Coffee Cup to Go

I bought a new go-cup. My Dad used to take a cup of coffee with him everywhere he went. Either coffee or milk. We had a few small insulated brown cups that I think came with an Aladin thermos we had. He called them his "go-cups" The man had no idea he was sitting on a million dollar idea. Well like father like daughter, I do love to have a go-cup. The majority of the time it is coffee, but when I'm in the UK I drink so much more tea. (As I write this I am sat here enjoying a cuppa Earl Grey.) So I was happy today when I was led to have a look in a shop on the harbor that I never go into and much to my surprise I found some cool things. As I was about to check out, my eye caught sight of this go-cup, the "BambooCup...the eco-friendly cup" it's called. I need one, but when I saw the beautiful picture of the sea coupled with the wise reminder to redirect back to the choice of happiness. Here are the points the packaging boasts:

• reusable/zero waste
• made of renewable bamboo fibre, cornstarch, and melamine 
• recloseable lid
• tiny air hole to allow coffee to flow smoothly (I've found this to be a key feature missing on past purchases)
• quality in compliance with EU standards
• high-quality lid lock/no silicone lid
•  odor free and taste-neutral
• high-quality sleeve
• dishwasher safe
• not suitable for microwave
• 400 mls/13.5 oz

I also saw some things that made my inner 7 year old quite pleased. And ya know I can't pass up anything with mermaids. 

I'm looking forward to trying out my new cup. Too bad I don't have my Dame Darcy Tarot with me because it would be perfect alongside it. The picture on the cup reminds me of the beauty of the sea when I was in Turkey last year. It's the point where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas meet. Two things that make me the happiest in the world are the ocean, tarot cards, and a good, strong cup of coffee.

The Moon #32

I am an utter selenophile and have been as long as I can remember. I adore Her silvery presence. Today is the full moon. Regrettably it is an incredibly nasty, overcast and rainy day. Perhaps the sky will clear this evening enough to see the moon but I don't think so. Then I happened to come across this picture I took of last month's full moon. I remember walking up the street and approaching the house. Just as I turned to trot down the steps, I was greeted with this glorious sight. The clouds were just barely thinning enough to see Her when I got this photo.

In the Lenormand, The Moon #32 card is one of the cards that has many meanings that don't necessarily relate one with another. It can mean:

• Reputation
• Emotions/feelings
• Fame
• Dreams
• Night
• Success
• Psychic or initutive 
• Romance
• Monthly time period or cycles

I asked the cards what I need to know with regard to some things I am dealing with emotionally. Seems I'm supposed to remain optimistic in spite of the confussion that appears will continue to shroud me me for a while longer. 

I hope wherever and whatever your situation, you are you can see the moon this evening and that She may bring you peace and contentment. 

*this post brought to you by Moon of the Sepiaphoto Lenormand deck, self-published by Kiki

Goodbye My Dear Friends and F&F - The End of an Era

I don't know how long this post will be, if I will be able to go in depth the way I 'd like to because to be honest I just don't know if I can handle this much heavy emotion. Or to be honest if I even want to. But I feel the need to pay some form of respect for the huge loss that is a massive shock wave in New Orleans.

F&F Botanica has been a part of more people's lives in the New Orleans community and far beyond for over 30 years than one can even imagine. An unassuming little shop that was an absolute gem in the middle of the Treme' at 801 Broad St. F&F had pretty much every and anything a spiritual practitioner could need.  They sold tarot cards, soaps, booklets/books, cascarilla, sprays, floor washes, baths, countless oils, chromolithigraphs, rosary beads, prayer cards, saint images, herbs, incense, and more that I'm sure I'm just not able to call to mind right now. My friend Michaelle always says, "if that place doesn't have it either they don't make it or you don't need it!" But their primary product was candles. Candles and more candles. 7 day candles for almost any Saint imaginable, Orishas, Lwa, and any other purpose one could need them for. People from all walks of life came into this shop. Black, white, Native, Latin, old, young, Catholic, Voodoo, hoodoo, witches, followers of Santisima Muerta, Espiritismo, Palo, Vodou and lay people in need of spiritual help. A favorite memory of a friend of mine is when she first moved to town and went there. She saw about six cops going in, she thought it was a raid. She was floored when she saw them come out with boxes and boxes of candles. From cops, to lawyers, to judges, doctors, nurses, bartenders, card readers, burlesque dancers, business owners, gas station attendants, city employees, tattoo artists, tour guides, checkout clerks, musicians, teachers, students... this wonderful shop was a place of spiritual refuge and assistance to every walk of life.

