I Am A Kings Fan - Celebrating Lord Stanley's Cup...Again

Two years ago, my son, Michael, realized a lifelong dream…his Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup.  Here we are two years later and to quote Yogi Berra, “It’s déjà vu all over again!”

As the VP of Communications and Broadcasting, Michael was permitted to have the Cup on Saturday to celebrate with about 250 of his closest family and friends!  He was able to use the Stadium Club at the Stubhub Center for the afternoon and what a Gala it was.  It started with a welcome by Mike, an appeal for donations to the Hydrocephalus Fund through Kings Care Foundation, and then he and Gabriel carried Lord Stanley’s Cup to its place of honor.   

The venue filled with people, many wearing Kings apparel identifying their favorite players.  They sipped wine and beer and nibbled on appetizers while waiting in line for their turn to touch, kiss, and have their photo taken with the Cup.

I loved every minute of it because it gave me a chance to catch up with friends and family. But more importantly it gave me a chance to experience my son’s happiness.  As I wandered the room, snapping pictures here and there, my youngest son, Marc, asked me if I was going to blog about the event.  "Of course," I said.  "My blog is to capture important moments in my life.” Then he asked me, “What is going to be the message of the blog?  You know, you always have an underlying message, Mom!”   

So I thought about it.  What was the “bottom line” message or “take away” from the day?  My mind kept conjuring up images of Michael full of joy to be with people from all the different aspects of his life.  There was Matt Carroll, whom he had worked with when he was 14 years old, washing golf carts and gathering range balls at Alondra Golf Course.  He remembers Matt as his first “mentor” and was able to thank him again for his impact on Mike’s life.

There were high school friends and friends from his early twenties when he was in college and working as an usher at the Forum.  

Longtime friend, Rick Jelinek flew in from Minn. with his two children, just to be present.

 

There were current friends who share in his and Milli’s life.

There was Family...the Castillo Family who have embraced him as one of their own since his marriage to Milli.    

The Rinaldi Family…his Uncles and cousins.  

The Altieri Family, a cousin who came in from San Diego.  

 His immediate family…his brothers,

Even Gino (in utero) with his mom and dad.

  

And most important his own family of Milli and Gabriel.

After the big event, a smaller group of family and friends gathered at the Salt Creek Grill to continue the celebration, and sipping from the Cup.

At one point Michael stopped by me and said… "Mom isn’t this great.  When would I ever have such a chance to have all the people in my life who have been important to me be in one place with me. These people made me who I am.  I am so grateful that I can share this with them.”

And that is my message…that our lives are “seasoned” with significant people, people who touched us in various ways and at various times, and contributed to our growth.  They may just pass through or they might stay around.  But for whatever time they are present, they have an impact.  Michael is a loyal person and invests the time and effort to maintain his connections with those who have impacted his life. It is because of that, that he and everyone else was able to have such a wonderful event.  In the end, it is a gift he gave to himself!  I am proud of the Kings, but I am more proud of Michael!

So the pictures are captured, the blog is written, and we will wait for the next season when we hope we can experience “déjà vu all over again.”  We wait for you…Lord Stanley’s cup!!

I Am A Walker - Right In My Own Backyard

After spending a week in Barcelona where we walked an average of 6 miles a day, I came home determined to maintain my new physical endurance by walking every day I could.  With my pedometer on my waist, I set out first thing in the morning so I won’t get waylaid by the computer, the newspaper, my knitting…first things first!

Over the week I have renewed my love and appreciation for where I live.  It is a little piece of paradise and it is right in my own backyard!  I set off down the hill from my house, with my eyes on the ocean ahead of me.  

I have discovered that there is a multitude of morning activities in our park that I have never noticed before.  I walk past the dog park and see the pet owners taking their furry friends for their morning walk.  

 I walk past the community gardens, check on my veggies and often see a gardener watering early to avoid the heat. 

I continue along the path along the Paseo Del Mar walking trail, looking out at the water, the fishing boats already out, the surfers, the seagulls on the water.  

At the end of our community park path there is a padlocked gate that lets me out onto the public path in the Nature Preserve that separates our community from the Trump Golf Course.

