STANDING OVATION FOR "ENCORE"

For eighteen years Rita has been holding court in ENCORE, a vintage clothing emporium with a world-wide following. Touted as the best vintage store in New England by BOSTON MAGAZINE, featured in TRAVEL and LEISURE, ENCORE is located at 521Congress Street in Portland, Maine.

The retail location is open Tuesday thru Saturday, 11-5. Inhabiting the old Peterson's Jewelry Store where Portland society once selected diamond engagement rings and fine china patterns, ENCORE now fills the rolling glass enclosed cases with signature costume jewelry, hats, shoes, handbags and boots. You name it, you can find it. Racks of clothes run center aisle,from store front to the very rear. It's all chocked in.: Hermes, Gucci, Tiffany, Oscar de la Renta, Mulberry, Prada. Couture from past and present.

On any given day the patrons present a cross section of society; some local, some from away. A matron commissioning vintage Lily, a college student seeking 1960's Audrey Hepburn, a film crew securing props, a family visiting Portland and reveling in the abundance of "everything" to touch and see.

Rita has much more than meets the eye. Usually once a year she has an "overstock" sale. The upstairs is opened for Saturday AM only. Serious selection and treasures await the "hunter at heart."

For a true Portland experience, add an ENCORE stop to your itinerary To meet Rita, make it a Friday or Saturday.

WHITE WOMAN WALKING II....LA

Just off the hum and heat of Sunset Boulevard and Sycamore Avenue, step into the serenity of Mickey Hagarity's Plant Store. Maybe step isn't the best description. It's more like fuse with the lush greenery that inhabits this cityscape corner. There is no door. A path invites . Meandering about, one is completely encompassed in an oasis of Southern California vegetation. The rippling sounds of water from in-ground pools and table top fountains drown out any honking from the raceway called Sunset Boulevard. Sunlight filters through the tree tops. Like stage lights, it shines upon container trees and terrace plants reaching for the sky. All will be nourished....including the visitor seeking the perfect plant.

Since visiting this establishment some seven years ago, it has called me back, again and again. Within walking distance of my LA home base, it is a favorite destination. Not always searching for plants or pots, it's the solitude and spirit found within that calls.


One is left to browse as the hushed voice of the sole proprietor, Mickey junior, drifts from the office which seems more like a tree house from The Castaways. Where do the trees end and walls begin? There is no clear definition which, I believe, is exactly how it was designed.

Ribbons of sunlight streaming

Palm fronds sway

Rippling water

Rock

SERENITY

WHITE WOMAN WALKING..LA

In Los Angeles, the body beautiful, exercise capitol of the country, walking is not the norm. People drive everywhere. Half a block to battle for a parking space so they can attend stretching class at the gym. I've never quite understood this as the terrain is predictably flat, unless hiking in a canyon, the sun almost always shines and humidity is almost nonexistent. Being a walker, I find these conditions irresistible and have taken to the quiet, lonely sidewalks of Hollywood where I can combine exercise with exploration.(Sounds like something out of Indiana Jones!)

Just a block north off the Hollywood Walk of Stars, where throngs of tourists mingle with Michael , Marilyn. Spiderman and CP3O, you will find The Magic Castle, a hotel catering to clients with magic tendencies! Unless your name is Harry, skip the castle and take the steep climb up the hill to the Thursday evening farmers market located in the lower Yamashiro restaurant parking lot. Here tantalizing tastes await you as approximately ten artisan vendors present their goods overlooking the vast LA spread. Indulge in a light supper of freshly prepared tacos filled with a choice of blackened cod, duck confitt, or free range chicken. Four freshly made sauces are for the helping....including all the guacamole you can eat! Crepes are another option with both entree or dessert fillings available. A perfect example of "less is more." Anchoring the ends are a wine bar featuring very affordable wines and at the other, a chocolatier who grinds the cocoa beans on the spot. www.livechocolate.com The freshest sea food is provided by a wholesale vendor. Get there early for oysters on the half shell. They slip away quickly. Stay a while and enjoy the jazz combo. Once you've eaten, back down the hill with calories already burned. This farmers market was sunset magic and the perfume of flowering jasmine permeated the air. Senses are in over-load!

There's something about experiencing one's environment from the pavement. Is it being grounded and moving at nature's pace? I don't have a definitive answer, but walking in the hustle and bustle of LA, on the avenues of NYC or the footpaths of Portland, Maine I always feel more connected. Guess that makes me a white woman walking!

Next walk....to a lush garden shop on Sunset and Sycamore.

Get Back In The Saddle.....

Get back in the saddle and ride.
Get back on the keyboard and write.

I've been feeling the absence from blogging. Was it winter hibernation, the lack of inspiration, or just putting too much energy and focus on other things? Maybe an equal measure of all three. Fortunately, I have a very prolific friend who reminds me that she too, takes breaks from writing. This "laying off," goes against all my training of "doing-doing" until perfection is achieved. I'm beginning to realize that perfection is a state of mind.

Well, my blogging is a choice so I've been able to let it slide. But now it's time to get back on the horse and ride. A break to the left coast has given me a sunny view on life. Different temperatures, different pace, a totally different groove. Clear the Maine winter cobwebs. Celebrate re-birth and a much appreciated early spring.

So I'm getting back in the saddle and letting my fingers dance across the keyboard. I have some LA stories, not from the red carpet, but from walking about. Stay posted for WHITE WOMAN WALKING!

SAYINGS !

Little, non-sensical expressions that add a dash of whimsy to conversation. Where do they originate? Do you use them? Which ones are your favorites? How did I happen upon this topic?

