So, the general vacation/travel market offers a number of different option… Fly somewhere and get a hotel, or fly somewhere and be part of an organized tour thing (which I have allergic reactions to), or fly somewhere and figure it out/backpack/work to get your way around/meet people/…complete adventure, or of course cruises (which I’m curious about but not too sure how much I would like it…maybe Alaska in the summer).

But how about renting your own private island? You can do that by the week and with many people. They basically range between $80/week to $230,000/week. I wonder who does that? But it sounds like a lot of fun…a sharp cut from routine for sure!

However, the prices sometimes didn’t make sense as I was browsing the various island options. For example, you can get Utter Inn in Sweden which is an art project by Mikael Genberg which offers an underwater accommodation for $1750/week.

Or you can get Vahine Island, in French Polynesia, Oceania which is a little corner of paradise…for $436/week!

Now, I don’t know about you, but choosing between an art project with an underwater bedroom looking into foggy brown water and a beautiful island in Oceania for much less…Very easy to choose! Plus, if the trip included say, 6 people, it would come down to roughly $72 per person for a whole week to stay on a private island…Who wants to come with me?

Guess what this is?
Devinez ce que c’est?

It’s our skin!!! And you know what that blue thing in the middle is?…A sweat cell!
C’est notre peau!!!! Et vous savez ce qu’est le truc bleu au milieu?… Une cellule de transpration!

You can see more throught the eyes of science.
Vous pouvez en voir plus aux “yeux de la science“

Fascinating!!
Fascinant!!

I took a dance break over the month of December and (a bit of November)…. It was too long! January came by and I needed to start dancing again. It was vital!

I have tried a few classes here and there, at SF Dance Center and City Dance, but they haven’t grabbed me. They were ok and challenging, but I’m more picky than that. I need to feel that the teacher/choreographer I’m taking from has substance, has a “thing”, has depth in what he/she is doing. You know what?…not many people have that!!!

Loose Change dance company

The only people I came across that had that “thing” were Jacqueline Lavielle (my ballet trainer in Fayence, France, who had a true passion and rigor for her art), Angelo Monaco (modern/jazz teacher choreographer in Biot, France, who has a deep philosophical approach to movement, as well as fun), Anna Sanchez (modern teacher from Spain who I took from in a workshop in Corsica. She had such a joy, simplicity, challenge and uniqueness to her style) and Mia Michaels (the only American teacher/choreographer I encountered who had a truly human approach to dance and movement. Very much in touch with emotions and being. I met her twice in a dance convention, and definitely stood out from the outrageously commercial styles promoted there).

And so this week, I went to an Urban Contemporary class at the ODC Commons in SF, taught by Eric Fenn, who also direct the company Loose Change. The studios are brand new and gorgeous!!! Lots was going on when I got there. The class? It was a mix of modern and hip hop, but practiced bare foot. The level was not super challenging, but it’s ok because I knew my body was going to hurt no matter what (and it did!!! Yey!). But the ideas and choreography taught to us were very interesting, flowing, conceptual and fun. I really had this feeling of substance and full under-layer of the work.

Eric Fenn

I may need to add you, Eric Fenn, on my list of excellent teachers/choreographer.

Looking back at what I did over this holiday season, I realized I did many things for the first time… I love it!

For the 1st time I…

– took the plane with Justin
– took the bus to the BART to the plane!
– go to Austin
– met Justin’s Mom and brother
– see such a big Christmas tree inside someone’s house (+ very well decorated)
– see so many Santa Clause figurines (Justin’s Mom -Kathy- is a fan)
– go in a supermarket with this many apple selection (Central Market, Austin)
– cut a cookie with a cookie cutter
– ice cookies… Lots of fun!
– make a chocolami (very good!)
– have a stocking (overflowing, I might add) Thank you Santa!
– was at peace with Christmas in a long time
– played DDR until I felt my body needed a great big stretch and my eyes were seeing the wrong arrows.
– took the plane to the BART to the bus home.
– went to William Sonoma in SF (sooo much fun!)
– most of the day in bed in a long time
– don’t go to a party for New Year’s Eve ( we had a wine/DDR/pesto pizza making night, which was absolutely awesome!)

I’m feelin’ good :)

Nous sommes a Austin, Texas dans la famille Watt pour Noel. Et vous savez quoi? Il pleut!…au Texas…ca fait des mois qu’il n’a pas plut!
We’re in Austin, Texas at the Watt family’s this Christmas. And you know what? It’s raining! … In Texas…it’s been months since it rained!

C’est pas grave, on a plus le temps d’apprecier l’enorme sapin de Noel, ainsi que les nombreux Peres Noel de la collection de la maman de Justin. Franchement, les Noels qu’on voit a la tele dans les familles americaines…et ben c’est absolument vrai!!! Je suis dedans cette annee, c’est dur a croire, mais vraiment tres sympa.
It’s OK, we have more time to appreciate the gigantic Christmas tree, as well as the many Santa Clauses from Justin’s Mom’s collection. Really, the Christmases we see on TV in American families…well, it’s absolutely true!!! And I’m in one this year, it may be hard to believe, but it’s actually very cool! (I grew up on American sitcoms/movies dubbed in French…so that’s why it’s almost like a fairy tale to me)

Ah, et puis, on va faire le saucisson au chocolat et je vais essayer de faire un egg nog… On verra comment tout ca va tourner. Je vous tiendrai au courant…photos a l’appuis.
Oh, and we’re going to make the chocolate salami and I will try to make an egg nog…. we’ll see how it will all turn out. I will keep you posted, with pictures as proofs.

Joyeux Noel a vous!
Merry Christmas to you!

We can all create a Picasso inspired painting thanks to Mr. Picasso Head. You should try it, it’s addicting!!! And actually, cruising around the gallery, there’s some pretty incredible creations!

Mine is called “Sudden Idea”, and mon nom d’artiste is Tuff.

On peut tous creer des peinture a la Picasso grace a Mr. Picasso Head. Vous devriez essayer, ca rend accros!!! Et en fait, dans la gallerie, il y a vraiment des creations incroyables!

La mienne s’appelle “Idee Soudaine” et mon nom d’artiste est Tuff.