Posts

Handsomest Man in Cuba: Carlo tracked him down on a Friday!

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To celebrate the 10th anniversary of my maiden voyage to Cuba I've created a ...   Handsomest Man in Cuba Facebook Fan Page And what better way to kick it off than with this utterly stunning photo essay by photographer/editor Carlo Alcos of popular travel writing site matadornetwork.com, who read my book, bought a Bike Friday, and did his own sojourn in 2010. His dramatic shots far surpass my Kodak happysnaps circa 2000. Take a look for yourself ... more Cuba news http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba/blog CAMERAS Carlo uses (and you're GONNA wanna know): "A Canon 40D... my two lenses are the Canon EF-S 10-22mm and the Canon EF-S 18-200mm." Rats! big 'ones. I guess I'm gonna have to grow up ... Carlo Alcos : CUBA PHOTO ESSAY 2010 published by  matadornetwork.com My wife and I were sitting on the steps of the Capitolio when I said, "is that...is he...no, can't be." But it was. 10 years after Lynette's excursion in Cuba and here he sti

Yoga: Thank you Glenn Martin and YogaDirect.com!

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Namaste! Today I received 6 yoga blocks and 6 blankets thanks to the kind donation by Bike Friday Customer Glenn Martin  (pictured mid-Vasisthasana on Arizona Camp 2010 ) and a kind price break by YogaDirect.com. (As I said in my last yoga post, the ex-studio mats were donated by Laughing Lotus and my training was by Joschi Yoga Institute). It's gratifying to know that a dot com with a word like "direct" in it still has some human intervention to do special things for special people. Thank you Yoga Direct. The special people I'm referring to are the seniors at the Hudson Guild Community Center where I am volunteering a weekly yoga class. So far I've done 2 classes. Abilities range from belly dancers to someone in a wheelchair. It's really making me think about what really works for different bodily limitations. A lady with problematic feet could n ot do Downdog. We did Navasana (boat poses) instead - like a Down Dog upside down - no pressure on her feet a

Stupor Glue!

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   A picture paints a thousand gripes. Can you tell what I'm about to rant about on FastCompany.com ? Stand by ... OK, here's the rant: Packaging Design 101: Follow through ... with decent glue .  

NY Minutes: What snow looks like upover + Joe's Giant Step

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A little video of me tramping through the icy streets of NYC for my mother and father (who are sweltering in the heat of high summer Downunder). Ever wondered what it's like to walk through an icebox? Assuming you could shrink yourself down and do just that - this comes close. One thing you gotta do - buy the right boots . This year I blew $100+ on a pair of Steve Maddens that had absolutely, positively, NO zip up the side. Why so? Step in curbside puddle wearing boots with a side zip and you'll soon know - you'll be ankle deep in water. I believe I was on my way to a talk by übernaut Joe Kittinger (first man in space, jumped out of a balloon at 102K feet etc) hosted by Forbes Adventurer Jim Clash .  Joe appears far left, Jim's in the fawn jacket. The jump has been called, "Joe's Giant Step." I tell you, the weather on the way over to the Madison Ave location soon became a blizzard - I felt like Scott in the Antarctic. Jim interviewed me in 2005

NY Minutes: Happy VD 2010 - maybe.

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  Strolling past this building in Chelsea, NYC, I looked up to see a rolled tube containing a rose fall from a high window. It landed with a phtttht in the branches of a tree, as you can see.  What's the story behind this fallen rose, here on Valentine's Day?  Was it a "To heck with you!" moment? I paused a moment, waiting for an armful of men's clothing to swiftly follow, but it never came.  Thankfully. 

Helping NY Seniors: A little bit of yoga and one hot, cooked meal a day

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"Lynette, tell them about your yoga class. LYNETTE'S GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT YOGA!" Yehudit is gathering people around one of the giant round tables in the cavernous community dining room. Some people aren't moving, so I won't get their attention. Most are already walking out the door. There's at least two generations of a Chinese family with a translator in front of me. Someone asks if I can speak Spanish. "Sufficiente para sobrevivir," I answer. I start to describe some simple movements and talk about Ujayi or "Darth Vadar" breathing. "Slower," says Yehudit as we raise our arms above our heads. I announce that we will be doing standing yoga in my class. I catch a glimpse of a Chinese gentleman in a wheelchair just as Yehudit says, "what about people who can't stand?" "We'll be doing sitting postures as well," I say. Thus began my induction to volunteering yoga at the Hudson Guild S

John Hardy: Baubles with a conscience

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Joy Ohara, Susan Lee , me (with Damien's bracelet), and pals form university days Lye Kok (back) and Damien Dernoncourt outside the Maritime Hotel, Chelsea, Manhattan On Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting Damien Dernoncourt, CEO and principal of John Hardy , makers of extremely fine silver jewelry in the Balinese tradition.  Apart from a mutual friendship with Bike Friday customers Lye and Joy, Damien had something in common: a handmade product with a story. In Damien's case, a stunning range of high-end silver jewelry made in Bali, where his company is the tiny country's biggest employer.  In my case, my little Traffic Cone Bag that's made in America (and of course, Bike Fridays , made in Eugene, Oregon).  When you see Damien's jewelry displayed in chic 5th Ave store windows, seemingly untouchable unless you're dressed well enough to hit the buzzer and enter, you'd never imagine the human and inspiring story behind it. First, the Balinese have th