Hi everyone

I’m back from my trip to the California central coast (for vacation at my friend’s wedding) and starting to get back into work, artwork, and avoiding the giant puddles and flooded intersections that are plaguing Tucson during this monsoon. Some trip highlights:

• The pre-wedding cocktail party held outdoor at a lovely Santa Cruz beach house
• The wedding itself, held at the gorgeous Quail Hollow Ranch in Ben Lomond, CA
• Several visits to my friend Isabelle Brightman’s new lighting showroom Iluminée on Swift Street on the west side of Santa Cruz.
• Two excellent dinners out at Pajaro Street Grill in Salinas. Patrick is a most awesome waiter!
• An amazing dinner-picnic with the newlyweds and Iluminée proprietor with take-out from Asian Rose/Malabar Café in Santa Cruz
• A trip to Oakland’s China Town for shopping (fresh lychees!) and lunch at Le Cheval, a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant
• An of course, a trip to San Jose’s Japan Town, including shopping for kimono at Nichi Bei Bussan!

There was much more than that, such as the Obon Festival at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple, a taiko performance at the Marina Farmers market, fun dinner parties at friend’s homes, yummy Mexican food at La Piñata on Alameda Is., the list goes on!! Thanks to everyone I stayed with and everyone that showed me an excellent time! I’ll try to go back to my former home next summer.

cheers,

reb