Midweek Mendocino

> After hikes in Van Damme, Pigmy Forest, along the bluffs and out to the lighthouse, we went paddling (with the help of a solar motor) and sailing 3 miles up the Big River.
> According to our guide, along with the decimation if the Pomo Indians, there was unregulated logging from 1857-2001. By 2002, people raised 17 million to buy the land and river access from Georgia Pacific to stop the logging and preserve the area. It's a State Park, but now more a sanctuary. It is easy to feel that it is a sacred place.
>

Rivertown Revival 2016

Gary and I love stripes.
Mort and Virginia love everything!!!

Bastille Day Dinner

In the face of all the unpredictable, intentionally alarming events in the world - there is always time to celebrate friends, food and simply getting together. Thanks to Stephanie and her Water Street Bistro staff for starting and keeping up traditions. These precious little islands of beauty, pause and remembrance always make the swim worthwhile.

BAPTISTRY STRIPES?

Or maybe inspired by the Siena Cathedral??
Heading back to US of A and cooler climes after a hot-but-magical summer in Florence and Sienna (with a side and sockless trip to Cinque Terre).
The Italians have a cookie called "Bruti ma Buoni" - ugly but good. I'm thinking so many things could be described that way - or the opposite. Something to try out on our re-entry.

RE: LAST NIGHT IN FLORENCE

Stunning photo. Come home Little Sheba!



Karen Bergin, Director | Bergin Glass Impressions
2511 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Suite 111
Napa Valley, CA 94558
www.berginglass.com
C 707.738.0197
karen@berginglass.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Tina Hittenberger [mailto:freckle469@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2016 12:28 AM
To: Tina's Blog <tina.hittenberger.traveling@blogger.com>;
kbergin5@comcast.net; Susan Price <1amazingorganizer@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: LAST NIGHT IN FLORENCE

Heading home after a magical-magical-almost-a month.we should be recovered
by next June.

LAST NIGHT IN FLORENCE

Heading home after a magical-magical-almost-a month.we should be recovered by next June.

RE: Artist eye

How romantic!
Judging from all the amazing photos, no doubt you'll return again, and
again, and again...!

-----Original Message-----
From: Tina Hittenberger [mailto:freckle469@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2016 12:08 AM
To: Lauren Selman <lauren.selman@gmail.com>; Chuck Pyle
<charlespyle@me.com>; Tina's Blog <tina.hittenberger.traveling@blogger.com>;
Steve and Nancy Cefalu <escef@comcast.net>; Norm and Nancy Settle
<nsettle@hotmail.com>; Pat Rybovich <pat.rybovich@rybovich.net>; Lisa Cralle
<lisaRCralle@gmail.com>; Clarke Selman <selmanclarkeselman@gmail.com>; Ralph
Mann and Gwen Pyle <gppyle@vom.com>; Randy and Lisa Berrett
<lberrett@academyart.edu>
Subject: Artist eye

Chuck noticing that the clouds in Florence are heart-shaped...our last
Sunday in Florence - with a promise to return.

Artist eye

Chuck noticing that the clouds in Florence are heart-shaped...our last Sunday in Florence - with a promise to return.

Re: JAPANESE PAPER MARBLING IN FLORENCE

Awesome! Go, Tina! Next year I'm in :-)

C

xoxox

On Sun, Jul 10, 2016 at 4:07 PM, Tina Hittenberger <freckle469@comcast.net> wrote:

A special workshop hosted by those wonderful Fabriano papermaking folk on "Suminagashi"(manipulating Japanese sumi ink on water to create extraordinary and unique paper) is a meditative process - and extremely satisfying!
Soon to be incorporated into my Book Arts.

JAPANESE PAPER MARBLING IN FLORENCE

A special workshop hosted by those wonderful Fabriano papermaking folk on "Suminagashi"(manipulating Japanese sumi ink on water to create extraordinary and unique paper) is a meditative process - and extremely satisfying!
Soon to be incorporated into my Book Arts.

A teaching moment

Early Merry Christmas from the Gucci Museum

LIFE IS TOO SHORT

It's EATaly!

Re: CINQUE TERRE

Fantastico! I especially LOVE the last one! YELLOW! miraculous!

On Jul 8, 2016 3:24 PM, "Tina Hittenberger" <freckle469@comcast.net> wrote:

Friday laundry in Portovedere

NIGHTTIME LAUNDRY

Portovenere, Italy

CINQUE TERRE

Friday laundry in Portovedere

ITALIAN APEROL SPRITZ

And their version of a Moscow Mule- with thyme and purple watercress

Re: Scientific Research continues

Bigger News Flash: FBI has found NO criminal wrong doings of Hillary's email thing!!


> On Jul 5, 2016, at 8:35 AM, Tina Hittenberger <freckle469@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Artisanal Gelato is winning - small batches NOT the neon globs on every corner in the Historic District.
>
> NEWS FLASH: we have NOT seen a single Starbucks in all of Italy. Espresso, yes, but no iced grande carmel soy lattes anywhere, so far.
> Alas...there is no hope of bringing back any gelato to California.
>
> <IMG_5505.JPG>

Re: Knitted pillars???

I totally agree with Susan! The gelato there is truly heaven-sent--I could not miss having one every single day. We always do so much walking when we travel, the gelato calories don't have a chance to accumulate. (Please have one for me, Tina!)🍦

The pillars are fabulous! A huge notch up from what we had some months ago on the Copperfield's pillars.

Good to hear from our gal on the go. Keep having fun!

