Jul 28, 2012 |
It’s no secret that the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA is one of my family’s favorite destinations. Whether it’s just for an afternoon of strolling or a weekend getaway, this beautiful and historic location has much to offer people of all ages.
Three of my favorite photos were taken by either myself or my daughter during a Three-Generation Stay in April, 2011. It was the first time my mother, myself, and my daughter were on the same vacation.
Peaceful Morning
Who I Am [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
Tiramisu at the Bella Trattoria
The Miller family bought the Glenwood Cottage in the 1870s. In 1880, young Frank Miller purchased it from his father with the intent to develop it into a fine retreat; an oasis in the middle of the California desert. What originally began as a boarding house would later become the historically renowned Mission Inn, now owned by Duane Roberts who invested much time and money in restoring the Inn.
In the beautiful Riverside area, the Mission Inn has blossomed into an internationally renowned retreat. The list of famous guests continues to this day. Many authors have stayed at, and written about, the Mission Inn. Last year, our stay included the “Of Love and Evil” package, featuring an autographed copy of Anne Rice’s book of the same title. Noted singers, performers, authors, actors, political persons and Presidents have signed their names to the proverbial Guest Book.
Our room was one of the Glenwood Suites on the Third Floor. Tucked into one of the corners, our view encompassed the Clock Tower, Author’s Row, and overlooked the Spanish Patio. [The above photo, “Peaceful Morning”, was taken from our doorway in the early morning.]
View of Author’s Row [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
Symbol of Riverside [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
Casey’s Cupcakes [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
But what I really appreciate about the Mission Inn is that I never feel like a tourist there. I feel valued. It doesn’t matter if I’m reserving the cheapest room or Keeper of the Inn Suite [not that I’ve yet had that privilege… I’m saving that for my Best Seller Celebration]: the Mission Inn staff is always courteous, smiling, friendly, helpful, and appreciative. The grounds are always clean. And the food is always memorable. From a small bite of room service to the Veal Lasagna at the Bella Trattoria on the corner to the sweet desserts of Casey’s Cupcakes to the individual Keurig coffee personally blended in our rooms.
No morsel is mundane. No view is ordinary. No visit is just a memory. Each is an experience to be savored and shared. And, as much as possible, repeated.
Presidential Suite Patio
Architecture
The Turret
Dot on the Fourth Floor
Rooftop Herb Garden
Refreshing Fountains
Rooftop Herbs
Perimeter [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
Festival of Lights [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
Author’s Row at Evening [Photo Credit: Hannah Realy]
Ambient Fountain
Find the Mission Inn on the web:
MissionInn.com
On Facebook: The Mission Inn
On twitter: @MissionInnHotel
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
This post is linked up with Frankly, My Dear’s… Destination Station!
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My Personal History of Coffee (And a Keurig Review)
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Jul 27, 2012 |
It’s no secret that I’ve been wanting to learn better photography tips. My brothers and my daughter are all naturals when it comes to cameras. Me? Notsomuch. But I definitely want to learn.
I have a great camera. You’ve seen it, right? My Kodak Z990 EasyShare Max camera. It is, I’m told, classified as a point-and-click camera. Honestly… I don’t even really know what that means other than “easy to use”. I know (I believe) it’s not an SLR, which stands for Single Lens Reflex. I’m not really sure what that means. But I think it’s more complicated than Point-and-Click.
The first photo I took with my camera was of Lizzie. I’m so in love with this photo, this cat, that I’ve featured it often on my media sites.
Lizzie Cat
I couldn’t believe the clarity and fine detail available… and this was straight out of the box! I hadn’t even read the manual yet! Look at the individual whiskers, the authentic tones of the blanket, and yes, even the reflection of my desert yard in her eye! Simply amazing!
Of course, I started playing with the camera. Learned a few tricks. It helped that I’d bought the exact same model for Dot last summer (which is how I knew I wanted one of my own). As time went on, I found myself asking her for advice. But mostly, just trusting the Point-and-Click mentality. No muss. No fuss.
But something’s missing. I look at photography blogs and I’m amazed at the way they capture what they photograph. The lighting is different. The backgrounds are softer. There’s so much more than just Point-and-Click-and-Be-Done.
