Here and There Blog

The fields are about 75% in bloom and it looks like the next two weeks will be the best time to go. As it gets to the end of the season, the fields start to get harvested so it's never truly 100% complete.

We hired a guide and car and set off for the day. I didn't realize how far apart and back into the hills the wineries are. If you get car sick, this may not be the best drive for you. I'd only ever been on this road once before and that was so long ago that I only remember going to Solvang and eating pancakes. I'd never tried any of these wines before and I liked the Reds at Sunstone and Sanford the best.  Cheers!  We had a huge cheese and cracker spread for lunch. I wish I had those leftovers for breakfast today.  The vines all trimmed and ready for fresh growth in a few weeks.

Woke up this morning in Santa Barbara for fun, not for work. The clouds have burned off, the day is warm and in a few hours the wine limo is coming to pick our group up for vineyard exploring. For now, I'm sipping coffee and enjoying the view.  

Back from Mexico and not staying caught up with my Illustrator class. We're on gradients now and I managed to change a gradient but it's on my other computer. That means I need to jump right back into the lesson and finish it up. I sense a class repeat in my life. St. Patrick's Day (or day before) was fun as I went to Stone with Homer to try a new beer. Surprise! I was a month too early since the next beer release is April. I guess it was an early April Fool's joke. I'm now doing the usual hotel circuit of Anaheim, Santa Barbara, LA before heading home next week. No trips out of the US for a while, I'm working on passport Visas. Time to start planning Asia though.

The best way to see the historic district is on foot or the Turibus. I recommend going early otherwise the usual throng of sellers will occupy all the steps and entrances. Many of the old churches are so run down on the exterior that it's sad that they are not kept up given the number of visitors to this area.  The lower part of the bricks are black probably from car pollution.  This yellow church had the loudest bell and when it was 9:00 am, everyone in the area knew it!  Right outside my hotel.

Walking along Reforma and the side streets is a visual treat for those who care to look. Mixing old art styles with new, and plenty of bronze casts of historical figures (I ignored those) it's a photo op everywhere. I'm sure these aren't gecko's but I could be wrong.  This was along the side street  And in the center of the walking street  The Rotary Club has sponsored some unusual sculptures  In the park

If you have time and want to get up early, the best way to explore the Reforma area is early in the morning on Saturday or Sunday. The traffic is light, the hawkers are not yet fully out to sell you anything, and you can see take photos with zero hassle. This was the first time I saw the deck of cards street bench unoccupied. Even though there are lots of historical sculptures, this is my favorite. Really, I don't ever remember seeing blue sky in Mexico City before. Of course those other trips I was always inside but still...Spring is the time to be here.  Walking in the park in the historic district.  And the Angel of Independence in the traffic circle.

It's back to the life of living and working in a hotel. I get up in the morning, have coffee, clear out email. Go downstairs to the meeting rooms and host 9 hours of training, then back to clear more email, then stop. I haven't stepped foot outside the hotel for two days now and expect the next two to repeat. The wind has been blowing strong all day (we can hear the howling, the trees moving and the windows creaking) so it's just as well I'm inside. A new school lesson comes in tomorrow so the struggle to learn Illustrator continues!

Sculptures line the streets, the walkways, the alleys. This is around the corner from the hotel and I used it for a quick CS6 refresher from lesson 1. The sculpture is lost in the blue so I over did this one. Another Sculpture in the center of the walking path

Not so exciting but I did ask for a quiet room to avoid street noise! Well worth it when you're in Mexico City.