Holiday

Now these are the last crazy days before our trip to Hungary - so I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year!See you soon!:)

love,

judit

Tuesday Mood

Saint Nicholas/Mikulas

December 6th the is the day when Hungarian Santa, Mikulas makes his rounds, traditionally, by a horse drawn sleigh. It seems that we are all behaved well this year because our Mikulas left chocolate in our shoes today morning!:)
A little about our old tradition:
"Mikulás is the "name day" on the Christian calendar for "Miklós" or Nicholas. In Hungary, Santa doesn't have anything to do with Christmas. He comes on December 6th, and his day is called "Mikulás Nap," or, (St.) Nicholas Day. On this day, Santa, or Mikulás makes his rounds among the shops, schools and parades, just like he does in other countries. Children get candy and chocolate in red wrappings. An older tradition had Mikulás leaving candy or other small goodies in children's shoes or boots, which the children have set out overnight, usually by a window. If they have been "good," they might get candies, tangerines, or chocolates, and sometimes small presents, toys, or books. (This custom may sound similar, but children in Hungary do not hang stockings by the chimney for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve.) Some children leave their candy on the window sill all day, to show how good they have been.
Mikulás nap is celebrated in schools as well as workplaces, where the employees sometimes bring their children for a visit by "Mikulás" who talks to each individual child, and who may even sit in his lap." :)


I took several pictures around the city today....In Cedros Design District in Solana Beach and the second part was taken on the Coronado Island. At the Coronado Hotel (do you remember the movie "Someone likes it hot"? :)) there was an ice rink...People can ice-skate close to the beach, under the palm trees....:) Holiday in Californian style...
It has its own charm!:) More pictures here.

fellow blogger

Thank you inki for featuring my plate in your blog!:)

Christmas is coming

Christmas is coming for sure!:) We always need a little creativity to get the mood here in Southern California. First of all because of the weather – it is everything but winter. Nothing what is Christmassy: no snow, no frost no sledding, ....no winter mood! And because we always travel home it is a little more hectic for us... I decorate the a house a little here and a little there – I am not complaining, I'm so happy to do that!:) So today I filled a glass vase with red, gold, clear ornaments....as a first piece of decoration!:) Have I mentioned that I like simple stuff?:)

Yesterday Is Here

If you want money in your pocket
and a top hat on your head
a hot meal on your table
and a blanket on your bed
well today is grey skies
tomorrow is tears
you'll have to wait till yesterday is here
Well I'm going to New York City
and I'm leaving on a train
and if you want to stay behind
and wait til I come back again
well today is grey skies
tomorrow is tears
you'll have to wait til yesterday is here
If you want to go
where the rainbows end
you'll have to say goodbye
all our dreams come true
baby up ahead
and it's out where your memories lie
well the road's out before me
and the moon is shining bright
what I want you to remember
as I disappear tonight
today is grey skies
tomorrow's tears
you'll have to wait til yesterday is here

Tom Waits: Yesterday is Here

December

Welcome December! Strange that you are here again!:) I always dream about a slow December without the craziness. No shopping, no rush, no crowded places, no push to create the PERFECT Christmas with the PERFECT gift and PERFECT meal - just to slow down a little and spend more time together. I wish for a simple Christmas - less decoration, more essence. Be with my family, parents, friends. Simply that. But until then there are few things to do:) I'm so excited about preparing for my first Craft Faire as a vendor! How is it going to be? Can I think of everything in advance? Will the buyers like my jewelry? Etc, etc....:)

These pictures are a brief preview - they are just out of the kiln - you are the first to see it:) They are modern, abstract - maybe it is not a good business strategy, but no shiny, cutie dichro glass from me... I can't help it - I just don't like them!

