July 02, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Jelly”

Today’s featured sculpture on Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk is one that is definitely in contention for my People’s Choice Award. Photos really do not do “Jelly” justice. “Jelly” stands tall on Columbia Ave and catches your eye every time you pass by Kootenay Market, heading furtherer into the Downtown Castlegar.

“Jelly” is another amazing sculpture from an artist from the Kootenays. Nelson’s Nathan Smith is behind this colorful free floating beauty. For more on Nathan Smith and his previous entries and work with Castlegar Sculpture Walk click here. The beautiful jelly shell is complimented by the metalwork tentacles that extend from the gelatinous head.

I am a big fan of “Jelly”. Honestly, it has captured my attention since it was installed. It is a beautiful (gigantic) representation of one of nature’s most mystifying creatures.

If you enjoy looking at jellyfish (but not really coming close enough to touch them) I recommend checking out the Vancouver Aquarium; I was blown away by the captivating jellyfish there. I could stand around and watch them all day!

To take a look at my previous blog about Castlegar Sculpture Walk’s “Tri-Tonal” click here. 

June 23, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Groundling”

Today’s Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the day is The Goddess of Columbia Avenue, “Groundling”.

It is hard not to stop and take note of this incredible sculpture that sits on the corner of Columbia across the street from the Element. Being a full bronze sculpture, “Groundling” really does have that immortal feeling like a true goddess.

“Groundling” is another work from an artist-based right here in the Kooteanys. Merlyn Richelhoff is a graduate of Selkirk College’s Kootenay Studio Arts Metal Casting Program and you can learn more about him by clicking here.

Viewing “Groundling” today was well worth my minor seasonal allergy attack. I love that you can see the dark skies rolling into Castlegar in my photos. They were taken in succession within seconds but one side of “Groundling” looks like the beautiful Kootenay day we started out with and the other angle shows the dark clouds rolling in with rain.  I think the pictures really do show “Groundling” as the master of nature and community.

If you have not taken in Sculpture Walk you still have plenty of time. The weather has been incredible over the weekend; I have seen so many people with their voting cards on the streets enjoying the first half of Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk. If you have not taken part, do it now!

For my previous blog on “Rebirth” by another impressive British Columbian Artist, David Hunwick click here.

San Diego Part Three: Balboa Park

Pretty much everything we have done on this trip we have done on previous trips to California. I would go as far as saying has been the greatest hits of trips to California (without Alcatraz).  

Our days here in La Jolla have started the same way they did last year, a trip for coffee to the Brick and


Bell every morning and then walks down to the beach and around town (except for our side trip to Anaheim).  The only real exception is that the weather has been a little wild yesterday and today. We lucked out during our adventure yesterday the sun poked it's head out and the skies cleared if only for a little while. More on out adventure yesterday in a minute... 

Mitt Romney is tearing down his beach house down the street from the condo where we are staying and building a new home three times its size and I understand why, La Jolla is amazing. I could live here and walk the shore everyday. I love watching the seals and sea lions. Yes, sometimes the smell is disgusting, but over all La Jolla is wonderful.

San Diego as a whole is amazing. I think it is my favourite place in California that I have visited so far (apart from Disneyland, but that is not a real place).

One thing that we had not done in San Diego was visiting Balboa Park. We visited San Diego Zoo (which is in Balboa Park) last year while we were here but that was as close as we had come.

Lets just say, I was a Sour Sally when we made plans to walk Balboa Park yesterday. My legs were exhausted from a full day at Disneyland the day before, but as soon as we pulled up to the park I was happy we were there.

We walked around the magnificent park and took it all in, I was in absolute awe over the spectacular architecture. It is so hard to believe you are in the middle of a city when you are in Balboa Park!

We did not go to the Museum of Man, the exhibits looked very interesting, I am kind of hoping to go back. They were showcasing historic exhibits on beer and torture mechanisms, is it weird that I find that really intriguing? They also have Ancient Egypt exhibits; a very interesting mix.

We ended up visiting the Museum of Natural History at Balboa Park and taking in the ‘Real Pirates’ exhibit. It was very cool, we all agreed that we like that they simply focused on the adventures of the Whydah and gave some background information on pirates rather than going all over the place with various ships. If you ever see this travelling exhibit you should check it out, you even get to touch real pirate treasure, very cool!

You can also learn a lot about local natural history at the museum with their typical exhibits. We did not focus too much on the normal exhibits; we went to the Museum of Natural History in New York when we travelled there this summer. It was still a very informative and hands-on, a great place to take children.

I imagine I would spend a lot of time at Balboa Park if I lived in San Diego; it is truly a beautiful place. It is almost as if you are transported to another place while you are visiting.  I don’t think I would mind running daily if I had a place like that to run to!

Now we are off to do a little shopping in this wild weather, grab some In-And-Out Burger and hopefully a scone!

Fingers-crossed tomorrow will at least not be so windy and rainy, right now it feels as if a palm tree could come crashing down through the glass windows of the condo at any minute.

They even had an Albertosaurus!

Getting Goosebumps Nails

I am not a very girly girl. I rarely paint my finger nails. But this vine video has inspired me to ‘Goosebumps’ my nails this Halloween. I am thinking of going with pink nails and blue ooze off the top (inspired by one of my favourite Goosebumps books). I love it!