Wendygital

New Blog Story: Vacation In The Outer Ring

2017-11-30T17:12:00.002+01:00

Three F's for "a fun futuristic fantasy story telling the adventures of two 'too-smart-for-earhtlings' guys that could not avoid flying into a weird vacation in the dumbest circumstances..." -W

Excerpt:
'What is this place?
Why are there so many odd machines?
Where are all these beings going?
They move so fast... It seems like thay're onto something really important... but all they keep doing is going round in circles all the time'...

*To be continued... Read the Story on THINGS SHE TOLD ME

Nueva serie de humor futurista en "Cosas Que Ella Me Contó"

2017-11-30T14:48:00.002+01:00

VACACIONES EN EL ANILLO EXTERNO
- Una Fantasía Futurista -
Extracto:
-¿Qué es este lugar? -preguntó el más pequeño de los dos espías-. ¿Por qué hay tantas máquinas raras? Y... ¿a dónde van todos esos seres? Se mueven tan rápido... Parece que están ocupados en algo realmente importante... pero lo único que hacen es dar vueltas en círculo todo el tiempo.
¿Que está pasando? -continuó, señalando la escena-, ¿no es eso estúpido? ¿No los ves?

***Continuará... Seguir leyendo en el blog COSAS QUE ELLA ME CONTÓ

Churros!!!

2012-09-14T22:53:00.001+02:00

Typical Delicious dessert in Madrid!
Don't ever miss it! ;-)

Symphony of Science new video

2011-09-11T18:13:00.000+02:00

Is there anything cooler than listening to some of our physicists heroes explaining our universe?
Yeah! Watching them 'singing' the theories!

This clip is called "The Quantum World" and it's the 11th video edited and composed by the talented John Boswell from the Symphony of Science project, "...designed to deliver scientific knowledge and philosophy in musical form".
I strongly recommend you to visit the Symphony of Science site and watch all the previous videos, featuring other great hero scientists, such as Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins and more.

I want to finish this post with a very inspiring thought from Michio Kaku's Facebook account:
"Some people seek meaning in life through personal gain, through personal relationship, or through personal experiences. However, it seems to me that being blessed with the intellect to divine the ultimate secrets of nature gives meaning enough to life."

Enjoy the vid and the science in it! :-)

Check this out! I've been featured @ Star Wars Blog...

2011-01-25T20:52:00.006+01:00

I'm so excited because I've just found out that The Official Star Wars Blog has featured my Addahsoka custom on their front page!!!!
Of course, my custom doll is absolutely happy and excited too, hehe. ;-) She has worked very hard to be a very skilled Padawan! And now that her REAL MASTER has mentioned her in her favorite blog (and WORLD!), I'm sure she's going to work even harder! :-) :-) :-) :-)

A big thank you to the Star Wars Blog staff! I really appreciate it! :-)

You can read the post @ the link below:
* The Official Star Wars Blog *

You can also follow Addahsoka's adventures here and here.

Have a great week! :-)

Wanted! My own R2-D2!

2010-10-21T16:36:00.017+02:00

The new Droid 2 R2-D2, Motorola smartphone made its awaited appeareance three weeks ago and I'm still wondering if they would release a version for Europe, (though it's odd that the european name for this phone is Milestone).

If you don't know it yet and are curious about its specifications, you can check this video on Youtube, which gives a lot of info on it, or visit their nice official website.

I'd certainly love to put my hands on this cool droid, I mean, phone... ;-)

* All pics in this post are from www.droiddoes.com/r2d2, and I created the two animated images using the photos from their website.

The $$value$$ of Pop Culture

2010-09-23T14:18:00.028+02:00

I've been wanting to write a post about this since I saw the ad on eBay:

I've always had heard about the big amounts of money that comic collectors would spent for a very rare issue and other special things related to the comic books world... But getting the chance to see it with my own eyes and follow it in 'real time' was certainly 'amazing', just as the price of $71,200 that this auction reached for an original art cover of The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN by Todd McFarlane.

As McFarlane himself tells in his own Twitter account, he sold this original Spiderman art from the 80's some years ago for around $700, and jokes about the final auction price, saying that he should have asked for $800 instead... :-)

Being a great comic books fan, I'm always glad to see Pop Culture being highly appreciated. After all, this is the same comic artist that a few years later achieved to sell 2.5 million copies of the initial issue of Spider-Man, a new series in which he totally 'reinvented' the arachnid character.