I'll make few more necklaces - and I think I'm ready!:) If you are in San Diego, please stop by:

A Few of My Favorite Things” Holiday Gift Faire 2009

10925 Morning Creek Drive South

San Diego, CA 92128

Saturday, December 12, 2009

10:00am—2:00pm

Hope to see you there!:)

Hello december! Fura, hogy mar megint itt vagy!:) Mindig ugy tervezem, hogy kihagyom a decemberi oruletet a vasarlassal, rohanassal, tomeggel, azon igyekezve, hogy TOKELETES karacsonyt szervezzek, TOKELETES ajandekokkal, TOKELETES vacsoraval - egyszeruen csak jo lenne lelassulni egy kicsit, tobbet lenni egyutt azokkal, akikkel jo egyutt lenni: csalad, szulok, baratok. Kevesebb dekoracio, tobb tartalom. Ennyi. De eddig meg van par teendo!:) Izgatottan keszulok az elso kezmuves vasarra, ahol elado leszek...Milyen lesz, hogy lesz, fog e tetszeni a vasarloknak amit csinalok, nem fogok e valamit elfelejteni ("neha" elofordul nalam:)), szoval, csupa joleso izgalom!:) Ezek a lancok most keszultek el, Ti vagytok az elso szemtanuk!:) Meg tervezek nehanyat es azt hiszem keszen allok a vasarra!:) Ezek is modernek, absztraktok, opal es attetszo,atlatszo uvegekbol keszultek - kerdeztek tobben miert nem hasznalok u.n. dichroic uvegeket, amik nagyon nepszeruek...Lehet,nem jo uzleti strategia, de ugy nez ki nem tudok megbaratkozni veluk :) Tul csillogo, tul fenyeskedo es meg tul szines is :) - egyutt ez (nekem) ...tul sok. De ez csak teljesen egyeni velemeny es nem celja barkit megbantani!:)

Last day of November

I took these pictures while I was walking the dog. It's hard to beleive that tomorrow is December already! Have a great week everyone - full with music !:)

Calder Jewelry

As I mentioned before it was raining yesterday - perfect weather to visit the art museum! So we did. The San Diego Museum of Art always has something interesting what you don't want to miss. Along the rich permanent collection they have amazing exhibitions this time, as well:

American Artists from the Russian Empire

Picasso, Miro, Calder

And what was really new for me:

Calder Jewelry

I like jewelry. I don't really care about diamonds, glitz and glam (lucky husband!:) and that kind of jewelry. But I like bold, modern, unique, artsy, creative jewelries. You can say that all about Calder's jewelry! :). Stylish but still very bohemian! His oversized pieces are more like body art than necklaces, bracelets etc... Some pieces reminded me of African primitive art, others of Modigliani's paintings....During his lifetime Calder produced approximately 1,800 pieces of brass, silver, and gold body ornaments, often embellished with found objects such as beach glass, ceramic shards, and wood. Calder Jewelry features 90 works—bracelets, necklaces, earrings, brooches, and tiaras—many of which were made as personal gifts for the artist's family and friends. While Calder's more diminutive avant-garde creations converged closely with the aesthetics of the modern age, they always remained personal and unmistakably Calder.

See The Sky About To Rain

I know, I know :) - we're spoiled here in California where the average number of sunny days is more than 200 ...The sun shines 72 percent of the time possible .....
but please don't hate me when I say that I DO LOVE THE RAIN! for a change! Especially when we don't need to go outside.....Staying in pj all day, making soup, reading, watching movies.... just doing nothing and doing it very slowly!:) Rainy day can be a real treat sometimes!:)
Have a great weekend everyone - rain or shine!:)

Kivancsi voltam, hogy forditja a Google, Ime:))

Tudom, tudom:) - vagyunk kényeztetve itt Kaliforniában, ahol az átlagos napsütéses napok száma meghaladja a 200 ... süt a nap 72 százalékában, amikor lehetséges .....
de ne utálsz, amikor azt mondom, hogy én szeretem a ÉRINTÉS? a változatosság kedvéért! Főleg, ha már nem kell kimenni az utcára ..... Staying in PJ egész nap, így leves, olvasás, filmnézéshez .... Csak ne tegyünk semmit csinálni, és nagyon lassan:) Esős nap lehet egy igazi kezeli néha:)
Have a great weekend mindenkinek - eső vagy süt:)

Vegulis, ertheto, bar en mondjuk esorol beszeltem, nem erintesrol...:)))

Happy Thanksgiving!

