I teach full time at a community college in Sacramento, California. It’s a wonderful, rewarding job, but my favorite perk is that I get the whole summer off.  These days I actually need all that time off to stay sane–the combination of the drain of teaching, having two small kids (the younger one is only 15 months old), and having a husband in grad school means that my life feels like insanity most of the time. It may seem like someone who blogs has lots of free time to sit around and write, but in my case, that’s far from the reality.

For these reasons, I cherish my summers. I think about them long before they arrive and during the long, hot days of summer, I never feel an ache to get back to the busy-ness of work despite how much I love my job. I am still finalizing my plans, but one thing I know for sure is that there are a lot of things I want to do! Here is a look ahead but with a slightly different spin.

1.  Press trip to Napa, California (How will I handle being away from my boys for 3 days?)

I am very excited about my first press trip. I am currently spending three busy days in Napa. The trip focuses on all that the city of Napa has to offer, including an art walk, wine tasting, the Napa Valley Wine Train, fancy meals, and more.

I have not been away from my baby for more than one night, and I feel a little guilty about it already. I know he will miss me and that my husband will have his hands full. However, I hope to appreciate the time to myself and rejuvenate a bit after what was an incredibly busy semester. I also look forward to making some new connections in travel and PR.

The Oxbow Public Market is one of many places I'll be checking out this week.

2. A family getaway in Sonoma County (Will we be comfortable?)

We will be taking a family vacation near Healdsburg in the northern part of Sonoma County, a.k.a gorgeous rural wine country. We will stay in a log cabin, and my mom and her husband will camp near us in their Airstream. One of the challenges of traveling with children is having the right set up so everyone is comfortable, and with a baby, every detail is important. I hope to commune with nature a bit, spend quality family time, and find out why everyone loves that area.

3. A week somewhere in California (Can we find something affordable?)

Destination undecided, but as summer plans start to fall into place more, the budget is getting smaller. San Francisco? The coast? Lassen National Park? We will see, but no matter what, traveling in this state means we can’t go wrong.

I never get enough of the California coast

4. Lots of work to do here at home (Can we get it all done? Does it matter?)

I have enough intentions to fill up a year of vacation. It won’t all get done. I’m trying to accept that.

Getting our garden going again is one of many goals

5. A month in Brazil (How will baby’s first big trip go?)

In Brazil there is a big family waiting to see us, some of whom have not met our younger son yet. It will have been almost 2 years since I was there last. I actually can’t wait–architecture and markets in São Paulo, the beaches at Guaruja, time to do nothing and enjoy the animals at my in-laws’ house, and lots of love from the family. My younger son will be 1 1/2 then, which is such a hard age for long-distance travel, but I am trying to remind myself that we will get there, even if there are tantrums involved.

Time to relax at my sister-in-law's house in Brazil

 What are your plans for the summer?

1.  The beaches and the views

A perfect beach in laid-back Sanur, Bali

Morning on the beach in Nusa Dua, Bali

The temple site of Ulu-watu at sunset

More from Ulu-watu

2. The luxurious grounds of restaurants and hotels:

The grounds of most hotels are pretty amazing.

The grounds of this restaurant evoke paradise.

Tourists lounge over breakfast at Ku De Ta, one of many fancy places to eat in Seminyak.

3.  The nature:

Central Bali is full of jungle. This was a view over lunch near Ubud.

Bali has plenty of mountains, too.

4.  The customs:

These elaborate offerings to the gods are everywhere

Bali is full of places to worship and give offerings to the gods.

The hotel workers carefully create offerings with fresh flowers every morning.

5. The animals:

Bali Bird Park lets you get close to some amazing birds.

Is there anything cuter than a baby elephant? (Its mother was just ahead.)

Keeping an eye on the sacred monkey forest

 6. The little details, like the traditional wood carvings:

Bali is full of beautiful details.

