CA Academy of Sciences

I enjoyed the exhibits in this marvelous museum. The aquariums are the stars to my eyes but I have not spent much time at the other exhibits.

Here are a few images from my first visit.

From SF Natl History Museum

Same aquarium, different view.

From SF Natl History Museum

France 2006

I just found these old jpgs of my first Paris trip back in 2006. Also included are photos from visiting my friend Arnaud in Dijon. Arnaud was an awesome host and made sure we saw all the public laundry facilities in Burgundy. Some go there for wine but leave it to the natives to give you the trip off the beaten path. Ironically, after seeing gazzilon communal laundries in the the dead of winter in all these small villages, none of them made it to my camera.

More of my photos can be seen here ala slideshow--which is my Picasa site.

A cool sign

From France 2006

Chocolate w/ un cafe!

From France 2006

My host's bar; made for a warm winter.

From France 2006

To me this cheese is France. It had maggots coming out of it and my friend and his friend were debating whether it should be thrown out. What was the debate? It seems, some folks like their cheese more robust, extra pungent, and "alive"

From France 2006

Countryside

From France 2006

Our breakfast...come to think of it, we had those cheeses for lunch and dinner as well. I am not complaining. Those were tasty and never tiring especially paired with a friends and wine.

From France 2006

When we drove around Burgundy, we'd go for kilometers only seeing the countryside. It was snowing that day. The car was a refrigetor on wheels; yet it was very very beautiful

From France 2006

like nothing I see in the Bay Area

From France 2006

Having lived in an American suburbs, I fell in love with the effortlessness of quaint. Martha Stewart went on a sleigh ride with Santa and sprinkled Burgundy with her magic dust

From France 2006

Did they teach this aesthetic in school?

From France 2006

They have a lot of these and usually no entrance fee

From France 2006

Food

From France 2006

Beaux Art

From France 2006

Walking small villages

From France 2006

my favorite course

From France 2006

Don't count the wine bottles

From France 2006

Actually, they are needed if one eats these. There must be a tsp of butter for each of this little critters and only wine can cut through that. Or Vodka

From France 2006

hmmm

From France 2006

From France 2006

hmmm

From France 2006

The end

From France 2006

More photos in Picasa

Class of 2008 Ho'ike

Here are some fotos from my Ho'ike. It was a grand day. The sun shone brightly, friends and family were in attendance. I was beaming all day. I smile a lot but smiling from dusk to dawn was the first.

More photos can be seen here, courtesy of my friend Ferd and also here, my Picassa site.

Arriving at the site at 6:00...yes AM

Building the tent

A fine day for Hulaing

The men's tent

1/2 of the graduating class gathered around for the day's blessing as well as listening for further instructions

Lei materials

Finding our spaces At attention while practicing our entrance

Giddy

This is how we roll!

The girls of our halau

Puppies

Puppies=adorable

Sebastian

Kuma

Dreaming of a white Christmas

When walking our puppies around the neighborhood at night it's just magical with all the Christmas lights. It has a very different feel in the daytime. Take a look.

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas

From Dreaming of a White Christmas