(Californian)- Hungarian Lecso

This is a typical Summer dish in Hungary. But why wouldn't you bring a little Summer to other season? :) Just the colors of the ingredients make you smile!:) And the fresh aroma of the pepper and tomato.....( and the sausage!:)).....Mmmmmm, so good!:)



For the authentic Hungarian lecso you should use Hungarian sweet pepper but - like me here - I used what I could find. Green pepper, Hungarian pepper (which is a little hot)






There are many versions of lecso, you can add beaten eggs, sausage, ....just use your creativity. I like to keep it simple.

Here is a basic recipe:
Makes 4 to 6 servings of Hungarian Lecso

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons bacon grease or oil
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 pound banana or Italian or green bell peppers. cut into 1/4-inch strips
3 large very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar ( I skipp it)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (less if using sausage)
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
Preparation:
In a large skillet, saute the onion in bacon fat or oil over low heat for 5 minutes. Add pepper and cook another 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, (sugar), salt and paprika and cook for another 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mixture resembles chunky tomato sauce.
Variations

Add 1/4 cup cooked rice.
Toward the end of the cooking time, add 4 beaten eggs and mix in.
For a main meal, add 1 1/2 pounds smoked or fresh Hungarian sausage.
For a lunch, serve in a bowl topped with a fried egg.

Etsy in Country Living magazine

(My fav: baileydoesntbark.etsy.com)

Finally a whole page just from etsy.com! :) Congratulations to fellow etsy sellers!:)

A day in countryside

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend!

It is so great to get out from the city and go to the countryside. Perspectives change - you feel the sky closer to you. In the city you tend to think that every important thing happens there - but when you get out you just realize how not true that is. Our favorite "countryside" place close to San Diego is Cuyamaca Lake and Julian. The landscape is totally different there, this time the trees dress up in their gold clothes. Gorgeous! It's great to see that the area is slowly getting back to normal after the devastating fire few years ago.

Julian is famous for apple pie - of course we bought few for Thanksgiving at Mom's Bakery. There is another store where you can buy homemade goodies....jams, spices, honey, teas, salsa etc...... Our favorite is the citrus marmalade!:) There are few antique stores - they are too "country" for my taste but lovely to visit them sometimes:)

And the Farmers'Markets!:) I just love them!:) Organic vegetables and fruits, friendly, talkative sellers.....:) Really cool!:)




It was a great escape - even for a day!

Have a great week everyone!

Remek dolog idonkent kiszabadulni a varosbol! A kedvenc helyunk erre a Cuyamaca Lake es Julian falucska. Egesz mas Kalifornia ez itt, mas novenyzet, termeszetkozelibb eletforma. Julian hires az almapitejerol, kulon kultusza van, minden sutode igyekszik kicsit megcifrazni:) Persze jol bevasaroltunk most is a Mom's Bakery-ben, ahol mindig hosszu sorok kigyoznak:) Almas, meggyes, rebarbaras, boysenberry - egyik jobb,mint a masik!:) Jot turaztunk a to korul is, aztan hazafele termeszetesen megalltunk a kis piacokon - nagyon szeretem ezeket, beszedes arusok, organikus zoldseg-gyumolcs.....resze a videki kirandulasnak!:)
Szep hetet mindenkinek!

Voltam keleten, jartam nyugaton.....

Music for Saturday:)


www.quimby.hu

Say hello to Yun Zi

He is a new celebrity in San Diego Zoo.:)
His fame started with his birth in August. The San Diego Zoo’s Web site crashed that day as fans worldwide piled in to watch the “panda cam.” The celebrity status continued Tuesday, when the cute-as-pie cub got a name: Yun Zi, which means “son of cloud.” His mother is Bai Yun, or “white cloud.”