Bali is gorgeous, but Bali is not paradise. What you don’t see here is the horrible traffic, the incredible humidity, and the poverty that exists in most parts of Indonesia. However, for people who have money, Bali gives them a very nice life, whether it is as an expat or as a traveler, full of the beautiful colors and sounds that make up traditional Balinese living. Bali is also a very friendly place–the people are beautiful and warm, generally welcoming of tourists and ready to make friends with you. (This post was inspired by this week’s choice of “paradise” for the FriFotos theme on Twitter.)

How do you define “paradise”? Have you been to Bali? What were your impressions?

First stop: Fourth Street.  This strip of beautiful shops and fun restaurants was the perfect way to begin our day there. The doors of many shops were left open, inviting us to stroll in and out. This one had so many unique things for sale, including gorgeous paper from Italy.

One of many unique shops on Fourth Street

We had our two small children with us, so this fun toy store, The Ark, was a welcome sight. If you have kids or just enjoy hand-crafted or unusual toys, I would highly recommend it.

Paradise for children?

A traveling parent always needs a stash of things to keep kids busy: these erasable cards we bought at the toy store were a hit.

Keeping busy during lunch at Zut!

Right in the heart of 4th Street is Zut! Bar and Bistro. The friendly atmosphere, reasonable prices, and excellent food made it a wonderful place to have lunch.  The Middle Eastern sampler was fantastic.

Fourth Street has plenty of options for food in all price ranges

Peet’s Coffee is just down the street from Zut! and The Ark. The patio was crowded with volunteers for Greenpeace, professionals, and students, and we relaxed over some of the best coffee around.

Next stop: the University of California at Berkeley. We drove up the hill and around the campus, but I look forward to returning to Berkeley to do a walking tour. On this visit, we had the botanical garden in our sights.

UC Berkeley campus

Last stop: the botanical garden. The UC Berkeley Botanical Garden was the main reason for our visit, and it didn’t disappoint. The garden is spread over 34 acres and houses more than 13,000 plants, including rare and endangered species.

The desert section of the Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is situated in the Berkeley hills, with beautiful views to take in as you wander the paths.

There is so much to love at the Botanical Garden.

The combination of fun on Fourth Street, views of the campus, and amazing nature at the botanical garden made for the perfect day trip. There is much more to see and do in Berkeley, and I hope to get back there very soon.

Have you been to Berkeley? What suggestions do you have?

I love ice plant! Bodega Bay, California

Calla lillies are so elegant. At the Carmel Mission, California

A huge orchid in Brazil

Fall in Northern California

Rainier cherry blossoms in the spring, Sacramento

I love these dark colors, at my sister-in-law's house in Brazil.

More flowers from Brazil

Giant roses in California

Possibly the best thing about flowers is the variety of colors.

Intense blue at the Botanical Gardens, UC Berkeley, California

Flowers are such an important part of our ecosystem. I love seeing how bugs interact with them.

Spider getting a bee on a butterfly bush, Bodega Bay, CA

Botanical Gardens at UC Berkeley, California

Desert flowers, California

Flowers on the beach, Carmel, California

I love the texture of these flowers from the succulents that grow on the beach.

What do you love about flowers? Where are some of your favorite places to see them?

(This post is part of this week’s photo series on Budget Travelers Sandbox and Delicious Baby.)

With eyes and mind open, we can have moments of serendipity at any time, any place. I’m normally not a fan of rain, but with day after day of stormy weather this spring, I decided to open my mind and embrace it. Then one day I was rewarded with this moment near Lodi, California.

On this little highway in the middle of the valley wine country, a storm was brewing ahead of me while the sun was shining across the vineyards from low on the horizon. The sunlight on the grape leaves was so beautiful that I had to pull over.

So the storm caught up with me quickly and I had to drive home in pouring rain…it was worth it for the special mix of light and dark that this unexpected moment granted me.

(This post is part of this week’s photos series on Budget Travelers Sandbox and Delicious Baby.)

