Puppies!

I love puppies, lovelovelovelovelovelovelove them.

These puppies were 2 month old mutts on the beaches of Mexico, transported in that box, they could not walk or bark yet, crawling around for shade.

They just don't make things like they used too..

Here in Morristown, NJ, they are home to the Morris Museum. It's not the worlds biggest museum but it has some interesting things.. Here are some photo's of an exhibit of mechanical toys and music boxes from the 1800's..

Cute little piggies.. They still work too.. The craftsmanship is amazing, the hand painting. The materials used are not just molded plastic like most toys are made these days, these museum items are composed of materials like velvet, porcelain, clay, and hand blown beads.

The mechanics, amazing! This alligator almost looks real. I think toys like this would inspire any child (or child-like adult) to play and imagine and create.

Does this toy look familiar? Mechanical Bear built in 1872, and my dog-godson Mowgli built in 1999.

This was one of my favorites; it is a music box with a mechanical doll lounging on a day bed, she could be viewed on either side of the frame, as well as viewed from different angle in the mirror placed above the lounging mechanical doll.

Mexicalways

Coming from one Latin Country to another felt like going from one (party) fiesta to another. Panama is full of people walking from one place to another, large groups standing, passing time talking with no sence of urgency or order. Then hop onto Mexico City; the air sounds of the desil trucks causing traffic jams at 2 AM. As we wait to open the door of the airplane the airport looks like we just pulled up to the titanic, stories of porthole like windows streching further than I can tell on either side. The guards whistle to me, check my bag to make sure it is mine; someone dressed pedestrian clothes is rushing up to check my paperwork is correct. If I didn't know the language I would have been sure they thought I was livestock.




Driving around the Destrico Federal is as chaotic as the airport, even at 2 AM. All of the buisnesses are closed but the streets are filled with cars and trucks taking left and right turns from the middle and side lanes. After a couple of missed exits we make it back to Buenavista to the cement five story apartment building my aunt lives in, to rest and get ready for the next day of adventure.



Before leaving on my trip people asked me; "Why Mexico City?", and in the first couple of hours I asked myself the same question. Getting out of the parking lot we are instantly met with traffic that did not end. At each stop light you could buy a; bubble making saxiphone, fresh sqeezed OJ, calling cards, get your windows washes, maybe a Mani-Pedi. When you park on the street or lot there is someone there to help you into your spot, that is smaller than a new york city apartment, and protect your car, or scratch it, depending if you pay him or not. Then we were also met with protesters, forced to go the wrong way for three turns, you don't have a choice to go to that neighborhood or not. To drive in this city my mother says everyone is in a rush, I say you need endless amounts of pacients and my aunt said courage.

After hours of disconbobulazation we parked and went for some lunch. Mexico is the home of my passion for tacos. At the Restaurant de Rita they have at least three different type of tortilla. With a packed restaurant the kitchen was a parade of smoke with dough needing, frying, plantain smushing, freshness. We got flouta's; rolled into a tortilla is chicken and cheese, they are lightly fried and then place under a guacamole salsa, lettuse, cheese, and sour cream.




I ordered Hurache; a thick masa dough hardened on a smokey street grill, topped with re-fried beans, cheese and two thin pork chops. As I took a bite of my friends steak that had been pounded thin, grilled quickly, melted in my mouth, the anger and frustration of driving melt away as well. To respect the chaos that is everything around you it allows you to enjoy all the hard work the people put into everything they do. They make easy things very difficult, but also make it taste amazing.




Ask any business owner who is the hardest workers and they will say either single moms or Mexicans. Mexico is a country of competors, they understand hard work, and they want the best/cheapest for themselves. If you put all those factors into any equation you get Mexico, when you put food into that equation that means fresh homemade food for cheap. Day one out of forty five complete and exhausted.

I made you a little card..

Boston to Westport on a Bike

I cannot pinpoint where the idea sprung, however, I became captivated by the idea of biking to far away places people normally travel to in cars. While living in Boston I used my bicycle to get around town, I would bike from school to work to anywhere else, I began to wear my biking shoes more than any other pair I owned. I love the idea of not only enjoying the destination but also the journey. When I have taken road trips in the past I was frustrated at the interesting sights I would pass by at 80 mph, too fast to take a picture, and traveling too fast to stop every mile or two. More over, the combination of not owning a car to go outside the city, and biking 20 miles or more a day I began to research bike touring with serious intentions.