Zoo leaders had expected the public to suggest just a few names for Bai Yun’s fifth cub. They instead received more than 6,300, and then 17,500 people voted online for one of five finalists.
If you've got a little time please checkout the webcam. It is worth it!:)


O az uj unnepeltje a San Diego-i allatkertnek. Augusztusban szuletett, orszagos szavazas utan napokban kapta a nevet -Yun Zi , ami annyit jelent, hogy a "felho fia, felhofiu" :) Webcamaran lathatjatok, csoda helyes!:)

1/2 day in LA

A half day can be a lot!:) Even in Los Angeles! The reason we went to LA was the Hungarian Film Festival. But to make our trip more worthy we spent a little time in the city before the film. First, we wanted to see the Watts Towers! You need to take a little risk, it’s not the safest area in LA.... This is a very strange tower built by an Italian immigrant Simon Rodia. It took him about 33 yrs.......Steel pipes, ropes, soft drink bottles, mesh, mortar...It’s like a recycled art... Somehow the shapes reminds me of Gaudi's architecture.

Egy ugyesen szervezett fel nap meg Los Angelesben is sok lehet!:) A Magyar Filfesztivalert mentunk most LA-be, de ha mar ....akkor jot a hasznossal!:) Megneztuk a Watts Tower-t. Egy kis rizikot vallalni kell ezert, hiszen LA egyik legveszelyesebb varosreszeben van. A torony maga eleg furi, olasz bevandorlo, Simon Rodia epitgette a szabadidejeben, kb 33 evecskeig...Fem, vas, cement, uditos uvegek, -igazi ujrahasznosito muveszet! A torony formaja Gaudi tornyaira emlekeztettek.

In the Watts neighborhood you see the "other side of LA". This is not Hollywood with happy ending stories... It’s a brutal reality. In this part of the city people are struggling with everyday life, the future is always uncertain here..... It’s easy to judge people - I'm not going to. Never did, never will.

Ez a Watts nevu varosresz Los Angeles masik arca. Nem Hollywood a maga kis happy endes sztoriajival - ez itt a brutalis valosag. Az itt elo emberek a mindennapokkal kuzdenek, a jovo itt mindig bizonytalan. Persze itelkezni konnyu felettuk - nem az en dolgom, nem fogok.

After Watts our next plan was to see Collection: MOCA's First Thirty Years
Unbelievable collection, in many different media, "a range of art-historical movements and styles since World War II, from abstract expressionism of the late 1940s and ’50s to pop, minimal, and conceptual art of the ’60s and ’70s, demonstrating the myriad ways contemporary art has addressed aesthetic, political, and philosophical concerns"

Watts utan mentunk a Modern Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) -ba. Fantasztikus gyujtemenyes kiallitas a II vilaghabotu utani idoszakbol.

And the day was still not ending! :)

Before the movie we had a little more time, so we took a short walk in Chinatown:)
It’s always fun to go there!:)

Es a napnak meg nincs vege, a film elott volt egy kis idonk egy gyors setara a Chinatown-ban!:)

In The Hungarian Film Fest we saw Prima Primavera.
I liked it!

Prima Primavera-t lattuk a moziban, ( ami nem is mozi, hanem egy filmstudioban volt) Lukacs Andorral.....Tetszett - de errol mar nincs erom irni!:))

It was a little "long day" but I enjoyed it a lot!:)

Tuscany in San Diego

Americans ( or we all?) long for anything Tuscan - interior, exterior, architecture, landscape,food, arts and crafts.... :) You can find mini Tuscan wanna be neighborhood in around San Diego. I took these pictures in Santa Luz community - these houses considered to be the modest Tuscan style........;)

Amerikaiak ( vagy mi mindannyian?) vagyakoznak mindenre ami toszkan - epiteszet, belsoepiteszet, lakberendezes, kertepites, etelek, muveszetek stb. Egesz kis amerikanizalt Toszkanakat talalni itt San Diegoban is!:) A kepek a SantaLuz nevu lakokozossegben keszultek - ezek meg a szerenyebb valtozatok, a dragabbak kozelebe sem jutni!:)

Friday Night? Kettner Nights!