Congrats to the winner!

Now, I'm making myself comfortable for some serious Spidey reading:

La Noche en Blanco

2010-09-11T15:28:00.003+02:00

Another reminder for today:

Tonight's 'La Noche en Blanco' in Madrid. The 'Night in White', as it could be translated, refers to 'staying awake all night' for an event that is held in Madrid city streets every year around the final days of summer, and lasts until the early hours of the next morning. It's all about the citizens going out and 'taking' the city by foot to walk around, admire, enjoy and participate in a varied mix of activities devoted mostly to culture and entertainment. Literally, it's about the street life with a 'massive' affluence, and every business and institution is working with special proposals to enjoy, experience and LIVE the city.

If you happen to be in Madrid today, take the chance to experiment this interesting celebration.
And, above all, have fun!

A jumpsuit for old Dave?

2010-09-11T14:09:00.015+02:00

What would Michelangelo have thought about this?

Yeah, you're seeing it right, it's the famous Michelangelo's David sculpture in tights...

Not a joke, this is an 'original' sculpture that has been located at the entrance of the high fashion house of Missoni in Madrid, as part of the celebration of the global event Fashion's Night Out.

It is titled "Classical Sculpture Homage" and was made by the spanish sculptor from the city of Toledo, dEmo. Its height is said to be the same as the original David from Michelangelo, which is 5.17m tall (17 feet), and the materials used in its construction are fiberglass, steel, and polyester resins. As for the elastic zig-zag patterned 'suit', it was supplied by Missoni, the italian designer brand well known for this typical textile fabric.

Definitely, not a flattering suit for everyone, but maybe David finds himself comfortable in it... or not..? :-)

Ikea Cats

2010-09-10T21:05:00.005+02:00

Ikea has released 100 cats into their flagship store at Wembley.

I was just watching this video, when I received my mail with the new Ikea catalogue in it... Wow, talk about perfect timing!

The creative team at Ikea has explained that it was just an 'experiment', to see how the kittens and grown up kitties behave when they're left all alone to move freely around the many sections of furniture rooms. They were being 'monitorized' by cameras, also infrared ones.

But the creative minds behind this project don't make it clear what's the final purpose of it all, though we can guess the result is going to be in our TV screens very soon in the form of irresistible images for a lovely and well thought campaign.

I've already taken the bait and couldn't help to make a little post about this whole kitty thing, so, if you, like me, love cats, then go and see it all for yourself on this cute youtube video. :-)

Oh, and BTW, the cats were all 'picked up' again the morning after, and the store was cleaned before its doors opened.

Tonight's Madrid Fashion's Night Out!

2010-09-09T17:31:00.007+02:00

Just a reminder, in case you're interested in the events beign held in this busy city... There's only a few hours left for Madrid Fashion's Night Out!

Tonight's the night for fashion lovers all over the world's major cities. Fashion's Night Out, or simply FNO, as they call it, is a global initiative that started last year by the hand of renowned fashion magazine VOGUE, in its New York City headquarters.

This second edition of the event, wants to dress up the city streets for an all-things-fashion party, where everyone can take a close and personal look at those luxury goods that can be seeing mostly in the glossy pages of fashion magazines.

In a challenging economy, the high fashion design houses, as well as other mass market fashion businesses, devote all their resources during one night to bring their best offers, service and a few gifts and surprises to everyone interested in the world of fashion.

In the case of Madrid, even restaurants, cafés, bakeries and other non-fashion establishments, add themselves to the party with special treats for all tonight's visitors. So, if you feel curious about it, just take a walk around the city's fashion focal points, which are splitted through three main zones: Ortega y Gasset street surroundings, Las Salesas neighborhood and Fuencarral street.

They'll all be open until midnight!
Enjoy the street party, watch your $$$ and have fun! ;-)

Star Wars in Madrid!

2009-01-06T01:19:00.027+01:00

The wildest dreams of a Star Wars fan come true...

That's what it feels like when you walk into the hallways of Leia's ship and enter the many rooms full of precious collectors' objects that await you... Now in Madrid, Star Wars The Exhibition makes it possible!

