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 

My Obsession with the Perfect Sleep Mask - 2 or swords

I've slept with an eye mask since I was 17 years old. I've been pathetically eye mask dependent ever since. Like it's not a game! I am *not* playing about an eye mask, do you hear me!? I'm as serious about it as the figure on the 2 of swords is about her blindfold. It's important to have assistance to walk the line between realms of the alert beta waves of the waking realm and the moonlight realm of the dreamscape. I usually have one that never leaves my suitcase and one that remains under my pillow upon waking and making my bed. That way I won't have to waste time in full freak out mode because I'm crawling into bed and cannot find it. Ohhh the slew of colorful words that will fly out of my face is astonishing even to me. And I'm picky about my eye masks let me tell ya. I mean, the thing is not just on your face but over your eyes and the whole point is to help sooth you to sleep. So it's gotta be just right. I've purchased many a mask over the years. I even used to make them by hand with my dear friend Laura who I also got completely addicted to them. But none can compare to the gem of a mask I just purchased from a brilliant online boutique called the Marigny Boudoir.

I first came to know of the shop because of the extremely talented traveling burlesque doll May Hemmer. She made a post on Instagram of herself getting settled on a flight wearing the most beautiful satin confection across her face in her signature shade of scintillating Barbie pink. I saw it and immediately had to follow her hashtags to find out where I could get one of these babies in my hot little hands! And that led me to the wonderful Etsy shop of proprietress of the beautiful Mariana Howard. As a scrolled through the selection of masks I became more and more intrigued. Not only because of the beautiful masks, but as much because of the thought behind each one. Mariana splits her time between NYC and New Orleans. She is completely enraptured by the Crescent City, hence the name of her shop. The Marigny (pronounced Mar-in-ee) is a neighborhood just outside of the French Quarter. Each of her masks has a story and very specifically chosen name, some of them are even part of specific collections. Given my love for anything involving mermaids, as soon as I feasted my eyes upon the teal delight named "Sirene" I was sold! So much so that I purchased one for myself and one as a gift for my beloved friend in DC , Suzette, another eye mask convert of mine, and they arrived in perfect time with my arrival. Let's talk specifics as to why these I love these masks:

• Very well constructed - though they are beautiful, I use this on a nightly basis. It's *got* to stand up to that.
• Handmade 
• Attention to detail in every single way 
• Excellent at blocking out all light completely! 
• Divinely soft silk charmeuse that feels like a dream on the delicate skin of the eye area 
• Unique band to hold it securely in place is not only pretty but very comfortable (this is super important in a mask - if it's too tight it is very uncomfortable, hurts your ears, your eyeballs, smush your eyelashes, and cause headaches -  if it's too loose it slides out of place and lets light in)
• Each mask has its own name and story
• Wrapped in beautiful, frangranced tissue paper
• Option for a personalized note, but discretion of billing details when sent as a gift
• Ships quickly
• Timely communication from seller

I fell in love with my mask upon sight, but even more so when I read her biography. Mariana specifically named her after my most beloved Lwa, LaSirene! If you know me personally, I ain't really gotta say no more! She is the embodiment of the ocean itself depicted as a mermaid. The beautiful rosettes call to mind the endless waves of the sea. While I chose the marine-like shade of a London blue topaz for myself, I chose one of the beautiful burgundy of "Madame" for Suzette. It is a crimson shade of satin covered in seductive black fishnet lace and a sheer black ruffle trim. Her biography explained that she is part of the Storyville collection. Storyville was the red light district in the late 1800's just outside of the French Quarter. Suzette was quite pleased when she opened the box but given the amount of light that comes into her apartment she was delighted after her first night of sleeping with "Madame". It's been over a month and she is still passionately taken with this garnet lady of the evening.

After leaving The District, I was off to the UK. I had the extreme pleasure of business class en route to Heathrow. I really should write a post about what a wonderful experience that was, but the point of mentioning it here is to speak to what a wonderful mask this is in any situation. Anyone who has been exhausted while flying and definitely anyone who has flown a redeye or overseas can tell you what a must-have item an eye mask is. Be it the cold, hard pain of florescent cabin lighting abruptly turned on during a night flight or the blinding intensity of the blazing sun stabbing your optic nerve when window shades are opened for an arrival service, an eye mask can be a true lifesaver when traveling. Though one is given an amenity kit during boarding, trust me when I say to you my cerulean dream "Sirene" was the envy of my fellow passengers flying in posh accommodations! I even had two separate gentlemen compliment me on her. 

So if your a person who enjoys a sleep mask or have contemplated using one, I can't say enough good things about the ones from Marigny Boudoir. If you want a functional  product but also have a desire to indulge in a luxurious experience, go ahead and embrace your inner ZsaZsa Gabore. The only thing that could make me love these masks even more than I clearly do is having had the extreme pleasure of having sat down to enjoy coffee and conversation in person with the beautiful Mariana at Who Dat Cafe, a favorite spot in the Marigny for many of us locals. She is not only a class act, but an incredibly kind, sincere and delightful lady I look forward to spend more time with when we both return to New Orleans. And I've already chosen my next mask. Or three..