I LOVE Kettner Nights! :)
The art and design district in Downtown San Diego, modeled after New York City’s trendy SoHo and Chelsea districts, offers art-lovers and design patrons diverse resources. It's so cool to explore this ever-growing distinctive neighborhood with an art walk through the businesses and studios on Kettner Boulevard and beyond. It is like an "open house" - you can walk freely through many art studios, talk with the artists casually, check out design stores......Have some wine and cheese......:) This is a unique way to spend a Friday night!

"Kettner Nights" San Diego muveszet, dizajn negyedeben rendezett "muzeumok ejszakaja" , amikor is minden galeria , dizajn uzlet nyitva varva a muveszetbaratokat. A program teljesen kotetlen, jo alkalom vegignezni a galeriakat, studiokat!:)

Ditke's flower

I would like to introduce you someone. Her name is Ditke and she creates beautiful pictures from flowers.
She presses, glues, scans flowers, combines it with drawings, experiments with new techniques and creates a magical world. Like a stroll on Sunday in the good old days: precious and airy mademoiselles with their elegant beaux. Amazing colors, rustling dresses, a long-gone romantic era… is now revived on Ditke’s pictures. Isn't she amazing?
You can visit her homepage here

Szeretnek bemutatni Nektek valakit! Ditkenek hivjak es csoda dolgokat alkot preselt viragokbol!
Gyujti, preseli, ragasztja, uj technikakkal kiserletezik - hatalmas kreativitassal megteremt egy mesevilagot! Nekem az egesz olyan boldog bekeidokbeli hangulatot araszt - ahogy a finom, kecses,elegans kisasszonyok korzoznak a lovagjaikkal egy regmult vasarnap delutan.:)...Fantasztikus szinek, lebbeno szoknyak, suhogo anyagok.....egy letunt romantikus vilag most ujra elevenedik Ditke kepein. Gyonyoruek!
Meg sok sok csodakep Ditke weboldalan .

Cemar

I have an ambivalent relationship with vintage. To be honest, I was not into it so far. But as we all know everything is changing - so our style. I still don't want to surround ourselves just with vintage stuff...that would be way too much for me ( and especially to my husband!:)) but I like fusion (that's why I fuse glass?:)) I like to mix old and new, rough and smooth, vintage and modern......(My fav look is little vintage with industrial.) So now my new favorite activity for weekends is checking out vintage/antique and thrift stores. It’s always a special feeling if I find a treasure. I don't really care about expensive items; I do not intend to resell them to make money -... I just look for what I like... This was how I found this Cemar bowl and plate set in a thrift store in North Park. For $15! The retro 40’s-50’s look just caught my eyes. I did not know much about Cemar - still has not found too much info (Californian pottery company from the late 40's).....but I thought why not buy it for a change!:) It’s a funky, fun set, I can use it for salad and as a serving plate and goes well with my otherwise minimalist table set! It's gonna be the focal point!:) What do you think?:)


Fura viszonyban vagyok a "vintage" dolgokkal - oszinten szolva, eddig nem rajongtam ertuk. De ahogy tudjuk, minden valtozik, igy az izlesunk is!:) Tovabbra sem szeretnem korulvenni magunkat csupa antikkal, azt hiszem annyira sosem fogom szeretni oket ( ferjem meg kulonosen nem!:)) de mindig is szerettem a fuziot ( talan ezert foglalkozom uveg fuzioval is?) keverni a regi dolgokat az ujjal, a durvat a finommal, kezmuves darabokat az iparival, zeneben jazz keverve nepzenevel stb...Izgalmas!:) Szoval az egyik kedvenc hetvegi idotoltesem lett a kis antik es hasznalttargy boltok latogatasa...van ebben valami egeszen kulonleges izgalom, hogy a mi kis kincsunkre ratalaljunk!:) Nem vagyok gyujto, nem is ertek az antikhoz, nem is erdekel igazan mi az "ertekes" , draga dolgokat nem veszek, nem kereskedni akarok ezekkel, csak magam oromere kutatgatni. Igy talaltam erre a Cemar salata-talalo egyuttesre egy North Park-i hasznalt targyak boltjaban! Itthon neztem utana mi ez a Cemar, nem sokat sikerult megtudni, csak annyit, hogy keso 40-es evekbeli kalifornia porcelan keszitok voltak. 15$-ert adtak a ket darabot - perszehogy meg kellett venni!! :)Szerintem nagyon jol fog kinezni ez a salataleveles, az amugy igencsak minimalista teritekeinkhez!:)
Nektek hogy tetszik?:)

