Malmo, Sweden: REST IN PEACE Georgette!!!

Life is constant, and with that come highs and lows. It is magnified even more when you're on the road and at a distance.  I happen to be in Malmo, Sweden.
Today is a dark day for me.... Yesterday, Wednesday evening, I received word from home, via Skype, that my dearest cousin, Georgette, was in her final hours after her long battle with breast cancer. It is to her, my hero, that I dedicate today's post.
The family came together last night in prayer, as she lay in her hospital bed peaceful and still, waiting for her turn to be called. It was announced that she passed at 11:52pm. Being petite in frame, but strong in character, she always showed resilience, strength and determination, never waivering, remaining positive and optimistic throughout her fight with cancer over these past few years.
Georgette is the second oldest of my first cousins, on my dads side of the family. As kids, life was different. Her being seven and half years my senior, she was then the "big" cousin I looked up to and admired but didn't really know. I am grateful for our time as adults, having shared a bond and closeness.
It is now that I reminisce of times past when we were all young and vibrant, when three generations of Chennault's would come together at Aunt Shirley's house every Thanksgiving and Christmas for a "Norman Rockwell-esque" holiday event. We would feast on a turkey dinner, drink eggnog and spirits and share good laughs. The house was full of love, with Grandma and Grandpa Chennault, Aunt Kat, and Grandma Wahls perched on the landing at the dinette table watching over the shenanigan's going on in the oversized family room. Uncle Mike would randomly play a jazz tune on the piano, filling the room with ambient music, while "us kids", would run around the house playing with toys and games, as Georgette and the older cousins did "older cousin things". We were all so present and in the moment. Those were definitely better days, near and dear to my heart, that I am truly grateful for!!!
Years passed and times changed, distance strained family relationships, we all grew and blossomed into who we were born to be, developed families of our own and were consumed with everyday life, but, my and Georgette's kinship seemed to strengthen. "She essentially became the sister I never had". She would share how proud she was of me and my accomplishments, stating, "girl, you've lived the lives of three people". Hearing that sentiment ring in my ears today, makes me wish I truly had a reserve of years to give to her.
I last visited Georgette this past August while in Detroit. I happened to be on a break from the tour. I had no idea that that time would be my last. I knew she was ailing, but she always stayed positive, never indicating that her time might be near. The visit was brief, as we didn't want to overwehlm and exhaust her. My mom, dad and I sat quietly sharing Dunkin' Donut breakfast sandwiches, orange juice and coffee. It was nice.
These past months, with me touring and being in Europe, we've had the luxury of sending the occassional text or two, sharing a simple shout out to say, "I <3 u" and "ur n my thoughts".
Georgette was a restless soul, low in patience and tolerence, was private, abrupt and always busy, but never lacked generosity, honesty, or candor. She would openly and often, tell me how much she loved and admired me, and for that I am eternally grateful. With her being gone, I feel as though there is no stone left unturned. I will miss her and all that she is.
Now, more than ever, there is one memory that sticks with me most.  It is that of our time spent on the beach on Tybee Island, Georgia.  It was last year and the final day of the Chennault Family Reunion weekend.  It was Georgette's turn to play host to our bi-annual family event, and despite being tired, having organized a spectacular weekend of activities for all, it was time for her to exhale.  Feeling relief from her hosting duties, myself, cousin Bobby, mom, dad and Georgette, quietly spent that Sunday afternoon under beach umbrellas and on lounge chairs, drinking wine coolers and beer. We reflected on the good time had that weekend, the beauty of having "family", and our lives together years past.
Today, I will cherish that moment that I spent with "my cousin, sister and friend", the vibrant and seemingly more healthy Georgette, who I'd always known and loved.  It gives me great peace and solice to know that even though she has been robbed of her years, I have memories that will be with me a lifetime. RIP Georgette!!! You are missed already. With love... ;)

