Nicci Carrera

May 22, 2014 Nicci Art school, High Sierra, Photography, Travel

Mountain beauty

I tried something my friend Laurie suggested and took this photo on auto, then put it on partial auto and kept working it until I had what I wanted. This was shot through a dirty window. I am just loving how that works! I like taking photos through windows.

I like taking photos through windows because it makes more of the world available. I took this one out the car window. Now I know it works, so I will do it sooner, before we descend into the trees. Then you can really see the mountain. Stay tuned for that shot. This is Mount Rose Ski Resort ,but the mountain itself is actually Slide Mountain. Mount Rose itself is actually next to where they put the ski resort.

The other reason I like shooting through windows, like I did with the San Diego sunset and a few of the other San Diego shots, in that case through plexiglass wind barriers set up around the outdoor seating area at the restaurant, is the windows provide a natural gritty or wavy filter. That appeals to me sometimes — oddly enough, when the scenery is too glaringly beautiful!

May 20, 2014 Nicci Cooking, Photography, Vegetarian

Occasionarian diary 4

The stuffing for stuffed cabbage. Sweet and sour (sour from citric acid, sweet from honey) with whole canned tomatoes and lentils with parsley.

Making corn pudding with variations from Cookbook for Poor Poets and Others by Ann Rogers.

May 18, 2014 Nicci Writing

Selfie Sunday

I was staring out the window daydreaming today, which I do a lot of as I work, when I decided I had to take a selfie. Do you know — day dreaming is very good! We think that work has to be grind, grind, grind, or else it isn’t work. But when we allow our minds some freedom we may come up with short cuts or brand new ideas that will make our work, work, work, actually be breakthrough instead of just more shavings off the same block.

The two unframed canvases in the background were done by my mom in an art class when she was just fooling around. I love them — there’s nothing like original oil paintings, even if they are just studies. The framed one is a composition by the artist, Leanne Cole. The link that I provided to Leanne’s blog will take you to the post that was selected for the honor of WordPress Freshly Pressed. Being Freshly Pressed is major and it is very well deserved by Leanne, whose work I obviously admire.

May 16, 2014 Nicci San Diego, Travel

Pacific Beach farewell (more beer)

We loved the California Kabob restaurant so much and really thought our son and his fiancee would also like it, so we invited them to meet us there. Well … when we arrived we found out the restaurant is actually a brewery called Amplified Ale Works. If you approach it from the beach there is the kabob sign, but if you approach it from the street, Mission Boulevard, there is the Amplified sign. A tad confusing! We frantically texted our guests, but fortunately, being part of the next generation, they figured it out on their own.

So, how great is it when you love a restaurant for its food and ambiance and then find out it’s a brewery?!

I’m also celebrating receiving a contract for my second book with The Wild Rose Press today, so here’s a toast to a good vacation, family, good blog friends, good food, good beer, and a new book:

Here was the view … a wonderful farewell to PB.

May 14, 2014 Nicci San Diego, Travel

San Diego beer, sand, and water

This brewery is really fun if you like beer. They have small sample sizes and many choices. I tried samples from the dark varieties.

It’s a popular place for bachelor parties and bachelorettes too. There are party buses that bring in big groups.

Back at the beach we find evidence of multiple species enjoying the sand.

After our walk, we are treated to some delicious flavored water.

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014 Nicci Photography, San Diego, Travel

Pacific Beach day 2

Ah…

This big guy with the World War I German helmet is driving his mother in the sidecar. A Sunday drive on Mother’s Day.

Here’s a little shop that sells lots of things to do with the wind. Konos always has a line.

Don’t order The Little Breakfast from Konos if you want something light. The name is a joke, apparently. Thank you! I happily accept!

Cruisin’…

Crystal Pier

This shot I had in the first post, but it needed something in the foreground. Well, our neighbor provided it! There’s a little plane, too, if you look closely.

Cruisin…

Screamin’…

Gazing…

Hi…

Back to work. Yikes … hope my yoga teacher doesn’t see this posture!

Bye!

May 9, 2014 Nicci San Diego, Travel

Pacific Beach (San Diego) California

This way to the beach:

A northern Californian’s arrival at the beach. Ahhhh.

The situation.

A house on the beach for you:

And dinner at California Kabob (highly recommended).

May 7, 2014May 7, 2014 Nicci Essay

The Weather

I had a funny experience. The weather has been acting strange. Kind of on the cusp of a storm. Cooler than usual, heavily scattered clouds and wind. Now I want to know what the weather is doing, so I go to the newspaper. The newspaper stopped covering the weather!! What?! How am I going to know what the weather is doing? Well they probably figure people will go online for that. So I went online. The weather module on my Yahoo page isn’t working. I don’t have more time to research what the weather is doing. So, finally, I looked out the window.