Balboa Park and Mingei

Hi all,
I am hoping everybody is having a nice weekend. Mine was spiced up with an urgent care visit after I slammed the car door to my thumb... Ouch. Fortunately, I did not break it but for few days my right hand usage is very limited.... Not the best timing before Xmas fairs...... :(

But I want to write more about my today's visit to Balboa Park!:) After I dropped my husband at the airport I've decided to go to one of my fav museum at the park - the Mingei. They always have amazing exhibitions from around the world. This time was no different. On the first floor there was the Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman, Masters of Mid Century California Modernism exhibition. I knew a little about them, but to see this rich collection from their early works till today.....just blew my mind away:))....The couple worked with many different media......textile, carved wood, enamels, mosaic....unbelievable talent! It was really interesting that I seemed to recognize few old Hungarian folk tale motives in Evelyn's work. :) Please read more about them here

The other amazing exhibition was on the second floor : Sonobai - Another Way of Seeing. Self-taught artist Sonabai Rajawar lived in enforced isolation for 15 years in a remote village in central India, creating her own joyous sculptural environment. Through the necessity of expressing her own vision in the face of tremendous adversity, Sonabai developed her innovative art form, which she later taught to other artists. Today in the remote rural villages of her central Indian state, many other artists practice Sonabai’s art in painted clay.

Maybe it is a professional myopic view ( I did "museum studies” course in college) but I am always interested how the exhibition is put together - and this one was outstanding! The way they represents Sonabai's art just took you to her village Puhputra, Central India. The see through photo screens, the poster size pictures with vivid colors – cooperated very well with her art.
This show rocks!!! More here







And last but not least ......there was an exhibition between the two floors!!! How about that???:)) Sea creatures of Arline Fisch

There were life-sized medusas and other deep-sea creatures hanging from the ceiling created from colorful copper wire....they were swimming - living!! I felt I was in another planet in this museum today! :)

Have a great week everyone!

I saw it yesterday. This is a feel good movie based on a true story. Yes, it's sentimental, slow....but if you watch carefully you'll find the layers. A sweet story about arts and life. (art=life)

Oh, yes think twice......

it's just another day
For you and me in paradise.......



(pictures were taken in Del Mar,CA by me)

Hot out of the kiln

I've just listed this plate on Etsy:)

Have a great week everyone!

All Souls' Day

Winter songs

Eventhough I do like traditional Christmas songs but they can be ...... hmmmm:) too much overbearing - over and over the same songs every year. That's why I'm always looking for something less overused music. The new Sting album is just what I was looking for: old lullabies, carols and two of Sting's own songs. Very soft and beautiful - like a gorgeous winter day


Szeretem en a klasszikus karacsonyi dalokat, Rudolfot a renszarvasaival ,de megis minden evben jol esik valami ujat is hallgatni, valami mast!:) Az iden ez az uj Sting lemez lesz. Csodaszep teli zenek, balladak, altatodalok - feldolgozva,lelassitva, kicsit jazzesitve, olyan zene amivel jo bekuckozni a hideg napokon!:)
Az egyik legszebb dal es az egyik masik legszebb :)

Crafters' workspaces

Check out akane's blog - cool workspaces featured - including Glassimo!:)

3dots - my new necklace on Etsy

Simple. Delicate. Simply Glassimo! :)

Glassimo on Funny Sky Creations

I had the privilege to be featured on funny sky blog! Check out her blog - you will find a big variety of creative stuff there!

Thank you funny sky! :)

Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet

I was lucky enough to see them live on stage in SD - and since then they are one of my favorites.