Come with me to see who's here:

...And, a guest of honor:

From Geonosis to Tatooine, from Coruscant to Naboo, you can travel across the galaxy and its inner rings... Then make a stop wherever you please...

George Lucas and his team have made sure that the exhibition is full of details from inside and behind the screen of his films, so we can see lots of scale models of the ships and buildings, a wide arrangement of outfits and costumes, sculptures of many strange creatures, sketches, designs and character profiles, storyboards and even loose pages of the original scripts.
And one of the best advantages is that you can take all the pictures you want, an aspect rarely found in exhibits or museums nowadays. There's even a Jedi School to participate, and all this for just 10 Euro.

And here are my fan pics, for the sake of fandom:

Star Wars The Exhibition, will be in Madrid until March 15, 2009, so don't miss your chance to feel the force and have lots of fun no matter the age... That's the great thing about Star Wars...

Now, it's time for me to board my ship to a galaxy far, far away... (I had to say it!)

Which way to go?

2008-11-13T00:20:00.010+01:00

Just some thoughts about the urban life...

When you're living in the crazyness of a megacity or a global city, you may face many forks in the roads...

Sometimes it's not even a matter of turning left or right...
Maybe there's a third path that awaits to be seen... or to be created...
Anyway you choose, be sure that you go your own way... :-)

Chocolate Pleasures

2008-11-10T13:22:00.017+01:00

Come with me to a place where your sweetest
chocolate fantasies can come true...

There's a sweet little shop...

...full of little sweet goods...

...and a cute little penguin on the door...

...with a nice selection of the finest bonbons...

...and a colorful array of delicious macaroons...

Remember: Petit Plaisir.
You'll be glad to knock on its door, located at Castelló 12, Madrid.

Waterfall Curtain

2008-11-07T14:34:00.010+01:00

A window that opens to a colorful pond in the middle of the city... :-)

Located at El Retiro park.

A walk into the 16th century

2008-07-28T19:38:00.009+02:00

A nice place to look at the past and loose yourself in the architectonic marvels of an old city...

...That's what you find when you walk on the brick and stone roads of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

The Monastery of El Escorial, a monumental building declared of Worldwide Interest by UNESCO in 1984, hosts a palace, a museum, magnificent gardens, a library, a crypt, and many more 'attractions' adorned with wonderful antiques and master pieces of art.

The city is located in a natural environment of amazing beauty, so after your 'date' with history, you can just relax and enjoy its wonderful parks and surroundings.

Duane Hanson's people in Madrid

2008-07-11T18:32:00.004+02:00

Until August 24th, you can walk into a place where it's difficult to figure out who's made of flesh and bones and who's just fiberglass or bronze.
"Fundación Canal" is showing an exhibit on the works of the american artist Duane Hanson, "Scupltures of The American Dream".

His life size sculptures will make it hard to tell if those guys sitting at the bench admiring the exhibit are just visitors or part of another art installation. Only when you notice that the security guard is in fact breathing, then you realize that not all the people in the room is the creation of a realistic artist.
After all, that's what Hyperrealism is all about...

Hanson put a lot of attention and detail in each one of his works to resemble ordinary people. They're even dressed just like everyone else, with real life outfits, and there's also an anecdote about him buying all the clothes from a woman selling stuff in a flea market (the ones she was wearing and the ones she was selling), with the sole purpose to recreate the perfect everyday scene of an ordinary lady who's trying to earn some money just to make ends meet.

If you happen to be in Madrid this summer, take a look around these people and get into their not so fantastic american dream. It's free and the booklet comes with a poster of one of his master pieces. :-)

Swan in a blue lake

2008-07-09T13:59:00.016+02:00

Swans...
What do they evoke in us?
...Beauty?
...Perfection?
...Old naive tales?

Soft winged curves that move rhythmically with the water waves...
Wings that spread and reach the immensity of our skies,
followed by the perfect water landing...
All peace, calm and grace...

A luxury sight to enjoy, not so far from the city...