One of my favorite trips was from Boston to Westport MA. The trip's distance was 60 miles, at a pace of 10 miles and hour plus stops, it took about six hours. I was lucky enough to have a friend that owned a house right on the beautiful Westport River and it had a view of our destination, Westport Rivers Vineyard.

Westport is a beautiful coastal town at the very bottom tip of Massachusetts South of Boston. The town has a river running through it and leads straight to its pretty beach and harbor.

We started somewhat early in the morning, getting together at around seven am, after adjusting and warming up, we hit the road at around eight. This leg of the trip was a challenge. The first part of the trip took us thought heavy morning commuter traffic, at that time of the day we were in a game of leapfrog with the morning busses going through Rt.138 and Rt.27 through Stoughton. Some miles down we got onto Summer Street where there are a paved bike/walking path makes the trek much easier and pleasant. Most of the terrain is level with peaks every 5 miles.

About 2 hours into the trip, the type of road changes, Rt.106, traffic on a 2-lane route with “Mega stores” on either side dusted by woods. Traffic went at a steady 50- 60 miles per hour with sporadic traffic lights. I have traveled on these routes, cars are generally polite and travel around you without making you feel unsafe. The first couple minutes are going to be nerve racking, but as you petal along you get more comfortable and adjust, I like to go at my own pace, take my time at lights letting the rush traffic go first if it feels safer.

We got off Rt. 106 and onto Rt. 138/ Broadway we were still on a 2-lane Route but with less intersections and “Mega stores” and getting closer to Tauton. As you get closer to a town the architecture changes to smaller buildings, within Tauton we got a little lost about Weir Street, going though the picturesque downtown and around the town green the fast paced traffic we were not able to check our location until we passed the downtown shuffle. This is where I stress the importance I find traveling with an Iphone, or GPS unit, can be. I would love to travel with nothing but a compass and a map but you can save a lot of time if you have an Iphone. We printed out bits of our pre-planned directions, detailed maps around certain turns and general Route map. After our trip downtown we made our way towards Fall Rivers State Forest.

Four hours into the tour we were on our way to Fall Rivers State Forest. We maneuvered our way though residential patches, some without sidewalks. While in quite areas of homes and hills it is nice to travel double breasted, while riding we were able to talk my riding buddy told me it was hard for her to navigate her gears; this is a great excuse to take a break.

Bike tools are also very important to travel with. A simple multi-tool is light weight and very useful, a travel pump, spare tube, and two tire levers, that and needle nose pliers is all that one needs on a short bike tour. If not, you are at the mercy of what is around you, cars passing by, how close you are to a helpful friend or your distance from a mechanic, walking.

My favorite, and most disconnected, part of the trip was through the State Forrest. We saw three cars the entire time we were there, nothing but gravel and dirt roads, beautiful vistas, and trees as far as you can tell. We bounced along the rocky road keeping our balance going downhill. Managing the dirt and rocks was a challenge for me, unlike my travel buddy, she had no problem breezing along the treacherous paths.

The final stretch Westport, a long way of homes, hills, and farms, we stopped at some grazing lamas. We passed by a scented chicken farm, and then up over and along the coast of the river. The north side of the river is a high rising road that provides as much aerobic exercise as pretty views. Although after 50 miles of riding, the uphill road was the last thing we wanted to do. It took us about an hour to get up to my friends home. But when we did we were greeted at the door with some cold miller high lifes’ and hot showers! Next onto the Westport Rivers Winery, we could see the rows of vines across the river.

Lynette 101

Hello World,

As my second venture into the blogging world I would like it to be a tale full of triumphs and discoveries, exploits and investigations; a medium of sharing with friends and friends yet to meet.

My background is in design, I have a BS in Interior Design, and a passion for design and art since I was very young. I also have a long career in restaurants; waiting tables through my younger years and venturing into mixology later on.

Right now, I am taking the time to filter though all the things I have ventured in and attempt to put it together in a larger puzzle. I would like to identify all my personal gems and construct a "necklace".

Read on for my perspective of; travel, dining, and designing.