Geometric shapes by Robert Morris at play on the grass

The vision of Jan Shrem, the owner of Clos Pegase, seems bold, and I love it. Placing valuable modern art like this all over the winery’s grounds seems to reflect a true love of art and belief that it should be shared with the public. In fact, he recently made a $10 million donation to the nearby University of California at Davis for its new art museum (wow!).

Jean Dubuffet's Faribolous at the entrance to Clos Pegase

To me the highlight of the winery’s entrance was the colorful Jean Dubuffet sculpture above. However, the simple silver lines of this kinetic sculpture below provided an interesting addition to the organic quality of the olive tree and grape vines.

Two Lines Up Oblique, 1977, George Rickey

The winery itself makes a statement–its design is by Michael Graves, the winner of a competition instigated by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Its bright colors and strong use of line are unique among the nearby wineries which often evoke Tuscan villas and European castles.

In the courtyard just past the entrance sits a beautiful work by one of modern art’s best known artists, Henry Moore.

Henry Moore's Mother Earth, 1957-58

Sculpture is fun. It interacts with you, playing off its environment and demanding that you walk around it and take it all in. This thumb is a wonderful example of how sculpture can change the dynamic of its surroundings.

Cesar Baldachini's Pouce, 1963

Clos Pegase shows its appreciation for modern art most vividly, but there are a few older pieces as well, including these two Italian fountains.

Torino Royal Bacchus Fountain, 19th century Italian

17th century Italian fountain

Near the entrance to the tasting room stands this unusual piece whose shape perfectly complements the lines of the building.

Untitled by Mimmo Paladino, 1990

Art is just about in every corner of Clos Pegase. This room of impressive wine barrels even includes some unexpected pieces.

I love old stuff! Ancient pieces from the Roman Empire and beyond.

Besides sculpture, the winery displays many paintings in its tasting room, adjacent gallery, and offices.

I didn’t mind tasting wine with a Francis Bacon painting behind me and a Odilon Redon work in front of me. Amazing!

Art is everywhere inside the Clos Pegase tasting room

Art is the centerpiece of this unique winery. The wines are great, too, and the staff are friendly. I plan to bring my children back here again and again to experience art displayed in the beautiful surroundings of colorful architecture, vineyards, and Calistoga’s hills.

Where have you found art in unexpected places? Why do you love sculpture?

For more ArtSmart greatness, check out this month’s other posts on sculpture:

Rodin in San Francisco from No Onions Extra Pickles

Roy Lichtenstein’s Sculptures from A Sense of Place

A Study of the Apollo Belvedere at the Vatican Museum in Rome from Eurotravelogue

Forgetting the Sculpture of Patrick Dougherty from Travellious

]]> http://thisismyhappiness.com/2012/04/30/artsmart-roundtable-sculpture-at-clos-pegase/feed/ 19 http://thisismyhappiness.com/2012/04/30/artsmart-roundtable-sculpture-at-clos-pegase/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thisismyhappiness/fmMh/~3/6adRS_TRR4M/ http://thisismyhappiness.com/2012/04/28/if-you-could-live-anywhere/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:30:31 +0000 Jenna http://thisismyhappiness.com/?p=4388 If you could live anywhere, where would it be? This is a question that’s been floating around my house lately.

Thanks to two restless parents and a curious nature I can’t seem to avoid, I’ve lived in a lot of places, but 10 years ago, I made the decision to settle in Sacramento, California. Why? I had lived there as a teenager, was attracted to a big city and the adventure of California, had family there, and got a great job. There are many things about Sacramento that I still love, yet I can’t help but think of all the other places I “should” live (more on that in a later post).

My husband and I are both qualified ESL teachers, so we can live almost anywhere, and we plan to take advantage of that flexibility, possibly by living in various places for short periods of time. Here are the places I’ve been thinking about:

Europe

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. There are so many reasons I would love to live just about anywhere in Europe, but the biggest one for me now that I’m a parent is the sense of security, especially the low rate of violent crime.  Also, the cultural value of not working too hard and instead spending time with family and friends, plus the continent’s beautiful nature, cultural diversity, historical sights, and travel opportunities make it my idea of the perfect place to live.

