Smokers tell me that the only way to not get addicted is to never pick up a cigarette. Looking at cigarette ads in print or on film won’t get you addicted. Even growing up around smokers won’t necessarily get you hooked. First, you must inhale. I confess I did try smoking–sorry Mommy & Daddy–when I was clubbing in my very …
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When in Rome
 How does that saying go…when in Rome, do as the Romans do? I’m not sure if I really followed that rule the last time I visited Rome, but I did get my fill of the big 4 ps:  panini, pasta, pizza, and Prada. However, the best pizza I had by far was at a restaurant in Florence. It’s possible my …
Dilly dallying with DalÃ
 There’s a great side trip that you can take from Barcelona. Hop a train for a 1.5 hour ride to Figueres…  where you’ll follow the tourists for a ten-minute walk to arrive at El Teatre-Museu DalÃ:  Salvador DalÃ, the great surrealist, was born in this city. The theater that once showcased his works as a young boy now serves …
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With these hands I thee made
When we were little, my sisters and I never played with Barbie. Or Ken for that matter. Instead we’d learn to make our own dolls, whether out of paper or fabric remnants. My mom’s side of the family had a textile business so you might say I have linen and silk fibers woven into my DNA strands. My imagination took …
War of the Roses
In spite of the threats of mudslides, earthquakes, and hillside fires, waking up every January 1st in my house is a treat. From my living room window you can hear then see the B-2 stealth bomber fly overhead to open the Rose Parade. This is definitely the highlight of my day…except for the one year my neighbor decided to wake Pasadena …