XXOO
Nancy

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 5, 2016, at 8:00 AM, Susan Hoerner <hoernersusan@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I had a gelato every single day while in Italy! I think their gelato is better than ours.
> Love the pillars!
>
>> On Jul 5, 2016, at 7:05 AM, Tina Hittenberger <freckle469@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> Why not? It's a city where, at any given time, one out of every twenty people in the street is eating a cone or cup of gelato.
>>
>> <FullSizeRender.jpg>
>

Scientific Research continues

Artisanal Gelato is winning - small batches NOT the neon globs on every corner in the Historic District.

NEWS FLASH: we have NOT seen a single Starbucks in all of Italy. Espresso, yes, but no iced grande carmel soy lattes anywhere, so far.
Alas...there is no hope of bringing back any gelato to California.

Re: Knitted pillars???

How cozy to snuggle up against and eat yummy food and beautiful too.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tina Hittenberger <freckle469@comcast.net>
To: Marti freedman&Joy Lancaster <martyjoy@sbcglobal.net>; marsha <marsha@4mgg.com>; Lynn Camhi <camhi@stare.com>; Kate Alves <callcimss@aol.com>; Eileen Fox <eileensonoma@gmail.com>; srodkin <srodkin@mac.com>; Marilyn Stratford <mstrat1012@comcast.net>; Majida Gibson <majidag@att.net>; Gretchen and Barry Singer <gigisinger1010@gmail.com>; Steve and Nancy Cefalu <escef@comcast.net>; Marti freedman&Joy Lancaster <ajoylancaster@gmail.com>; Linda Sheppard <lsheppard08@comcast.net>; Charlie & Susan Hoerner <hoernerSusan@gmail.com>; Pat Rybovich <pat.rybovich@rybovich.net>; Lisa Cralle <lisaRCralle@gmail.com>; Tina's Blog <tina.hittenberger.traveling@blogger.com>; Lauren Selman <lauren.selman@gmail.com>
Sent: Tue, Jul 5, 2016 7:38 am
Subject: Knitted pillars???

Why not? It's a city where, at any given time, one out of every twenty people in the street is eating a cone or cup of gelato.

Re: Knitted pillars???

I had a gelato every single day while in Italy! I think their gelato is better than ours.
Love the pillars!

> On Jul 5, 2016, at 7:05 AM, Tina Hittenberger <freckle469@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Why not? It's a city where, at any given time, one out of every twenty people in the street is eating a cone or cup of gelato.
>
> <FullSizeRender.jpg>

Knitted pillars???

Why not? It's a city where, at any given time, one out of every twenty people in the street is eating a cone or cup of gelato.

"Amelie" At the Train Station

Fotos just like in France.We'll have to brush up in our Italian gestures

92 DEGREES

Natural afternoon habitat of Frogus Florentis (imported in 2016 from California): Gin and Tonics, Aqua Minerale Frizzante con Limone or Acqua sin Gas

THE MANY FACES OF LAUREN

In Florence

LOVED TO DEATH

The crowds in Florence rival Disneyland. In fact Orlando probably has a bit of a dip these days.
This is the back of the church-entrance about 90 minutes later.
The blonde was asking, to no one in particular, "was it worth it?"
I might have voiced a wise-crack remark but instead suggested that most gelato lines are 3 minutes.
Another convert to Christianity lost. Hope she wasn't a pilgrim.

Re: The dinner before the race

Che buona fortuna - baci a tutti - gigi

On Sun, Jul 3, 2016 at 7:13 AM, Tina Hittenberger <freckle469@comcast.net> wrote:

The streets are illuminated, ladies in white, nearly everyone of every age in LaLupa Contrada colors (orange, black, white), special wine from Barone Ricasoli is poured, and a five course dinner is served to 1200 people under the Roman aqueduct. This is happening in 10 other neighborhoods all over Siena. We are sitting with horse breeders from Kentucky and Italians from Rome and Sienna. The crowd is beyond jubilant while the horse and jockey are under 24 hour surveillance.

Re: Setting up for THE RACE OF THE SOUL

Great photos. Makes me feel that I am there. Thanks for sending them on. Keep having a fabulous adventure.
>
> , it's a way of life!"
> Watching the set up for il Palio in Siena, we began to feel the excitement mounting: tables being assembled in the streets and piazzas with food and wine (and songs) for 120,000 people. Intricate medieval bleachers and decorated balconies, all the locals wearing scarves and the colors of their Contrada (neighborhood). It was a sight to behold - and feel at the very core. Anyone who has a neighborhood, a community, a family, a circle of friends can multiply that feeling of connection and admiration by ten thousand and add 600 years.
>
> <IMG_5123.JPG>
>
>
> <IMG_5145.JPG>
>
>
> <IMG_5155.JPG>
>
>
> <IMG_5162.JPG>
>
>
> <FullSizeRender.jpg>
>
>
> <FullSizeRender.jpg>

WE WON!!!

After having dinner with all the LaLupa Contrada family, we were praying, screaming and yelling for "our" horse to win having not won a race in 27 years.Each horse is paraded through the streets followed by everyone in the neighborhood - a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone and has grown up with them their entire life.
The Palio is notorious for being rigged. We knew "our" handsome, proud jockey would NEVER be anything but perfect. It's a dangerous, violent bareback race and, they say, every year someone and at least one horse is seriously injured. "Our" high spirited horse, a false start, a thrown rider and ALOT at stake, made this one of the most perfect moments of my life.
Besides, I love La Lupa (the She Wolf) colors.

The dinner before the race

The streets are illuminated, ladies in white, nearly everyone of every age in LaLupa Contrada colors (orange, black, white), special wine from Barone Ricasoli is poured, and a five course dinner is served to 1200 people under the Roman aqueduct. This is happening in 10 other neighborhoods all over Siena. We are sitting with horse breeders from Kentucky and Italians from Rome and Sienna. The crowd is beyond jubilant while the horse and jockey are under 24 hour surveillance.