Prague?

I lived in the Czech Republic and though I love the country, I probably wouldn’t live in one of its smaller towns again. Prague, however, has continued to attract me and I’ve thought many times about moving there. I’ve realized lately that its cold, cloudy weather and busy living pace wouldn’t be a good match for us anymore, but spending a summer there one of these years might be a good compromise.

Florence, Italy?

You probably know that I’m a bit obsessed with Florence. I fell in love with the city while studying abroad there and then returning for 3 weeks with a friend the following year. Since then, I’ve considered living there to be a dream that would never happen. I often wonder if I would still love Florence like I did when I was younger. I hope to spend much more time there both as a visitor and leading art tours but don’t think we will live there on a permanent basis.

Amsterdam?

I loved this city! The Dutch seem very evolved…the values of tolerance and harmony attract me, plus the city’s compact size and use of bikes make it seem livable, but I doubt we would find work teaching English there because its population already speaks English well.

Portugal?

I actually haven’t been to Portugal, but my husband and I are very excited to check it out because of its natural beauty and slow pace of life. Also, its vegetation and climate are similar to California’s. Most importantly, we could speak Portuguese there. I look forward to spending a few weeks exploring Portugal and Spain soon.

And what about outside of Europe?

Brazil? 

I’ve never been excited about living in Brazil; even though there are many things to love, there are some aspects of life there that leave me feeling a bit insecure. The possibility of living in Brazil has come up many times because my husband’s whole family is there, and we know we would find work–Brazilians are eager to learn English, and the fact that we are bilingual in Portuguese and English would be a huge plus. In fact, Brazil is going through fast, exciting changes and has a thriving economy.  If we decide to live there for a while, I would prefer a beautiful coastal town like Paraty:

 Japan?

We were in Japan only 3 days but it made a big impression on us. The combination of friendly people, convenience, and safety makes it seem like a great place for us to live as a family. We will never forget passing rows of bikes left unlocked on the streets of Osaka, a city of almost 3 million people. And it’s not difficult to find good work teaching English, possibly through the JET Program.

How about you? If you could live anywhere, where would you live? Why?

(Photos are mine and from Wikipedia Commons.)

My husband and I love animals and insects and have tried to show our kids that all creatures are precious. My older son is fascinated by insects. He found this hornworm on our tomatoes last summer and basically adopted it. “Sticky” is actually a pest, one that pops up frequently in organic gardens and quickly destroys tomato plants, but even he was loved.

He has always been fascinated by snails…not sure why, but that’s OK.

Every year we buy ladybugs and praying mantis babies and release them in the yard. The excitement on that day, with ladybugs flying around the yard, makes it a special tradition. We have taught Noah that these beneficial insects help the planet by eating pests and nurturing our little yard.

We have a lot of fun looking for the praying mantises throughout the year and seeing how they grow.

Are there any creatures that are close to your heart? Did you do anything special to celebrate Earth Day?

If you haven't been to Brazil, go! Its landscapes, even urban Rio, will blow you away.

Cliffs at sunset, from Ulu-watu, Bali

How about a little monkey with your sunset over the Indian Ocean?

An old photo but a favorite memory: the mustard plants in spring in the Czech Republic

Fresh snow in California's Sierra Nevada mountains is a beautiful sight.

Crater wasteland and tropical forest together at Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Walking on lava, on the Big Island of Hawaii

The raw beauty of California's coast never gets old. Portuguese Beach, Bodega Bay

The views of our planet from an airplane always make me feel tiny:

Passing over the American Southwest

Passing by Java's volcanoes

Flying over the Sierra Nevadas, California

I have to give thanks for places close to home, too. Here is my favorite place to walk, along the Sacramento River, four blocks from my house.