I pass by the recently  created watershed with its newly planted native ground cover.

 I share the trail with others, people who may have traveled from all parts of the South Bay to walk these beautiful paths.   

Most of them respect the beauty of our little piece of the earth, but some come for other reasons and leave their traces behind them.  

 I guess that is also why these signs are posted periodically along the path as it hugs the top of the cliffs. 

Eventually, I stop at the little rest area and check my pedometer…almost one mile from my front door.  

I sit and gaze out at the ocean for a while, feel the constant breeze on my face, hear the sounds of the gulls and the surf.  I have to actually force myself to stand up and head back, leaving this little pause in the pace of life.

So I have invested about 1 hour of my life in this activity.  I have walked 2 miles.  I have communed with nature.  I have chatted with some early morning neighbors.  I have started my day right in my own backyard!

I Am A Traveler - What I Learned in Barcelona

The second week of our vacation included a major culture change.  We went from the rural, agricultural, slow-paced country roads of Provence to the urban, commercial, fast-paced metro system of Barcelona.   

Last May we had spent 2 days in Barcelona before an Enrichment Voyage and enjoyed it so much that we jumped at the chance to return with an Untour apartment for a week in the Eixample neighborhood of the city. 

 

The view of the street from our apartment balcony.

Armed with city maps and metro/bus passes we hit the streets. 

 

Walking on Las Ramblas

So what were the “take aways” from this week?  As I though back over my impressions and experiences I realized that one thing I was struck by was the spirit of Barcelona.  There is a liveliness that is not hectic, not threatening, not mean, that seems to permeate the people.  It feels like a “celebration of life.”  People are in the streets and it is an easy city to walk.  I wore my pedometer and we averaged 6 miles a day walking.  The sidewalk cafes are filled with locals, as well as tourists, sipping a Damm beer, 

The local cervesa - and at temperatures of 90 F it was delicious!

sharing tapas 

Three tapas: Feta salad, Spanish gazpacho and calamari

or a pitcher of Sangria.   

There is talk and laughter.  Children run in between tables.  They are a happy people.

One of the outdoor cafes in the Ravel neighborhood.

This is not to say that they do not have issues.  We were there on their National Day for Independence.  300 years ago on September 11, 1714, they LOST their independence as a Catalan people to the Spanish Government in Madrid.  They have lobbied to get it back ever since then.  On the 11^th, the streets were filled with Catalans, wearing red or yellow T-shirts,

People gathering along Gran Via.

 waving the Catalan flag, 

Jay waving one of the flags from our balcony.

and demonstrating by forming a human flag in the shape of a huge V along two main arteries in the city.   

The flag forming...notice the stripes of red and yellow from the placement of the people.

At exactly 17:14 (5:14 pm) they erupted into songs and cheers crying out for their independence from Spain.  There were close to a million people involved but there was no violence. I think of the after-sporting event ruckuses that often occur in the US and think we could learn from the Catalans.

There is crime…mostly in the form of pick-pocketing.  We were warned repeatedly to be cautious with our belongings, cell phones, wallets, especially on the metro or in crowded areas and we were.  But we had no reason to fear for our safety.  Thieves want your belongings, not to mug you and the streets are safe at night.  

So what I brought home with me, in addition to our photos, our memories of delicious Spanish foods, 

Catalan sausage butifarro & beans; seafood paella; grilled seafood; fried sardines

the delight of markets like the Boquera and Santa Caterina's 

our souvenirs from some out of the way places like the fantastic Dali Museum, 

One of the main rooms at the Dali Museum in Figueres

and the medieval town of Girona

At the cathedral in Girona

the images of the unique architecture by Antoni Gaudi, 

The fantastic, unfinished, Sagrada Familia...unbelievable!

and our increased understanding of the history of Barcelona (thank you, Nick Lloyd for the fantastic tour and sharing your extensive knowledge)

Trip highlight! Walking tour of the Spanish Civil War with Nick Lloyd

is the awareness of the joy of life…just being alive…appreciating the people around me…experiencing sights, sounds, tastes, laughter and a spirit and pride of belonging to the human race! I wonder if sometimes we just don't take ourselves too seriously!!  Gracias, Barcelona.