Seen at sunset

2008-06-30T12:11:00.016+02:00

Driving around 'La Sierra de Madrid' (Madrid's mountain range), may take you to some breathtaking views and places. A few kilometers away from the city core (approx. 50 Km), there are some small and nice towns to spend the day, just like Manzanares el Real. Here you can take a walk into the past, entering through the huge portal doors of this magnificent building from the 15th century, or simply delight yourself with the beautiful sight of the artificial lake from which almost all Madrid's water come.
Along the summer time, the sunsets are stunning and there's daylight until around 10:30 pm.

Another great pastime can be watching the numerous population of storks that have nested on the higher tops of the town's buildings and that fly through the skies above your head as little 'dragons', so big in size...

...And perhaps, if you're lucky, they will land on the peak of the nearest tree and will offer you a friendly glance...

Can you see it?

More photos and articles about this wonderful place in coming posts.
(All pics were taken with my Motorola V360 cell phone camera).

A New Day...

2008-02-14T18:14:00.007+01:00

...Always brings a new promise!

Violet Flower Treats

2008-01-27T18:05:00.004+01:00

A very old tradition in Madrid is to enjoy beautiful violet flowers made of candy. Their taste can be a little odd for those who are not used to flower essences in food, but their sweetness and unique flavor make them a very sought after souvenir from this city.
They're always carefully packed in transparent boxes or cristal jars with pretty ornaments, which also make them a favorite gift for all times of year.

The origins are uncertain to me, but I know a place called "La Violeta" (located at Plaza de Canalejas, 6), which is famous for its violet candies (some claim these are the 'original ones'), and dates back from 1915. They also have sugar coated real violet flower petals, but this is a luxury not everyone can afford, because its price is 120 Euro/Kg, though I'm pretty sure they can sell you small quantities for a little indulgence.

I've read that in the french city of Toulouse, they also use to make a special treat with fresh violet petals 'crystalized' with sugar, since a long time ago.
Nowadays, in Madrid, it's getting more and more common to see new creations based on this traditional candy, as many reknown avant-garde chefs from around the world, use them as the star ingredient for their new dessert receipes.
Even some specialized stores offer cute little bottles of violet liquor and tiny jars of jam made of violet petals.
It's up to everyone's taste!
Give it a try if you visit Madrid!

Architecture, dusk and my phone camera

2008-01-22T15:55:00.005+01:00

Madrid, Plaza del Ángel and Plaza Santa Ana surroundings.
An interesting sightseeing for architecture lovers.
This is a nice new hotel adorned by the beautiful mix of natural and artificial light.
It's also a great neighbourhood to find souvenirs, buy arts & crafts supplies, enjoy 'tapas and drinks', watch a play at some of the theaters around, or just meet with friends.

(All pics were taken with my Motorola V360 cell phone camera).

A Friendly Visitor

2007-10-30T12:19:00.007+01:00

He came from out of nowhere and spent a little while of the afternoon on my balcony... Crazy things that happen in this crazy city life...
He looked a bit tired and hungry, so I invited him to cookie & fruit time and some water to replenish his energy.

Once his thirst and hunger were satisfied, he seemed thankful and happy to have met with me, and, always looking me in the eye, he relaxed and enjoyed a brief nap.
There also was a little time to play, after which, he arose his wings to continue his adventurous journey...
He didn't seemed lost, but free...

Our meeting lasted just a few hours, but he left a trace in my heart that will last a lifetime...

A Reflection On Reflections

2007-09-07T13:02:00.005+02:00

Inspired by the work of Richard Estes, I went through the city in search of the magic and beauty of reflections:

Lost In Time

2007-09-05T16:09:00.002+02:00

I found this beautiful porch in the streets and it was one of those things that no one else seems to notice simply because it's always been there... But as I stopped my walk to take a photo of it, I couldn't help to think about how it would have looked in the past, how many times it had given shelter from the rain and how many meetings or farewells had taken place there...
I made up my own story and ended up with this image of an aged and idealized place...

Today's pic: Dali Square

2007-09-03T18:05:00.004+02:00

Dali's Square, (Plaza de Dalí).
Madrid.

The Instantaneity of phone Cameras

2007-09-02T15:20:00.007+02:00

Madrid, 9:00 pm.
Pics taken with my cell phone while crossing the street (thank god there wasn't heavy traffic!):

Blurred pictures, 'alien' objects, 'ovnis', underexposed or overexposed photos, and a huge etcetera of flaws that could be part of a photographer's nightmare can make their appearance on phone camera pics. Nevertheless, the ability to take an instant capture, as we find it, with all its imperfections, in a fast and simple manner, as we see it, does weight a lot above many reasons as to what the standards of a 'good' picture might be.