What are some of the landscapes that have particularly struck you? What are you doing to honor Earth Day?

(This post is part of this week’s photo series at Budget Travelers Sandbox and Delicious Baby.)

1.  Tell us about your site and why you started blogging.

Bringing Travel Home brings together what has inspired me from living abroad and other “global goodies” for fellow travelers, expats, ex-expats, world citizens and culturati. My posts range from subjects like living, working and having a child abroad to the benefits of bilingualism, as well as the arts, favorite trips, book reviews and international design and fashion.

With a background in journalism, I love to write and knew I would someday want to capture my  experiences of living abroad on paper (or computer). I brought back with me an old shoebox of notes I kept during my time there, which was, by the way, pre-blogging. For many years the shoebox was stuffed in my closet – I guess I needed time to let the time away settle in me. I also wasn’t sure what form I wanted the writing to take. One year ago, I took a “How to start a blog” online course offered by NY Times bloggers via the NY Times Knowledge Network. It walked me through the wordpress platform, offered tips and tools and gave me the kick start I needed. Bringing Travel Home was born and I haven’t stopped writing since. The blog has become a wonderful creative outlet and introduced me to a vibrant community of travel and culture bloggers. I can’t help think – if blogging was around when I lived abroad – how supportive this community would have been during my lonely times abroad. At the same time, I might have spent too much time blogging instead of just experiencing!

Lago di Garda, Monique's home in Italy

2.  I have long dreamed of living in Italy, so I am very curious about your decision to live there.  Why did you move to Italy?  Where did you live?

My mother is German and moved to the States in her 20s so I grew up visiting family in Europe and very aware of my European ties.  I probably inherited her wanderlust. In my 20s I spent every vacation or extended study opportunity in France or Italy. I was drawn to both countries for their beauty, climate, history, culture and proximity to the Mediterranean. Just shy of 30, discontent with life in San Francisco, and after much thought and planning, I traded a corporate PR career stateside to make a go of a new life abroad. I chose Northern Italy because I had family friend who lived there and offered me a place to stay while I looked for work.  I ended up living in both the city of Brescia and in a small village on stunning Lago di Garda in the Lombardy region of Italy.

3.  Certainly you had expectations of what life would be like in Italy before you moved there.  What were some of them, and which ones ended up being very different from the reality?

Yes, it was absolutely different to live there than visit, as with all places.  You’ve got the honeymoon phase, the everything-is-horrible phase and then settle into a nice in-between of reality.  The biggest reality check was that I imagined myself transferring a successful PR career from SF to Milan, even if it took teaching English for a while to get me there. It didn’t happen. I was naïve and possibly unrealistic about this.  Despite studying Italian before arrival, my capacity with the language was not sufficient to land a job with a Milan-based PR firm or a private corporation. Although my connections landed me many interviews (some that remind me of a Mad Men episode) – including one with a famous fashion design house – I initially received no solid job offers and few promises of consulting. In a crazy sequence of events, I met my now American husband and moved to the city where he worked and lived, and began tutoring English to businesses, executives and children first with a private school and later on my own (and loved it!). I also did some translation/special event work for visiting Coca Cola Company executives, served as a runway show emcee for an Italian luxury jeweler and provided voice over for a disco! But at the end, my time abroad was about meeting my husband (who, coincidentally lived in and escaped SF for an experience abroad also) and starting our family –the most important thing in my life now. I went looking for an experience abroad and came back with so much more.

"I went looking for an experience abroad and came back with so much more."

