I see sea glass by the seashore

Last month I had the opportunity to go beachcombing along a rocky shore hidden behind a sugar plantation. As you can see, that canefield is cultivated on red dirt that extends all the way out to the Pacific coastline, yet I can't imagine that this less-than-glamorous scene would ever be a visitor's idea of a day on the beach in Hawaii. Where are the swaying palm trees? No swimmers, surfers, and babes in bikinis? No sandy white beach?

Rest assured that those things do exist here (Waikiki and Oahu's North Shore for example), but if you're a jewelry designer this type of "glass" beach is like stumbling upon gold. Among the rocks and pebbles and chunks of dead coral, broken shards of colorful glass and porcelain fragments "litter" the water's edge. Worn to a smooth, frosted finish by sand and sea, beach glass is what my uncle collects to create beautiful one-of-kind pendants of his own design. Each shard is inspected before the best are transformed into lustrous works of art.

Exclusively Kaliki Designs is based out of Pasadena, CA but all glass used comes from the island of Kauai. Begun as a hobby over a decade ago, examples of my uncle's creations are shown at right (sold at craft fairs on the mainland and here in the islands). At one such event I was seriously impressed by the magnitude of his work, as hundreds of pieces were displayed neatly on the table. Each pendant, he explained to me, is produced through a multitude of steps and even holds copyright distinction. There is no website available but if you are interested in purchasing, contact me via email.

Hi-Yo, Silver, away!

Slowly, but surely, Miss Maddie the alpine westie is gaining back her strength and stamina on these brief walks that we take around the mountainside. The hot summer temps are fading away, maybe too fast for my liking, but in the coolness of digits less than 70°F, the dogs handle it much better outdoors. We came across an old hotel over the weekend, its exterior still in good shape even if the property was no longer in operation. Along the outside wall, iron rings were firmly attached for way back in the days when people traveled by horse. An iron boot remover/puller was firmly embedded right next to the entrance. I've never taken riding lessons, but now I'm thinking, wouldn't it be fun to go on a vacation through the italian countryside only on horseback? I believe there are already these types of eco-tourism here, and I've read about one where you travel by donkey instead. The dogs would probably prefer to walk it themselves, as long as the pace was kept to a t...

In the news: from blogosphere to printed publication

It's just a little thing really, but when a staff member from a periodical for Italy's Alpini requested permission to reprint one of my blog entries, I had no idea how surprised, and I have to admit, a little bit sheepish I'd feel after seeing my Tasi e Tira article taking up half the space on page 12. I just received my copy in the mail. The entry was posted over a year ago but through the vast reaches of the internet it goes to show what nice things can happen when you try to immerse yourself in a culture not your own. Perhaps the word "immerse" is rather modest as I like to jump right into the middle of things and get up close and personal. What tickles me the most is that this blog started off as a way of amusing myself (and expanding my knowledge of the country's cuisine), but getting published...whoa! It's like icing on the cake! Click to view large

Fun in the sun and snow at Alpe Giumello

Why do weekends with perfect weather always have to be so short? This past Saturday and Sunday was the one that anybody with a pulse has been wanting for a long time, the weekend with ZERO rain, no snowfall and nothing but blue skies all around. We had the intention of hiking around the base of Monte Muggio, a 3-hour loop trail that begins from the parking area at località Alpe Giumello, but ice on the trail made it a dangerous gamble. If we had been able to get to the very top of Monte Muggio it would have afforded us a spectacular panorama with Bellagio jutting out in the middle of the lake. Even if a good, long hike was out of the question, there was plenty of wide open space to go for a stroll. We walked the dogs out on the flat plains on the eastern side of Giumello, all of which were covered in a thick layer of packed snow. In less than 30 minutes time we had built up enough of an appetite for a quick lunch at Ristoro Genio, a cozy little bar and restaurant serving hot meal...

Rubber Slippers In Italy

Search This Blog