All posts filed under: walking

full length boots for the curvy calfs

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I have always shied away from buying full-length boots because of my shapely calfs. Each fall I enjoy looking through the selection at the department stores and shoe boutiques and envy the women that are able to zip up the zipper, while stuffing their jeans in them. This year I was determined to find some boots that were either made out of stretchy pleather (which I am not a fond of) or gamble on asking for wide calf boots. Some of the clerks just looked at me when I did ask and others pretended they didn’t exist. So I walked away feeling somewhat dumb for my “uncool” question and decided to once more forget about buying full-length boots. On Thursday I had driven up to Roseville, CA to visit my mother-in-law and decided to try once more at the Roseville Galleria and sure enough the sales clerk at Macy’s knew exactly what I was talking about and was able to bring out four pairs (only 4 unfortunately) of wide calf boots. I was besides myself …

in search of fall colors in san francisco

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One of my favorite activities is walking. Of course I do it mostly for exercise but when I am walking in a more leisurely pace, it is so I can just take in the outdoors. Fall is especially a wonderful time to take a leisurely walk, because if you happen to live in a city where the leaves turn color, it is probably one of the most rewarding walks you will experience (at least for me).  However, in San Francisco we are not fortunate enough to experience the fall colors because, outside of the parks, we are mostly treeless and the type of trees we do have, they do not change colors. When I worked at Stanford University six years ago, I had the pleasure of walking the campus every morning before work and in the Fall, I was able to enjoy the colors while I shuffled through the fallen leaves.  As a matter of fact, there are benches strategically placed along tree-lined pathways and if you are bold enough to sit on one of them on …

ankle boots for the woman over 40

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Since through my research I discovered that ankle boots were okay for the woman over 40 to consider incorporating in their fall 2010 wardrobe (wow, a mouthful) I, of course couldn’t be happier since I am unable to wear full length boots, thanks to my shapely calf muscles (Believe me I am not complaining). But choosing the right ankle boot is a challenge for me of course, because  I don’t like it to be over the top, too bulky or the wrong heel style and I need it to compliment my wardrobe rather than overwhelm my style. Yes, I am aware that with slacks, you can pretty much pull off any ankle boot, but this year I really want to explore the option of wearing it with skirts. So here are my choices based on what I found online and one of these days, when we actually get our first rain fall in California, I will go try them on to see which one works best.

dog heaven in france and a few cats

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I know I keep writing about my trip to France but there are so many elements of it that I just can’t let go of or want to forget, so I jot them down as they come to mind  in order to reflect and because telling friends and family about your travels can sometimes get boring, it’s best to write them down instead for those who care enough to read and enjoy. I think the hardest part of going on vacation is leaving your pet behind, in my case it is a dog. First the guilt trip, then the tears and then when you are on vacation, you can’t help wonder how your pet is doing, day in and day out. With that said, I have to say that while  in Paris we did not see too many dogs outdoors because of the downpour I suppose but when we got to the French Riviera, there was a dog on a leash on every corner in every town. The worst of it was that they were …

Challenges of Travel After 40

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Recently my husband surprised me with a vacation to celebrate our union of 25 years and of course to take note of my unmentionable birthday. He asked earlier this year what I wanted to do to celebrate this glorious year and I told him I wanted to vacation with him since we hadn’t done so for over 9 years. First of all I want to say how I truly appreciated his plans and efforts to make the vacation happen. We were challenged throughout the year in more ways than one to materialize the getaway but in the end and I mean very end, three weeks before the actual vacation, he was able to put something together for us. I was hesitant and worried about making it happen because of the current “American dream/nightmare” we are all experiencing in this land of opportunity and with that in mind, vacation was the last thing on the list of issues to tackle in 2010. But he convinced me that it was important for us to do this in order …

salon de the – parisian tea salons

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A must, while in Paris, is of course the Salon De The (Parisian Tea Salons).  It seems over the years there is one erected  in every street corner, but then again it could just be that I happen to notice alot more of them since I have become an avid tea drinker myself. These tea salons are the most charming and exquisite places to be seen in and to meet up with friends as well as experience the most amazing cuisine and creative and a delicious array of desserts . The history of the Tea Salons go way back and if you happen to be in Paris, make it a point to have dinner there at least one night out of your stay and don’t forget to leave room for dessert while enjoying your cup of tea. Once again, I have included photos of the ones I stumbled upon while walking the streets of Paris and just a note, there are actually coffee table books available in French bookstores about the Salon De The(s) just …

nightfall over paris

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It seems that no matter what time of year I visit Paris, there is always a busy nightlife. Whether it’s in the dead of Winter or early Spring, for sure Summertime and well into Fall, the locals and visitors alike frequent the restaurants and bars no matter what. They dine, drink, laugh and smoke (in some cases) and spend hours talking while enjoying their meals. I love taking photos of Paris between dusk to nightfall, when the lights begin to flicker on throughout the streets and restaurants and it’s as if a magical thing happens, when all of Paris becomes the most romantic place on the face of the planet.

my love, love relationship with Paris

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I once said, Acting is my destiny, Paris is my lifestyle and architecture is my passion. With that said, I want to dedicate the next few entries to all things Paris and share with you Paris through my eyes: One of my favorite things to do, while in Paris, is take photographs of the roof facades of the beautiful buildings all around the city . Most people look straight ahead when walking. I spend the majority of my time looking up as I walk, zooming in with my camera on the most beautiful or unusual and sometimes bizarre rooftops around Paris. I can probably spend numerous days capturing these shots and sharing them with my readers, but for now I have only included a few for your enjoyment.

foggy days in san francisco

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Being a sun worshiper, I actually dread summers in San Francisco. Most everywhere around the globe experiences sunny, warm and even hot days in the summer months where people can actually dress colorful, have picnics and frequent the beaches or community pools for those living more inland, as well as outdoor concerts, sidewalk cafes and a stroll through a central park. It is a time to really enjoy the outdoors and get a dose of the old Vitamin D the natural way. But in San Francisco, that is not the case of course during the summer months. Those of us who live here seem to be the most depressed in the summer because all we do is bundle up and turn the heat on while indoors just to stay warm and dry.  The only folk walking the streets are the tourists, who often come here in shorts and t-shirts, and are always shocked at how the weather is. So, in an effort to cheer myself up and to shift my eyes from seeing nothing but …

1001 gardens to visit before i die

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I don’t know if you have noticed but in most museum stores, there is a book perfectly displayed, titled 1001 Gardens You Must Visit Before You Die.  Although I hate the words visit and die in the same sentence and normally don’t really look at such books, but because I am a garden phonetic, I actually flipped through the book when I was in the Getty Museum (Center) bookstore couple of weeks ago. From the 1001 gardens listed in the book, I have visited perhaps two or three thus far, and although I would love to make a point to see a hundred of the gardens in the book, I know I am not really going to get a chance to do so, for one reason or another and mostly because some of them are in countries I don’t really plan to visit in my lifetime. So, I would love to  hear from anyone and everyone who has had the wonderful opportunity to visit any of the famous gardens around the world listed in the …