Carlsbad Flower Fields

Nearly fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus are blooming right now.

Just off the 5 Freeway, exit Palomar Airport Road.

Above the hillside, on Armada Drive there is street parking, benches and a great vantage point for capturing the rainbow display of color.

Or pay admission and walk or ride through the fields. 

Either way it is spectacular.

Opening day was March 1^st but a month ago it was just a whole lot of green.

Then March showers brought April flowers.

Which means that ditty 'April showers bring May flowers' wasn't written in San Diego!

Pilates Mat Class

This is my fit and fabulous instructor Connie.

For years, nearly a decade, I have been strengthening my core.

The area just above and just below the belly button.

Deep within my abdominals, very deep, not discernible to the naked eye, are strong and possibly taut muscles owed to the practice of Pilates.

Connie's hour-long class consists of a series of exercises, done in succession, smoothly transitioning from one position to the next.

There is Imprinting.

Lie on the mat. Seriously, just lie on the mat. With legs stretched long and palms down. Stare at the ceiling. Take a moment to align yourself. Then start doing nose circles.

There is the Butterfly. A bit like Imprinting only with frog legs and palms up.

After the stretching (the easy part) comes the 100's and a whole bunch of additional movements to get the heart racing.

Then three sets of three Teasers.

Connie starts with legs raised.

Reach. Lift. To finish.

Teasers, I can do.

And my Plank is becoming more straight and board-like.

Not this straight but pretty straight.

And the Elephant is actually relaxing.

But I still can’t throw my legs over my head.

Which is needed for the Plow, the Rollover and the Boomerang.

Which means there are three movements I can’t do.

At all.

I don’t seem to bend that way.

For motivation and inspiration, I watch all the others in class do the Plow.

Especially Margaret.

She is 82.

Which means there is some hope for me.

No Joke

April 1st.

I love this day.

April Fools is engraved on our wedding bands.

As an anniversary date, it is unforgettable.

In our vows, we didn't bother with the bit about 'in good times' and talked about 'laughter' instead.

It has worked out well.

We are still going strong after 22 years!

Encinitas Public Library

The long low building sits atop a hillside.

Floor-to-ceiling windows provide a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.

A seaside motif adorns a copper and galvanized steel gate on the balcony.

Patio seating is available for soaking up some sunshine.

Whimsical art pokes up from the landscape.

A coffee kiosk provides a welcoming touch.

Even for the kids!

Drinks and food are allowed inside.

Rows of workstations are set up with Internet access.

But how does anyone concentrate on computers or books with all those palm trees swaying in the background?

The library also offers classes like Toddler Storytime, Game On! (if you want to play video games on a full-size movie screen), Touring Twitter, Frolicking with FaceBook and Creative Writing.

Visit the Encinitas Library and check out a book or two.

After being dazzled by the views...

Dessert Pizza

A drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

Strawberries and toasted pine nuts instead of pepperoni and mushrooms.

The combination works.

Trust me. It is delicious.

Let’s get started.

Dough ingredients:

1¼ cups warm water (no hotter than 120°F)

1¼ teaspoons active-dry yeast

¼ teaspoon sugar

3¼ cups bread flour (the bag will say ‘bread flour’, it works better than all purpose for pizza)

1½ teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

Topping ingredients:

Mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Mascarpone cheese

Strawberries (sliced)

Pine Nuts (toasted in a dry pan till golden)

Aged Balsamic Vinegar (simmered in pan to thicken)

1. Put ¼ cup of the warm water into the small bowl. Add the yeast and sugar and whisk or stir to dissolve. Set the bowl aside for 8 to 10 minutes, until it looks foamy.

2. Put the flour and salt in the large bowl and whisk to blend. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the yeast mixture into the well. Then pour the remaining 1cup warm water and the olive oil into the well. Using the wooden spoon, stir together the flour mixture and the liquids until you get big, shaggy clumps of dough that start to stick together.

3. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface. Dump the dough clumps out of the bowl onto your work surface. Dip your hands in flour and start kneading the dough. Keep kneading until the dough is smooth and springy and no longer sticky. It will take about 10 minutes. Lightly flour your hands and the surface if the dough starts sticking. It should feel tacky, like tape, but not sticky and gooey.

4. Rub the inside of a mixing bowl with a thin coat of vegetable oil. Shape the dough into a ball and put it in the bowl. Lightly rub the dough with a little oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set the bowl aside and let the dough rise until it is twice as big. Depending on the temperature of the room it will take about an hour.

5. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface. Press down firmly to flatten the dough and pop the air bubbles in it. Don’t knead it, or it will get too springy to shape. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.

6. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle or just press down and gently stretch the dough with your hands.

7.   Place the dough on top of a cookie sheet (sprinkled with a bit of corn meal to keep from sticking) or use a Silpat. Spread mozzarella cheese and then dollops of mascarpone cheese on top.

8. Cook at 475 degrees until melted and bubbly, approximately 10 minutes. Take pizza out of the oven.

9. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts.

10. Place sliced strawberries on top.

Drizzle with the thickened balsamic vinegar (see photo at top of this post).

EAT WITH GUSTO!

Not Sure What To Call This

Hanging in the Mingei Museum.

Suspended between the first and second floor.

Angel? Fairy godmother? Winged goddess stuffed into an unflattering one-piece?

What do you see?

Zandra Rhodes, two-time neighbor

If you are unfamiliar, she is a pink-haired British fashion designer with a client list that included Princess Diana.

Last year, while living in London, I used to walk by a bright orange building, very modern, with a hot pink door.

It was the Fashion and Textile Museum around the corner from our flat.

Zandra Rhodes is the founder.

Because I saw it EVERY DAY for almost two months, I forgot to take a picture of THE BRIGHTEST BUILDING in the area.

And possibly all of London.

Except this one. Taken at night (the museum is on the left). It was unintentional. I was excited about the snow.

One morning my husband and I noticed a man standing on the balcony, on top of the museum, smoking.

Interesting that someone lived there.

Flash forward to two weeks ago.

I was listening to the car radio on the way to the gym.

Zandra was being interviewed about her exhibition at the Minghei International Museum in San Diego. She mentioned splitting her time between a penthouse above her museum in London and a place in Del Mar.

WOW!

We were neighbors in London (blocks apart) and now we are neighbors in San Diego (just a few miles apart).

If I had her exact address I would drop off a coffee cake and introduce myself.

Instead I made another kind of neighborly gesture.

I drove to Balboa Park to admire her exhibit.

Mingei International Museum

The exhibit runs through April 3^{rd -}

‘Zandra Rhodes – A Lifelong Love Affair with Textiles’.

This gown was showcased on the stairs leading to the exhibit.

Even the mannequins have attitude.

Dinosaur Coat, 1971 collection

Coat Dress, 1971 Collection

Printed on shocking pink chiffon - from the 1970 collection.

My favorite from the exhibit.

Beautiful work neighbor!