 *this post was brought to you by the 2 of swords from the Pagan Cats Tarot, published by LoScarabeo

Covfefe On The Go - Making Coffee in the UK and the Queen of Cups

I love coffee. And being a Creole woman from New Orleans, I specifically love chicory coffee. I love to meet up with friends and enjoy conversation and meaningful time together over a cup of it, be it steaming hot or iced cold depending upon the degree of oppressive subtropic heat of Louisiana. My friends Nikki and Charlotte call it "meeting for covfefe because that stupid Tweet will never not be funny.

When I came to visit the UK a few years ago I learned the very hard way that the though the Brits have many fine and enjoyable points, their appreciation or dare I even say skill much less respect when it comes to creating a delightfully enjoyable warm beverage is exclusively reserved for tea and by no means extends itself to coffee. Their idea of coffee is what anyone else I know would consider substandard at best. I have often called it swill or even liquid sewage. I've seen establishments that will brew a pot of coffee which in itself could be considered a treat because most places do instant coffee! Something I honestly had no idea still existed until spending an extended period of time over here.)But I've seen them brew a pot of (weak) coffee and let it remain on the heating element the *entire* day! Meaning from 10AM until 8 in the evening and serve it to people who actually pay money for and consume it without complaint let alone disgust.

Suffice it to say that I learned to bring my own coffee and to make sure I also had something in which to make said coffee because back to that whole instant thing, many people don't have a coffee maker in their home ?!?!?? (Barbaric I tell ya...) Last month I recalled from my flight attendant days a pilot who would bring his own single use coffee filter that would sit on his cup and funnel the hot water over the coffee grounds. So I went on Amazon and ordered something similar for myself. It's the E-Prance (yes that is the actual name of it) coffee dripper. It's proven to be wonderful tool to make a nice cup of covfefe.

Here are a few specifics:

• Simple design that comes with 3 items - basket, holder, and brush for cleaning
• Stainless steel
• Reusable
• Very fine woven mesh means it filters well but with no clogging
• Filters very quickly
• No need for paper filters
• Makes 1-4 cups/800 mls
• Sits nicely inside of cups of carafes
• Sturdy tri-pod base to rest it in when not in use
• Silicone grip that is heat-proof 
• Cleans thoroughly and easily
• Pretty honeycomb design 

To be honest, my ideal cup of coffee made at home is when I brew it in a old school percolator like my good grandma Margaret used to do (yes, I had a bad one). That is pure perfection for me! But nevertheless I am very pleased with this contraption. It's super simple to use. You place it on top of your cup, add your desired amount of coffee, pour boiling water over it and viola, done. I let it sit in the cup for about 5 min because I like pretty strong coffee. Then I add my cream and enjoy. 

I personally find beverages taste best when enjoyed in a special cup that is personal to the individual. For me that often involves a mermaid or a kitty. There's something emotionally fulfilling to hold a special cup in your hands filled with a warm beverage. It not only can chase away the chill of the air, but also should there be an chill in your heart or unease in your soul. This is one of my favorite cups to use when I am in Exeter. 

So what more fitting card that the Queen of Cups to go along with this post. Here we have a serene scene along the coast which is actually identical to the Cornish coast where I adore spending time. The high cliffs covered in emerald fields that drop off to the beautiful blue sea below looks so much like a place called Polstreath. Along the shore is a cushion of the same colour with silver tassel fit for a the queen who sits upon it, protectively wrapped around the beautiful cut glass chalice which has gold embellishments that she gazes upon in deep thought. Most all white cats with blue eyes are very special in that they most often are deaf, 80% according to one study. I once knew a beautiful one named Misha. Though they cannot hear, that just means that their other sense area even more keen. I remember Misha being extremely sensitive to vibrations. For example she could feel footsteps of someone entering the room or when music was turned on, but also the slightest vibration of these things that we as humans might not have yet picked up on. In the tarot, the Queen of Cups/Chalices is water of water. She is very deep in her feels, very nurturing and highly intuitive. People may often consider these types to be overly sensitive and though that does come with its challenges at times, it is also is what makes them so wonderful. It reminds me of my Scorpio Mommy, an extremely complex and deep soul who was exceedingly loving and compassionate. She could make anyone feel loved and cared for. Her favorite colour was also blue and she loved to sit with a good book and a strong cup of chicory coffee in a special mug with her cat curled up at her feet.

If you travel, particularly to the UK, you may want to look into a single severe coffee maker like this one I found. One should always be able to enjoy a good cup of coffee!

*this post brought to you by the Queen of Cups from the Tarot of Pagan Cats, published by LoScarabeo