***PHOTO INSERT OF US ON TYBEE ISLAND IS YET TO COME***

Prague, Czech Republic: The Augustine Hotel

It's 5:30pm, exactly, and I'm back in my hotel room. Today, I had the most amazing meal and afternoon!!! It was all so random. That's what's beautiful about travel, each day is full of surprise and mystery. Yesterday I woke in Zurich, now today, Prague....
When we arrived this morning to gloomy and wet weather, I went to the gym for a nice work out, before running into Robbie, our pastry chef, at the front desk. I was only there to inquire about the internet connection, or should I say, lack of, when he invited me to join him to share a cab across town. With no definite plan, I accepted the offer, quickly went to my room to shower from my gym session, joined him in the lobby a half hour later, and we were on our way. Yes,...on our way to the Augustine Hotel. I had only just learned of the five star hotel from him the day before. He had plans to retrieve something he had left there from his last visit in town and didn't mind me tagging along. As a chef for Pink, having stayed at the hotel this past summer, and fond of it, he shared stories with me of his amazing experiences working alongside the kitchen and hotel staff. The former monastery, now hotel, sits very unassumingly on a small side street in a prime section of Prague, walking distance to the famous Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. The inside hallway off the reception area features gorgeous 20th century Cubist sculptures, which compliment the stone arched hallways, wood and frescoed ceilings and cloistered terraces. The furnishing is clean and modern, yet comfortable. The setting is heavenly, appropriately so, considering the buildings origin.
Taking a moment, Robbie was welcomed and greeted by the head chef of the restaurant before we made our decision on what to eat. I chose the beetroot and goat cheese salad to start and a wonderfully flavored piece of cod with chickpea, tomato and artichoke to follow, while he ordered the salmon with cucumber and a pigeon entre. We washed it down with a light dry white Czech wine and sparkling water. It was all so divine!!!
Finishing our meal, Robbie scurried off by taxi to make his afternoon work call, while I took a leisure walk back to the hotel, pit stopping at the Charles Bridge for some night time photo ops before turning in. Today was a good day!!!...

Zurich, Switzerland: Picasso & Giacometti Exhibits

Today was good practice in living in the moment.
We reached Zurich midday, from Vienna. Bored and restless, now settled into my hotel room, in an instant, I hopped up with the intent to venture nearby to purchase a few needed toiletries, when I ended up in the city center instead. I was spontaneous and adventurous, a bit intimidated by my foreign surroundings, and with no direction on where to go, I took a chance and boarded the local above ground train into town to roam the streets. I had planned to walk aimlessly in search of new discovery when I stumbled upon the Museum of Modern Art. Before leaving the hotel, I had briefly looked online to see what there was available to do in town, when I learned of the featured Picasso exhibit at the Kunsthaus Zurich. I was in need of a dose of art and culture and today seemed perfect. The weather was wet and gloomy, so it felt appropriate to be indoors.
The exhibit interested me, not because the featured artist was Pablo Picasso, but because the artwork displayed was that of his first retrospective museum exhibition in 1932 at this actual venue. It was a very significant show for 2oth century modern art, and a first for a living artist. My footsteps were virtually reliving a moment in history.


Above, video images of the retrospective exhibition of 1932.
Below, is Picasso in Zurich in 1932.




When first entering the show, displayed on the walls were framed black and white photographs of the actual opening from the 1930's. The paintings displayed throughout showed the evolution of his style from the first three decades of his career as a painter. It was interesting to see his paintings transition from his early Classical work to Cubism. In actuality, I'm not a big fan of Picasso, though I respect him as a painter. I find it educational and inspiring to take in original artwork, dispite my feelings of the artist. After slowly gazing the display of paintings, and few drawings, I went downstairs expecting to leave, when I noticed a showing of work by Alberto Giacometti. For as long as I can remember, well,.....since college, Giacometti has truly been one of my favorite artist. I can remember being instantly impressed with the power and expressiveness of his understated elongated figures and portraits. There is a stillness about his work that speaks volume. I walked through the five rooms of sculptures and paintings feeling hightened and in awe of this body of work. The Picasso show was worth seeing, but the Giacometti collection of work moved me. I left the museum inspired and spiritually lighter than when I walked in. There has been one other time that I recall being particularly moved emotionally by an artist work, and that was at an exhibit by Gerhard Richter at the Art Institute of Chicago a few years back. "Art should be more than just a pretty picture, it should evoke emotion and inspire, having the viewer leave feeling better for having experienced the art".





These are some of the Picasso paintings I observed at the exhibit, and below, are sculptures and artwork displayed by artist, Alberto Giacometti.