The Christmas gift of a small, desk top horoscope calendar awakened me to the humor found in sayings. On January 1, 2010, my horoscope stated I was "the bees knees." Needless to say, it made me laugh. Exactly what are the "the bees knees?" It was so delightful, I decided it must be a good thing.

From there I began writing down sayings that popped into my head.

Knee high to a grasshopper.

See you later alligator, after while crocodile.

You're history. I'm out of here.

Bone tired.

SNAP!

...and the following two I gleaned from a spontaneous discussion of "Sayings" that occurred in an Old Port gift shop:

Don't get your knickers in a snicker! (There's some age on that one!)

Step on all the stones and you'll never get home.

Do you have any favorties? Share them with me. Lighten your conversations with these light-hearted expressions. Spread the joy. It gets us through winter gloom and stressful moments.

Things may not be perfect, but I'm off to a very good start. After all, I'm the "bees knees!"

TWENTY TEN

The new year has come and gone. For those of us in the Northeast, it was amidst a flurry of blustery forecasts, blustery snow squalls and blue moon high tides. It seemed as though we prepared for days, were under gray skies for a few and when we finally emerged to less then noticeable snow, it was January 2. Twenty-ten was underway. We kind of slid into it without much fanfare.

I did my traditional "Enough Alreadys" on New Year's Eve; writing out proclamations of change on slips of paper and tossing them into a blazing fire.(See the ENOUGH ALREADY blog from January 1, 2009.) And yes, one slip of paper floated away from the flames and had to be plucked back. I'm not sure which "Enough Already" it was, but I have a good idea. Some journeys are longer then others and life doesn't want us to release the "worry hold!"

Checked in with friends, near and far, via phone. All were content to keep the home fires burning and enter the new decade rather peacefully. Maybe we all just need a rest. Living on alert is totally exhausting.

LA friends were toasting with eggnog, while I was celebrating with their more traditional blood orange mimosa.

New Year's Day the snow swirled in the East, The Rose Bowl Parade happened in the West and Bowl games dominated the TV. Somethings don't change......and that's good.

Wishing everyone tranquility in twenty-ten.

WHEN IS A RESERVATION NOT A RESERVATION?

When is a reservation not worth the paper it's printed on? When is a reservation just a way for one airline to have your money, interest free, and not deliver. Book on AIR TRAN and let the troubles begin.

A year ago I made the decision not to spend Christmas 2009 in Maine. I wanted something completely different, break the mold, welcome the new. Los Angeles was the most obvious choice as my closest friend lives there and we usually spend some "holiday" time together.

Searching for competitively priced airline travel tickets began in early July, 2009. AIR TRAN consistently offered the best pricing. Portland to Baltimore, Baltimore to Los Angeles. Outbound and inbound time schedules worked for me. Although I had never flown AIR TRAN, they advertised winning some air travel award. "Can't be all bad," I thought! (Oh, yes it can!)

My reservation, with confirmed seat assignments (costing me extra,) was made and paid for on July 29,2009.

Plans for "Christmas in LA " were underway. A weeks worth of holiday festivities planned. Presents were purchased, packed and shipped early as not to get lost in the holiday mailing madness. Everything was received at appointed LA destination before Thanksgiving. All I had to do was work until the 19th, pack my bags and be gone.

The first glimpse of a problem presented itself when I attempted to print boarding passes on the evening of December 19. The AIR TRAN site informed me that the flight had been cancelled and directed me to call 800airtran (800.247.8726.) Following their directions I did just that. The menu options NEVER GAVE ME THE CHOICE to speak to a live person, and after much listening to their check-in and baggage information, THE CALL WAS DROPPED! This happened three times, totally sixteen minutes of listening to the same tape. After multiple attempts to get the information "they" directed me to get from their 800 line, I learned that my departing flight from Portland was on time. Since it left at 6:15 am, I needed to grab whatever sleep I could because the 3:30 am alarm buzzer would come early.

At 4:30 am on December 20, 2009 I stood at the AIR TRAN counter. My bag was weighed and checked and the Boarding Pass for Seat 16F, PWM to BWI, was in my hand. The Boarding Pass for Seat 15F, BWI to LAX, was not forthcoming. "We can only get you to Baltimore." Three hours later I left the Portland Jetport with confirmed seats on flights scheduled for Dec. 21.2009.

Same drill next morning. Standing before the AIR TRAN counter crew at 4:30 am, I'm notified that Flight 430, Portland to Baltimore is running two hours late because the crew was late getting in. I asked, "How am I going to make my Baltimore to LAX flight, #60, which departs Baltimore at 9:20am?" I'm told they won't hold the plane because it's already over-sold and that they can't get me to LA until December 25, 2009. To put it mildly, I'm in shock. My entire Christmas has been shipped to Los Angeles. I wasn't the only "Reserved" AIR TRAN passenger in shock. A college student was told they couldn't get him to his destination until Dec. 23. Another gentleman was told ,"Nothing for two days!" My guess is that the percentage of displaced AIR TRAN passangers is significantly high. FAA, where are you?

To add insult to injury, AIR TRAN refuses to return my money, which they've now had the use of, interest free, for five months. I'm told to collect from the travel insurance. To date, they have ignored my request to FAX me the necessary documentation I need to make the insurance claim. Any communication with AIR TRAN CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN TOTALLY UNSUCCESSFUL. During a phone call at 7:25am on December 24, 2009 a supervisor named Janice told me to call AIR TRAN PUBLIC RELATIONS. That number is 866.247.2428.

Whoever you are, the person who paid more money for Seat 15F, AIRTRAN flight #60, BWI to LAX on December 20, 2009, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. I've learned the hard way that with AIR TRAN, a reservation isn't really a reservation. I believe the AIR TRAN practice is frought with negligence.