be during a bus tour. Brief explanation and alot of time to be on our own. From San Gimignano, I took away the following: {photos are the property of http://www.rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com}  

rooftop wonder from hotel raphael in roma, italy

The best thing about walking everywhere, while on vacation, is accidentally stumbling upon a gem of a place that you just know you must discover. That’s what happened to me with Day 4 in Rome. I happen to be walking about Piazza Navona, when I noticed an insignificant  small street and decided to take it because I wanted to see what was past the main plaza. About 50 meters in, I came across what was labelled as  Hotel Raphael, a five-star luxury property, hidden behind a wall of leaves. I walked towards the main entrance and was immediately greeted by a bellman, who so kindly waved me inside, even though I am sure he knew I didn’t belong there. He escorted me to a small elevator leading to their roof garden and suggested I have  a drink while I rest my weary feet from all the walking.  Of course I wasn’t going to argue, I simply followed his instructions and rode the elevator to the fifth floor and exited towards a small set of steps …

decor: san francisco doors and doorways

Just as much as I admire interior design and decor, I appreciate exteriors, landscapes and doorways, especially unique ones and those which incorporate glass in the design. On Sunday, FINALLY and I mean finally, but also temporarily, we had some nice weather around the city and I decided to venture out to my favorite neighborhood and take photos of “some” of my most appreciated doorways. I edited the addresses from the photos just to respect the privacy of the homeowners. Enjoy {photos are the property of rawsilkandsaffron.wordpress.com}

pacific heights – san francisco – an architectural marvel

San Francisco is probably one of the most beautiful travel destinations I can recommend. But of course you all already know that, right? What I truly appreciate the most about my city is the fact, that even though it is comparatively small to most other metropolitan cities, the hills more than make up for the size and of course the fact, within walking distance or (a Muni ride) away, you can experience different cultures within each district (or neighborhood), making it actually and suggestively  a huge city. My choice of exploring any city is of course walking and one of my favorite neighborhoods to explore, not only because of the challenging hills, which give me a great work out, but also the architectural marvel for my visual therapy away from the 9×11 computer screen. Now, I have included some street signage for you, amazing tourists from around the world and neighboring states and Southern Cal  as a guide, so that when you are visiting the city, you can chart your walking tour based on the …

i miss all things classic

You know in this day and age of modern technology, it is always good to take a moment and reflect on all things classic. I say this, because as I ride the train to work  five days a week, I can’t  help but overhear other commuters talk about their I this and I that, while others actually fidget with their I gadgets to stay entertained. The funny thing is, I always ask, what did people do before all this handheld technology? How did we survive a train ride, a dinner out with friends, a walk in the park, a day at the beach? I mean the list is endless, seriously, I wish we can declare a day, where no one can touch their electronic devices for an entire day. Wouldn’t that be funny. Well in light of this fact, I have included some of the things I miss the most, although some of the items are well  before my time, I still miss them. By the way, the I-phone has replaced all of the items …