Everyone can be a 'reality scout', an 'instant hunter', with the new technologies that modern life can offer.
In what sort of way it changes our perception from reality, may be an interesting question to ask, but not less interesting than asking ourselves what 'reality' 'really' is. As they say, "everything is relative...".
Quality photos vs. 'lousy' ones, 'pro' work vs. one's own vision... The debate is still open.

(Pics taken with a Motorola V360).

A tidy place to call home

2007-08-28T13:14:00.005+02:00

Sometimes reality confronts us and gives us a slap in the face in the most unthinkable places.
Walking around a 'high class' neighbourhood, full of busy people carrying lots of famous fashion designers bags, found this tidy bed on the street. Its owner wasn't around, but he or she made sure to keep it perfectly well made until his arrival 'home'. Street passers just passed by it like if they couldn't notice it. No doubt why homeless people are sometimes called the 'invisible ones'.

What impressed me the most was how well arranged the 'room' was, 'everything in its place', and the bed situated beside the window, only that this window looks inside someone else's home. For the owner of this little 'room', his or her world is like this picture, living in the outside world with a view through other's window to the world inside.

(Pics taken with my phone camera).
See it in NowPublic.

A new Street Art stream?

2007-08-27T21:35:00.003+02:00

While walking around the city in search for new interesting subjects for my articles, found this Van that made me smile and took a pic of it with my phone camera. Couldn't help thinking about if it was intentionally painted this way or if it was just 'vandalized' by someone else other than its owner.
But judging for what can be seen, I'd dare to say it was done with the owner's approval... or maybe not? What do you think?

Last series of Van Gogh works

2007-08-09T10:28:00.006+02:00

Always a prolific artist, Vincent Van Gogh was able to create more than seventy paintings and around thirty drawings during the last two months of his life. However, on July 27, 1890, Vincent shot himself and died in agony in the early morning of July 29.

Those last landscapes he painted in the Auvers-sur-Oise village, near Paris, France, can be seen this summer in Madrid at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.
'The Last Landscapes' exhibit consists of more than thirty works from pivate collections and museums all over the world, and is held from June 12 to September 16, 2007.

See it in NowPublic.

Estes' city views visit Madrid

2007-08-07T18:59:00.006+02:00

North american painter Richard Estes' famous city views and reflections are now being shown in an exhibit held from June 19 to September 16, 2007, at Madrid's Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

If you happen to be around Madrid during this summer, you can 'dive' into his photorealistic scenes and discover the intricate details of the city life in a captured instant. But be aware that these works are far more than mere photorealistic representations, they are not the copy of a photograph, even though they're based on this kind of images as an auxiliary material. In each piece of his art the actual world fuses in harmony with another world of reflections as real objects become fantastical and viceversa.

And playing with the reflections theme, here's this detail pic with my own reflection while I was making this graphic report with my phone camera:

See it in NowPublic.

It's cold outside... Let's get in...

2007-02-25T17:21:00.052+01:00

While taking a walk in the city through the cold wind, you spot an interesting and warm place to visit.
So, you rush to take the outside photos and get in for a nice indoors 'ride'. The Fine Arts Circle building of Madrid has unsuspected 'beauties' waiting inside.

The outside walls:

The roof Statue:

What they call La Pecera (The Fishbowl), is a nice café surrounded with paintings and sculptures, which you can see from the street:

Old building interiors offer a 'soft' kind of warmth. Textures and shapes get on your way to surprise you in a kind manner:

The Café entrance (La Pecera):

Halls and corridors:

Even an interior fountain:

The Ball Room:

Peeking through a window:

The city waits for us to greet it again:

Marble Marvels

2007-02-25T13:37:00.018+01:00

Spiral stairs are always an architectonic marvel to look at, but if they're made of white marble and adorned with forged iron and golden paint, the spectacle is even greater.

Looking up, sometimes you can feel overwhelmed by the sight and experiment a little vertigo as if you were looking down... Little tricks of the geometry.

These stairs are from the Fine Arts Circle building in Madrid. You have to pay 1€ just to go inside and admire the interiors of this antique construction and it certainly is worth it and far beyond.