My food photos need to be brighter. Better. More appealing. Let’s face it, if my food photos were the ones in The Unemployment Cookbook, there’s a good chance my sales might not be as great as they are. I made a passing comment when talking to one of my brothers last week. His work involves an immense amount of professional photography. I said, “Why do my photos come out orange-y?” He asked what my filter settings were. That’s when I paused. He suggested I review the Manual. That’s when I gulped.
Did I even have a Manual? I mean, yeah. A little start-up booklet came with the camera. But a Manual? Like, something to read and explain and help me get better use out of my easy-to-use Point-and-Click-and-Fuggetaboutit Camera?
A Manual?
It dawned on me, then, that perhaps there’s more to my camera, pardon the pun, than meets the eye. And perhaps, I can be a better Photo Blogger once I learn how to better use my camera.
Let’s face it. I love both of these photos of Fred the Tomato. They were taken about 20 seconds apart, and I made no filter changes. I can’t tell you why one is true color and the other is tinted. But I know I love them both.
A Table Scene
A Sunlit Scene
So tonight I downloaded the PDF Manual for my camera. The first eight pages were the get-to-know-your-camera stuff. You know. The If-You-Didn’t-Know-This-Is-A-Camera-You’re-An-Idiot stuff. But then I turned the page. And something happened. I read something I didn’t quite understand. Not that I’m an idiot. I’m just not a great photographer. Yet.
And I realized that reading the Manual might actually be beneficial. To me. To my Blog. To my future publications.
And that made me happy. The potential to be better. To provide better services to my readers. And to fully know what I’m doing.
Can you picture that?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jul 26, 2012 |
There’s been a handful of small changes around here lately. Both at home and on the The Blog. I’m more active, getting more done, and not waiting until A Big Project falls in my lap to do anything about it. It’s the little steps that’ll get ya’ there.
Remember the movie “What About Bob?” with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss? That famous quote, “Baby steps, Bob. Baby steps.”
I have to keep reminding myself of that. It’s not one giant leap. I’m not SuperWoman. I’m Bob. I’m Just Bob. And I have to walk before I can run.
Yet suddenly The Blog and my writing are taking flight in ways I’d hoped for but didn’t really believe. Murray’s character Bob goes to his therapist (Dreyfuss) to overcome issues and fears. He knows once he crosses that line, his life will be what he’s dreamt it to be. But he still lets fear hold him back.
The unknown. What could happen? Injury. Rejection. Pain. Humility. Or worse. Independence. Success. It’s not failure that holds him back. It’s the fear of accomplishment.
And sometimes, it holds me back, too.
So I’m taking Baby Steps to get me there. I don’t have to write an entire book in a week. But I do have to add quality writing to it on a regular basis. I don’t have to have a completely landscaped yard by the end of August. But I do have to get rid of those weeds. Those weeds that choke and uglify and detract.
I’m weeding out the Blog, too. I’ve not been shy about asking for help and ideas, and you’ve come through. I’m branching out more and paying attention to what works (and what doesn’t). I’m seeking to be That Which I Want To Be.
And it seems to be working. Because while my Life and The Blog are still Under Construction, the Foundation is still here. And it’s being built upon. And added to. And adjusted.
And it’s great.
My Life and The Blog are not just about me seeing society. It’s about being a part of it. It’s about all of us, together.
“Reunited, and it feels so good…” [Sorry. Couldn’t resist.]… [Okay. I could have. But I didn’t want to.]
Bob knew this. He was willing to take those Baby Steps. To let others help him, guide him, and to recognize that even in his sheltered state, he had something to offer.
Frankly, My Dear… may not be the most popular blog in the Blogosphere. New Inklings Press publications may never win the Nobel Prize. But Molly Jo won’t stop moving forward.
A dear friend once told me, “Three steps forward and two steps back is still one step forward.”
In early August, Frankly, My Dear… will undergo some more drastic changes. They’ve been in the works [read: thinking stages] for a while, now. But the time has come to implement some design features and shake things up around here. It’s time to step forward. Even if it’s just One Baby Step.
For now.
Yesterday was my most-viewed day ever on The Blog. The post, Alienation, is already my third most popular post. Ever. I must be headed in the right direction.
Thank you for noticing.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
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Who I Am
What I Learned on Women’s Retreat [The Big Whammy!]
What’s Your Writing Style? Creatively Overcoming Writer’s Block
Permission to Write