About the CD release:
Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet "Live A Fip" CD Debuts October 22, 2009 In Europe
Email
URL
Sound

New World/Folk/Roots duo Bethany & Rufus along with Fulani flutist Yacouba Moumouni and Afro Haitian drummer 'Bonga' Jean-Baptiste will release a new CD, entitled "Live A Fip" on October 22, 2009. The Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet "Live A Fip" CD features 12 tracks, and will debut in Europe on the Daqui Records label.
The "Live A Fip" CD release was a natural extension of Bethany & Rufus' collaborations with Jean-Baptiste and Moumouni. Bethany & Rufus, who share the same label with Moumouni, also shared the stage with him for one song during the 10th anniversary celebration of Daqui Records. They knew instantly that their political beliefs and musical chemistry would bond them together, catapulting them forward with continued performances. The trio became a quartet when 'Bonga' Jean-Baptiste was invited to perform with them the following summer at Les Nuits Atypique. During a promotional radio spot for the festival on Radio France in March 2009, the quartet was asked to perform live on the Live A Fip radio series, and the rest is history.
The Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet's Live A Fip CD's strength lies not just in each artist's singular talents, but in their capacity to combine their abilities in a way that complements each member of the group to bring about a sound that is unique and groundbreaking, while incorporating concerns about global injustices, violence, and inequalities. Live A Fip is the product of a world where people and societies are interconnected, converging, and in turmoil.
One reviewer describes "Live A Fip," as "like nothing you've ever heard before. Styles from everywhere and anywhere come together seamlessly. One hears distinctly Afro-Cuban rhythms pop under driving bass lines, folksy lyrics and screaming flute. "Death Don't Have No Mercy" is particularly characteristic of this mixing and meshing. The cello is inescapably funky, the bongos complexify the rhythms, the flute line seethes with fiery reverberance, and Bethany's vocals lament the world in a way that only American folk music can."
Bethany Yarrow's voice has a deep resonance, a profound yearning that blends perfectly with the earthy sound of her band. Perhaps her voice sounds so good in this group because all of the instruments have a distinctly vocal quality about them. Yacouba Moumouni's flute imparts an especially human sound, a personification of woody vibrations that conjure images of life in its rawest form. 'Bonga' Jean-Baptiste's rhythms are complex and gel with Rufus Cappadocia's funky bass lines. Cappadocia's sound is also unique. His five string cello sound is rich in overtones that compound the earthiness of the group, and Yacouba's chants send shivers through your spine.
The whole album feels alive and growing. These are the sounds of life piercing a dry and crusted earth, its roots twisting and crawling, crackling and snapping. This music transcends the genres in which it finds its origins. It's not roots music, or blues, or funk, or jazz. While it contains elements of all of those styles, it is also unmistakably new and impossible to characterize in the traditional musical panacea. This pure, vibrating, swelling sound is open and honest. The Quartet is sincere and their music, all recorded live, makes you feel what they feel. This is an original and refreshing CD.

listen to some of the tracks from the Bethany & Rufus Roots Quartet "Live A Fip" CD

Misty morning

I miss the real autumn season here - but I love LOVE the grayish, soft misty seaside mornings!
These pictures were taken in Del Mar,CA on Saturday morning.

Hianyzik az igazi osz nekem, de nagyon szeretem ezeket a tengerparti szurkes, kodos, paras reggeleket!!! Ezek a kepek szombat reggel Del Mar, CA-ban keszultek.

Stephen Rolfe Powell

The Godfather of Kentucky Glass


I've just read an article about this artist - and his art blew me away! It's unbelievably gorgeous! I am always amazed by glass artists: the combination of they technical and artistic skills, their imagination....unbelievable!

More about the artist here

Beginner crafters attention!

I've bought this business planner - and I would recommend it to every beginner crafter or to anyone in creative business. It is a very well designed book "from big picture goals (writing a mission statement, developing marketing campaigns, launching a new line) to immediate to-dos (getting a business license, pricing products, packing for trade shows), this essential guide brims with how-to tips from industry experts. Roomy pockets catch important business cards, while tear-off notepad pages offer space to jot thoughts on the go. The lay-flat portfolio packaging makes this planner both easy to tote and durable enough to withstand all that the bumpy road to success may bring."