I left the museum, heading back towards the city center, before making a detour on a nearby street lured by the cute boutiques and restaurants. I was now hungry and had an appetite, but cluless about where to eat, when I noticed a cute cafe restaurant called Henrici. I sat at the sidewalk table overlooking the square, covered awning sheltering me from the rain, when I ordered a nice cucumber dill soup and Irish coffee to warm the soul. I don't mean to sound sappy and ethereal, but it was at that time that I basked in the moment, being very present in my surrounding. I soaked up the environment, moved by the sounds of distant church bells and the rythm of passerbys,.....moms pushing baby strollers, couples toting umbrellas, shop keepers dumping garbage and cigarette smoke curling past my nose. In that instance, I was tickled emotionally by my unfamiliar setting. It was a moment that I wished I could capture and bottle, only to relive again.
Fastforward to real time, my phone text alerted me that my friends were headed to town and wondering of my whereabouts. We arranged to meet in the area once they were situated. As it was, they ended up at a Mexican restaurant just around the corner. I joined them, having a caipirinha before we carried on cruising the active streets. We found another watering hole called U-turn and had one more drink before deciding to call it a night. It was yet another unexpected great day. As usual, I have no complaints....

Dutched Pinay Travels: Travel Magazines & Websites versus Travel Blogs

Dutched Pinay Travels: Travel Magazines & Websites versus Travel Blogs

Dutched Pinay is a travel and food blog that I love and follow. I would recommend it to anyone seeking insight and travel tips before planning their next big getaway. In my opinion, travel advice and suggestions from a seasoned professional traveler are priceless. I find this blogsite a good point of reference. Happy travels!!!

Torino, Italy: The bidet

The bidet (bi.det, /bi-'day/). In Europe, the one thing that distinctly separates the US from many countries worldwide, among other things, is the commonly seen bidet in most all non-public bathrooms (aka, "lieu" and "wc"). It is the typical and sometimes standard bathroom fixture that sits low and at first glance could be mistaken for a toilet. Knowing that it is French in origin, dating back to the 17th century, and found in bathrooms throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia and even Africa, I ask myself, is it still often used for its original intended function as it once was? Do women, or men, for that matter,.....this is the 21st century, really take the time to squat pony-style, straddling this porcelin bowl, to do a bit of extra personal cleansing and grooming? I guess I'll just have to speculate since I don't plan to hit the streets to take a survey. It was just a thought that made me go,... hmmmmmm. I can only presume that soaking in a tub or showering might be as effective. I bet there are plenty of imaginative and creative additional ways to use the bidet,.....a beverage strorage cooler, an infant bathing tub, a plant bowl... Apparently, bidets of today have come a long way and are now available in a variety of styles and materials, even offering assorted attachments. With there being such a large market for the sister basin to the toilet, I can only assume that use of the bidet is still very much alive and well.
For me, the bidet has an even deeper significance, it's a throw back to my childhood memories. Having lived in Europe as a kid, I became familiar with the bathroom fixture as a youngster. Not realizing its function, and figuring it to be an additonal toilet, I'd love to recall my moms explanation for the permanent prop taking up prime realestate in the "lieu". I'll imagine, it was something to the effect of, "well, hun, consider it a play pool for Barbie and all her friends". Whatever the case, the bidet, has stood the test of time, is here to stay, and for me, will always be associated with my memories and the fondness I have for Europe. Odd, but true.

Zagreb, Croatia: New footsteps!!!

Nothing bad can ever be said about sushi in Zagreb. After arriving yesterday evening, having flown from Belfast, myself, Tony, Leese and Adam had a nice dinner at Takenoko, a modern upscale, but comfortable, Japanese restaurant in the city center. I opted to not waste calories on the undesirable plane food, but instead, swapped them for the tempura-style cooked seabass topped with shredded radish and sprigs of chive, jasmine rice, a green salad and fine glass of Reisling. It was perfect! I was in good company, the setting ambient with dim lighting and the crowd mature. It was a nice start and transition from having been in the UK for nine days.

Zagreb is a first for me. I am embarrased to say that I was not familiar with the city at all and had never even heard of it. Shuttled back to the hotel from the restuarant by taxi, and with it being night, I couldn't get a true feel for what was to come the next day. It would, instead, be a surprise.

I woke to a gloomy, misty and foggy morning, thinking that the day might be a bust. After my intense workout, a first, in the state-of-the-art hotel gym, I returned to my room to see that the haze had burned off and the sky was fairly clear. I lucked up by joining the Glam team and Laura who were just starting out for a stroll. We, along with some of the video crew, followed the tram tracks to the city center. We took in the historic sights at the main square where we ate a casual lunch and had drinks at a sidewalk cafe. It was turning out to be a great day.