4.  What did you learn about yourself and about your home country (the U.S.) from living in Italy?

Growing up with a European mother (and a Mexican American father), I always felt an outsider to the average American family, so many of the ideas I have now I had before I left. For example, I always had the sensitivity to cultural differences and adopted my mom’s critical eye to some aspects of American culture. But one of the biggest lessons that hit home is that there are many ways to live life. Prior to leaving, I had bought into the work-focused, money making, fast-paced city career path. I had a great apartment, a nice salary, an important title and a new car. While I liked the work, the lack of balance wasn’t making me happy and the busy schedule and work obsession probably had a lot to do with my ego. My time in Italy, much of it in a beautiful, scenic area of Lago di Garda, gave me a lot of time for quiet and reflection. I believe I came back quite different – content with a lot less materially than I was before I left – and making choices that bring me happiness and tranquility. (I often call my time there a sort of retirement – but at the wrong age!). I now also believe that the idea that we reward those who keep up a frantic schedule – supermoms, workaholics, and overscheduled overachievers –  is curious, with downtime and leisure something some people are uncomfortable with or feel guilty about. Scheduling a weekend afternoon lunch with friends just isn’t easy anymore. While this isn’t just in America, it’s a difference I notice between here and there.

5.  What advice would you give others about working abroad?

In Italy, it’s not easy to get a visa if you are planning to work autonomously. And if you don’t get your permission to stay papers, you have three months to live there legally on a tourist visa. Working for an international company that will transfer you is likely the easiest and least expensive route. Teaching English – privately or with an American or international school – are both excellent ways to live abroad. I posted on this subject which gives more information and online resources.

6.  What were some of the challenges of living in Italy?  Were you able to find ways to overcome them?

We were often exasperated by Italian life and culture practices that seemed old fashioned or from outer space and another time, as well as the difficulty we experienced getting anything done (Italy is a small country but pack full of people and lines with a confusing system of no rules and very important rules at the same time). But we would remind ourselves that our lifestyle was the reward for the hardships. And every August, we usually escaped the country to catch our breath and regain some perspective . If we stayed, we would have moved to a more international city to have some contact with other Americans or foreign residents. Although I wouldn’t suggest making fellow expats your entire community (you will be living in a “mini America” as many expats do), I do believe long-term, it’s helpful to have a community like this for support. And as an American family we would probably always feel a little outside of the culture. But we know North American families who have made it work. I suspect having children helps with integration. For us, it was an amazing experience to have in our 30s and pre-kids. Once our baby was born there, we wanted to be closer to grandparents and have increased job security.

7.  How did you deal with making friends abroad?

My husband already had friends through his work, many of whom I adopted. I also made friends through attending an Italian language school in nearby Verona.  A  benefit of living in a place with few Americans is that the majority of our friends were Italian. I know many expats living in big cities like Paris, London or Rome, who end up spending all their time with other American expats and speaking English. It’s much harder for them to integrate, due to the large numbers of Americans living there and English more widely spoken. Although it was more challenging, I am fortunate that wasn’t the case for us and we experienced much of daily life as a local Italian would.

Brescia Duomo at ni ght

8.  What do you miss the most about living in Italy?

The beauty – the old architecture, the art, the piazzas and churches. I also miss being so close to other places to travel, like the south of France, Spain, and even the Red Sea. It takes much longer to get to the places we’d like to go, now that we are back in California. Life was also more interesting every day – even the mundane parts– by nature of being in another culture and speaking another language. As Americans, you feel you have a special pass to live apart from the social norms or laws and it’s very  liberating. Here, we are the same as everyone else!

9.  You met your husband and had a baby in Italy.  What was it like being pregnant and having a baby there?

Amazing and challenging, all in one. I felt like the Madonna pregnant, but had to experience one of a woman’s most significant passages in another language and far from home, family and customs. It taught me to abandon my American parenting books and trust in the Italian way of doing things. Often hilarious, but not always easy. And I think what is most surprising to Americans is that the free healthcare and facilities there were superior to what I experienced here the second time around. I wrote more about this in a post about having a baby abroad...

10.  You are returning to Italy with your husband and two children next month.  Will you tell us about traveling in Italy with children after you get back?

Yes, absolutely! We look forward to returning as a family. In fact, our “baby” born in Italy will celebrate her 9^th birthday there.