 Though there was a previous owner, since I've been going there it was run by Felix Figueroa, Mr. Felix. A very kind older gentleman who greeted every customer with a beautiful smile and quite often a bit of wisdom.  There was also the sweetheart, Ms. Rose. How many times did she offer me assistance, a warm smile and encouragement when I was going through my roughest times in life over the past few years. And of course Mr. Felix's son-in-law, Johnathan. He was so knowledgeable on so many subjects and was always willing to share that knowledge with anyone in need. Speaking in past tense right now is making my stomach sick.

In the past 6 weeks all three of them have passed away. We've not only lost a place of that serviced the spiritual needs of so many many people, but three shining lights who made our community a brighter place. I personally went to F&F at least once a week. My heart is so heavy but to be honest I'm glad I'm not in New Orleans right now because the city is in mourning. A friend described it as a shroud being placed over the city with grief that is palpable. I remember the last time I saw them, it was  2 weeks before I left for the UK, the day before I went to L.A. I purchased a candle that was beautiful and of great assistance. There are so many things I wanted to buy and had every intention to do so. Who'd have ever thought F&F wouldn't be around, that those three wonderful souls would all be gone so soon.

How many times did I park my car on the corner of Broad at St. Ann. I will treasure the items I have from there. They will now have special meaning to me. I pray for the surviving family members of the family, particularly Tanya, Johnathan's lovely wife. I cannot imagine her grief at this time after this level of loss. I hope that in some small way, knowing that so many are sending her peace and love will bring even a minimal level of comfort. Below are some of the beautiful things I had from F&F. May all three of you rest in sweet peace my dear friends. I appreciate every single kind thought, word and bit of guidance you gave me. You have all left a void that can never be filled.

Exploring the Cornish Coast - Looe and Polperro

Today I was happy to go out again with my friend Trigger for another adventure exploring the Cornish coast. He picked my up at 10AM and we set off for two villages about a half an hour away. First stop was Looe. It's another village on the sea with a lot of shops. The weather was a bit grim but wasn't chilly so it was fine to walk around.

It amazes me to see how clean and clear the water is everywhere around the Cornish coast.

                                     

The architecture that is so old is stunning. I would be willing to bet that the archways above are from the 12th century. Next stop, Polperro.

Polperro is a village along the Cornish coast that is nestled in a valley surrounded by trees and rolling hills of pasture. As you walk down the street (it's the only one for about a quarter of a mile) there is a tiny river, The River Pol, that flows down to the sea. On the other side of it are lovely homes which have tiny bridges to access the street lined with lush ivy and beautiful begonias. 

 Even though there are all kinds of tourist shops there it manages not to spoil the warmth and beauty. As you walk along there are a number of inns, tea rooms, an antique shop, and restaurants with outside gardens. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to wander around an antique store. We met the nicest lady who owns it. I ended up getting an old pewter teapot. I'm going to have to research whether or not it is safe to drink from. 

After several hours of sightseeing we'd worked up an appetite. We decided to go to a pub called The Three Pilchards that I felt perfectly cozy in. The pub takes its name from a type of fish that was once plentiful and caught in the harbor a few hundred yards away. To get the vibe of the place I've got to give a tiny history lesson on the area. A history similar to The French Quarter in some respects.

The pub is small and has an underlying mysterious air about it. I was told it is the oldest pub in the village, built in the early 1600's. But the first known documentation of Polperro itself is from 1303, but it was a port in the 1200's! If you know New Orleans, think Jean LaFitte's, very similar in vibe, only brighter and it offers food and locals actually go there because there are only a fraction fewer tourists behaving badly. I now am learning that that is not where the similarity ends. You see Cornwall's history is also rich with smuggling pirates, particularly in the late 1700's when Britain was at war with France and America. The Three Pilchards pub was definitely one of the spots receiving and selling contraband such as gin, rum, tobacco, and tea. What made these items hot was getting them directly from the source and avoiding the fleecing of the taxman. I only wonder, and it does stand to reason that I was sitting in a pub where Jean and Peirre LaFitte once sat and negotiated over rum, women and smoke before returning to New Orleans!? Though I am totally intrigued about learning more of the history of pirates who were so acive along the Cornish coastline, I was honestly only interested in ordering some of the amazing food I was seeing delivered to other tables, particularly a  delightful looking sandwich that I promptly ordered. It was chicken salad on seeded brown bread (chicken and mayonnaise on granary as it is called here) with a side of fresh cole slaw and homemade crisps served on a wooden cutting board.