We wandered up a twisty side street off the main square into what was the older part of town. The street of cobblestone was cute with a few really great clothing and jewelry boutiques sprinkled along the way. We window shopped while making our way to the top. It was charming and picturesque. Some of the buildings and storefronts, that have stood for centuries, had been refaced and patched with stucco and paint, showing evidence of their history through some of the uncovered stonework peaking through, from around the window sills and door thresholds. It was all so textural and the colors muddy and subdued.

At the top of the hillside we found a cathedral with a wonderfully decorative rooftop of tile and ornate carvings, a bit further down the road led us to a sunset lit view of the city. We strolled the promenade feeling compelled to take photos along the way. The glow of light reflecting off the crumbling and weathered buildings made for a great photo shoot backdrop. It was too easy,...with the graffiti-masked facades and vine covered walls, canopy treetops sparse with leaves casting shadows in all the right places. It was a no brainer and lured us in.

With the sun starting to set we made our way back down from the top of the hill and through the city streets to the hotel.

I took an hour or so to regroup, collect myself, and felt the need to be challenged in the 7pm yoga class offered in the gym downstairs. I enjoy yoga, having been a bit dedicated to it last year. Notice,...I said, "last year", this year is another story. I've been traveling with the tour since February and this doesn't lend itself to routine activities like yoga. I tell myself to practice by watching my yoga DVD's, but for me, there's nothing like a group setting. Anyway, as I was saying, I felt the need to be challenged tonight and joined the scheduled class. I left there feeling wrecked! I am proud of myself for going, especially knowing that the class would be taught in Croatian, of which, I know none. I was already familiar with certain yoga poses, which helped, it was also easy enough to follow along by watching the instuctor and people around me. I did what I could to the best of my ability, which essentially is what yoga is about, and returned to my room before treating myself to a glass of wine with friends at the bar downstairs. In my opinion, "I'd earned it!"

As for Zagreb, I wish we had more time. It's a beautiful city, and for now, still affordable. I've heard great things about the coastal areas and would love to learn more. This might have to be a future destination for me and Mui Alto. For Europeans, it's already a great holiday getaway, but for us in America, I think it's still a hidden jewel.

Well,... until next time.........

Dublin, Ireland: Powerscourt Gardens

Today was eventful and our last full day off in Dublin, with one of three shows left to perform at the O2. We've been here almost a week now and I have yet to be fully motivated and exciteed to explore and take on the town as I normally might. The weather has been a bit overcast and grey, attributing to my mood, but that normally doesn't stop me. I was tired and a bit hung over from drinking the night before, but knew that I couldn't let the day pass without seeing something that I might not otherwise see. I didn't want to have regret.
We've been in and out of the city center for days now, I knew it only made since to venture further. The hotel promoted bus tours that traveled the north and south coast of Ireland, with stunning coastal views and castles to be seen. I talked myself, Lisa and Adam into an early morning of culture. We met in the lobby promptly at 9:20am to catch the double decker bus at 10am for the Southern Coastal Tour. We drove an hour and a half along the coast outside of Dublin, passing through interesting communities and neighborhoods, before reaching our destination stop of Powerscourt Home and Gardens, a countryside estate with immaculate gardens tucked away in the hills of Ireland. Oddly, once we arrived, expecting to see more of a castle, instead of an estate, we were dropped at the entrance for a pure showcase of "commercialism" at it's best. Immediately, there were things to buy, souvenirs, food gifts, stationary, trinkets, furnishings, etc., and we had literally only set foot off the bus. It was a bit shocking and definitely not what we had expected. We had a light lunch and snack at the restaurant cafe, then carried on walking through the gardens. There was a rose garden, traditional English gardens and a gorgeous Japanese garden that we liked the most. We followed a map leading us to each before visting the Pet Cemetary. Apparently, the priveleged family that once occupied the Estate had many pets, in particular, small breds of dogs and ponys, that had been laid to rest, with a headstone and all, in a small designated area on the property.
The gardens were undoubtedly beautiful and the views stunning, I think we were just expecting something a bit different. Nonetheless, it was a day well spent away from the city and gave me more outlook on what Ireland has to offer. It's somewhere I had never been and can now reference. See there, "you learn something new everyday". Traveling in general does that, but especially the way we do,...this definitely holds true.