Craft Inc. Business Planner (Diary)
by Meg Mateo Ilasco

going....going....gone

The end of 20/11/2009

Peter Benke Photography

I've found this amazing photographer at the Old Town Art Fest. His name is Peter Benke. ( Any Hungarian relation?:)) His underwater pictures are just amazing. Very unique, very artistic... like a surreal dream.....

Please check out his website - you will enter a different world!


A hetvegi Old Town Art Fest-en talaltam Peter Benke ( talan magyar osok?:)) vizalatt keszult fotoira! Valami eszmeletlen jok!! Mint egy szurrealis alomvilag - muveszien buja, bunos, gyonyoru!:)

Nezzetek meg a weboldalat - s hagyjatok magatokat elvarazsolni!:)

Lazy Weekend

I like most those weekends when there is nothing which must to be accomplished; there is spontaneity. What does a perfect weekend means to you? Sometime it is perfect such as the one this time: it starts when our dog Gussy takes us out for a walk. If it is all possible it should be a small village on the seaside but not too close to the ocean because we are afraid of that (not us – the dog:)
After the walk we look for a dog-friendly café – it is always remarkable that the cafes and restaurants here are so well-prepared for dogs – water, etc.
There were two art festivals this weekend – on Saturday there was Old Town Art Fest , on Sunday there was the Street Faire in Escondido. This latter one was a bit too much like a bazaar but the antique shops around it were much more interesting! I like to weekend visits to books stores, too: the cozy armchairs where I can read all the magazines or books without being bothered!:) And the weekend is perfect if we can go to the movies or theater, too!:) We saw two movies this time: NewYork I Love You. Its brethren Paris, Je T'aime was a bit better in my opinion but even the NY version had some perfect moments! This was our lazy weekend – now come the weekdays!:)


Azokat a hetvegeket szeretem legjobban,mikor nincsenek kotelezo tennivalok, programok,minden spontan alakithato!:) Kinek mi jelenti a tokeletes hetveget? Neha tokeletesre sikerul,mint a mostani is: ugy kezdodik, hogy Gussy nevu kutyank elvisz minket setalni! Lehetoleg a tengerparti kis telepulesekre, de a vizhez azert tul kozel nem mehetunk, mert attol felunk. (Nem mi, hanem a kutya:))
Seta utan keresunk egy kutyabarat kavezot - meg mindig feltunik, hogy az itteni kavezok, ettermek teraszain mennyire keszulnek a kutyakra is - itatotalak stb. )
Ket art fest is volt ezen a hetvegen , szombaton az Old Town Art Fest , szombaton az Street Faire Escondido-ban. Ez utobbi eleg bazarosra sikerult, viszont az antikvariumok annal nagyobb elmeny ! Szeretem a hetvegi konyvesbolt latogatasokat is, a suppedos fotelokat, ahol haboritatlanul kiolvashatom az osszes letezo magazint, de akar konyveket is!:) Es ha tokeletes a hetvege, akkor van benne mozi avagy szinhaz is!:) Most ket filmet lattunk: NewYork I Love You. (Testvere a Paris, Je T'aime szerintem jobban sikerult, de mindenkepp vannak a ny-i valtozatnak is zsenialis reszei! )

Ez volt a mi "lazy weekend"-unk, de most jonnek a munkas hetkoznapok!:)

purples and grays

I hope I am not disappointing those people who like Glassimo for vivid colors - I like these dreamy purple and grays as much!:) This is such a purple haze series of pendants - they are being posted on Etsy:)

Remelem nem okozok csalodast azoknak,akik a vidam szineiert szeretik a Glassimot - de ugyanugy szeretem ezeket az abrandos lilakat, szurkeket is!:) Ez itt epp egy ilyen lilakodos sorozat, majd szep sorban mennek fel az Etsyre.:)