The bread was quite possibly the best bread I have ever eaten (not exaggerating. It was amazing), so fresh and delicious. Between these soft slices of heaven was the freshest chicken, arugula (rocket) and a mild farmhouse cheddar. The coleslaw was served in an adorable glass jar, again with incredibly fresh ingredients and a wee hint of beet juice that gave an interesting yet not off-putting rose color. The crisps were hand-shaved parsnip and beetroot and so tasty. The last time I remember enjoying a sandwich this much was in 1999 in San Fransisco. I'm telling you, this was one hell of a sandwich man! I was very disappointed when we later took a trip to the bakery and they informed me they were all sold out of it. 

An interesting acrchectural design that is a hallmark of the area is called the "Looe ripple". It is the wave-like pattern on the exterior of buildings in the area. 

After our wonderful lunch we wondered around the ridiculously narrow streets that are actually the norm in villages. We saw a house that now serves as an inn and seems to defy any logical rules of architectural integrity. Then Trigger took me to a special house called the "shell house", for obvious reasons. If Yemaya or LaSirene had a home on land, this'd be it.

It was such a nice day. I was honestly tempted to stay in but I am so glad I followed my urge to get out and enjoy the day in spite of gloomy weather. It didn't rain on us one time, and yet again, I got to see an area that few Americans know exists let alone get to enjoy. And to spend time with a friend who is hilarious and very good company. It was a very good day.

A Speedboat is My Chariot

I have been wanting to go out on a boat. I even said a few times, "For Pete's sake, I'm in a fishing village right on a harbour and I still haven't been on a boat!? This is ridiculous." I must've Law of Attraction-ed myself into that reality because I said this to my amazing friend Lizzy and she responded by giving me an invite to go out with her on her friend's boat. Lizzy is the epitome of happiness, positivity and fun! She's a travel agent and she needed to write a blog post about her experience. So yesterday we met up and walked over to the harbour. We get there just as they are about to depart. We get our life jackets on and I was so excited until I looked down at the boat, Bouncin' Betty is her name aka The Mevagissey Missile. You see, it was the guy who does the rides around the bay in a speed boat! Now believe me when I say I love speed. But since I hurt my spine, which took about 10 years to heal, I am very cautious about testing my limits. So with great disappointment for us both, I declined. Lizzy walked down the stairs and looked back, wishing I would come. She gets on board and a few minutes later the captain yells up to me, "You've got a bad back? I've got  4 damaged disks. The sea is calm today. I promise you'll be fine." My mind said uhhh, no. But my gut said do it!! Do it now!

There was no time to go back and forth weighing options like the 2 of pentacles, I felt the impulse as Abraham-Hicks would advise and went with it. The captain, Jeremy, was kind enough to let me sit next to him. Oh my god it was fan-damn-tastic! We went slid out of the harbour and out into the open water and it was a feeling of pure freedom and bliss! My go to song for situations like this  from the soundtrack of my mind started playing full blast in my head as Motley Crue screamed "when I get high I get high on speed, custom built bike doing 103, my heart, my heart, kickstart my heart!" We didn't get to 103, but we did get to 90mph and it was freaking amazing! Wind whipping through my hair, as we sliced through the water, sliding past the Cornish coastline. A few minutes into the ride Jer leaned over and asked if I was ok and I asked if we could just keep going out to sea because I didn't want to go back! What a rush! I can't wait to go back again! 15 minutes of heaven!

*this post brought to you by the 2 of pents, Knight of Wands, and the Chariot from the Tarot of Pagan Cats, published by LoScarabeo 

** Mevegissey Rib Ride with Captain Jeremy