Lots of marble, mirrors, statues and other old luxuries await the visitor for an interior walk.

Churros: a traditional afternoon snack

2007-01-15T18:38:00.037+01:00

Walking through Madrid's downtown streets you can find not only interesting places, but sweet and tasty ones too. In a cozy historical cafe, you can have "churros", a crisp sweet snack made of flour, sugar and water.

This dough is put in a pastry bag with a star tip to give it its typical ridged tubular shape, and then deep fried and drained on a paper towel until dry. You can sprinkle it with sugar and/or cinnamon if you want, but the most important and tasteful part is the 'hot chocolate sipping'. The instructions are as follows: ask for a hot thick cocoa cup, then pick your 'churro' (sprinkled or not), sip it into the chocolate, and quickly take it to your mouth with a good bite. It's the traditional way, though you can have them with coffee too.

There are churros almost in every cafe, but the best of all are the ones served in traditional places like that from the photo, a cafe which is almost 120 years old and opens from the early evening until the early morning.

No doubt, this is a snack that replenishes your energy levels to go on walking and enjoying the little things in urban life.

Mardi Gras? Halloween? No, it's just end of year's holidays in Madrid!

2006-12-31T20:10:00.007+01:00

The spirit of Madrid's people certainly knows how to keep a good sense of humor even in the hard times.

Every year, since the first days of December, all 'madrileños' love to go out for a walk downtown and dress up their heads with the most amazing wigs, hats and masks. It's a street party that lasts until january 6th, when the celebration of the Three Wise Men takes place.

You can see whole families and persons of all ages wearing these weird and funny things, with such naturalness that if someone comes from another place and doesn't know this tradition, would think this city has gone completely crazy.

Yeah, there's some crazyness in it, but the main thing is just having a good time!

Madrid: this city is brighter at night

2006-12-15T15:01:00.003+01:00

Christmas season, night has come, and neither rain nor heavy traffic can stop the masses of people to enjoy taking a walk on a city that always knows how to offer you a great time.

These series of photos were taken from inside a car in movement, on a cold and rainy night.
Here's La Gran Via:

And next series were taken at La Castellana surroundings:

Madrid at night.

Sargent & Sorolla: two great artists from each side of the ocean now reunited in Madrid

2006-12-10T20:19:00.014+01:00

If you happen to be in Madrid, Spain, this winter, you can check on this interesting parallel view about the artistic careers of these two painters, whose differences in personality and education led them to admire each other's work and develop a sense of affinity for each other.

The exhibition consists of two parts and is held in the Thysen-Bornemisza museum (part 1) and the Fundacion Caja Madrid gallery (part 2). It ends on January, 7th, 2007.

Read in museothyssen.org:
"The exhibition offers a parallel presentation of the respective careers of John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) and Joaquin Sorolla (1863-1923), painters of notable artistic affinity who knew each other and admired each other's works despite their great differences arising from birth, education and personality".

See the original source here.
See it in NowPublic.

Most Christmas pets end up stray

2006-12-10T19:33:00.010+01:00

Christmas is almost knocking at our doors and we're all invaded with all kind of "good" feelings and a long wish-list. Among these wishes, a loving pet may make it to the list but, are we really prepared to assume the responsibility for taking care of another living creature?

Read in newportnewstimes.com:
"According to the Humane Society of the United States, seven dogs and cats are born every day for each person born in America. That's more than 28 million animals a year.

With six million of them staying in their homes, and another 9 million ending up in shelters, that leaves 13 million animals - a year - left to die on the streets of the wealthiest nation in the world".

See the original source here.
See it in NowPublic.

New Beatles album on sale

2006-12-10T18:21:00.002+01:00

Today's technologies make it possible: Beatles Fans will have the chance to listen to their first "new" album in 35 years. Sir George Martin (The Beatles producer) has teamed up with his son Giles to bring back the old original recordings and unheard rarities in a radical remixing way.

Read in news.yahoo.com:
"Using archives and master tapes at the Abbey Road studios in London originally used by The Beatles, they put together songs by a complex mixture of overlaying, dubbing and synchronizing to produce sometimes startlingly new compositions".

See the original source here.
See it in NowPublic.