Caliente Casa Cali

Today, after nearly a year of worrying that I'd permanently said goodbye to real summer weather, the winds changed and some seriously scorching weather arrived here at Casa Cali. Our window thermometers registered 96F (shade) and 136F (sun), and the cats spent the entire day sprawled belly-up on the floor. We've opened all the windows, popped the tops on a couple of Heinekens, and brought the portable fan out of storage. Even so I'm sweating as I type...and loving every minute!

I am a hot weather girl at heart, and was somewhat saddened at the thought that I'd never be able to use half of my wardrobe again given the cool, foggy tendencies in the Bay Area. While I find it somewhat odd that the hottest days here come in September and October, I welcome the heat and look forward to swimming at The Plunge, the awesome pool that just re-opened around the corner from our house.

While I didn't take any photos of what summer at Casa Cali looks like, here's an image that can give you an idea of what we felt today:

Don't you just love Rico's expression in this photo? Total, unabashed satisfaction. This was taken in Vietnam on our honeymoon back in July 2008. We were touring the Reunification Palace, formerly South Vietnam's presidential palace, which has been left exactly as it was the day before Saigon fell to the North (i.e. a total flashback to the Sixties). Why we chose the hottest, most humid place on earth to visit for a romantic getaway is beyond me, but we had a fabulous time nonetheless. We just sweat buckets the entire time and desperately sought out air conditioning.

I'm off to enjoy another beer and figure out something suitably light and refreshing to eat for dinner. Here's to the heat, friends. I have just under 3 weeks before school starts, and if the weather continues like this, perhaps it will finally feel like I've had a proper summer vacation.

White

Continuing with the colors series...

White decor at beach house in Bilene, Mozambique

Detail of ceiling at Maputo's train station (CFM)

Church at Ilha de Moçambique

Well inside the centuries-old home of our friends Z. and K. on Ilha de Moçambique

Rooftop linens in the breeze - Ilha de Moçambique

Noon sun on white courtyard - Ilha de Moçambique

Train to Sapa, Vietnam

Vietnamese porcelain factory

Detail of stairway inside Museu de Arte Contemporânea - Niterói, Brazil

Old mansion - Santa Teresa, Brazil

Gray

To match the pounding rain and angry waves I see through my home-office window...

"Beehive" accomodations at Phophonyane Lodge - Swaziland

Because how else would you transport 6 goats across Mozambique?

Gray skies at Bosque del Apache - New Mexico

Snow geese at Bosque del Apache - New Mexico

Really? You wanted to pass? - Kruger Park, South Africa

Basilica at Aquileia - Italy

Steps leading to the Emperor's mausoleum at the Imperial City - Hue, Vietnam

Dragon decoration - Hue, Vietnam

São Paulo Anglican Church, where Rico and I got married - Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro

Family procession - Chobe, Botswana

Pink!

It was hard not to fill this post exclusively of photos of the Casa Rosa and our wedding. Apparently I am a big fan of pink in all its shades for the things close to my heart. :)

Beach chic at La Perla guest house - Bilene, Mozambique

Other-worldly sunset as seen from the upper deck - Casa Cali

Casa Rosa on our wedding night - Rio de Janeiro

Verandah waiting to be filled with wedding guests - Casa Rosa

Vanilla cake with apricot and brigadeiro branco filling - Heaven, Sublime

Dragon fruit on the Mekong Delta - Vietnam

My custom-made sun dress, appropriately worn on a tour of a brick factory - Can Tho, Vietnam

Floating luxury accomodations - Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Temple detail - Bat Tran, Vietnam

Love on the streets of Santa - Rio de Janeiro

Purple

A favorite color of mine as of late, especially the lilac-y, amethyst hues...and yet funny because I have almost no photos that feature purple. I'm tempted to paint my home-office walls a brownish purple but haven't found the exact shade I want quite yet. Perhaps that will be my spring break project, along with learning how to use QuickBooks Premier Edition. The former obviously more fun than the latter.

On the beach along the Garden Route - South Africa

Jacarandas in bloom (taken through the car window) - near Chipinge, Zimbabwe

Street art in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro

Tara modeling my jewelry in the midst of lavender in our garden - Casa Cali

Passion flower - one of my favorites from the street vendors in Maputo

Antique French wall sconce against light orchid bathroom wall - Casa Rosa, Rio de Janeiro

Giant beached jellyfish - near Cape Town, South Africa

Recycle-chic placemats at a guesthouse in Bilene, Mozambique

Carpet of asters - Pacifica, California

Making paper-thin rice flour wrappers for spring rolls - Can Tho, Vietnam

Blue

Getting the creative juices flowing on this beautiful but foggy Saturday morning. Spring has already sprung here in the Bay Area, which makes me want to whoop with joy. I am currently looking out the window at a flowering plum full of pink blossoms, a tulip magnolia tree, and the neighbor's delightful red camelia bush. And the Bay itself, of course, which provides creative inspiration to last a lifetime.

Catholic church in Nampula Province, Mozambique

Enclosed patio at Z and K's house - Ilha de Moçambique

Winter sun and snow - Bernalillo, New Mexico

Global Nomad table setting at Christmas Eve - Casa Cali

Azul, my beautiful girl cat who lives with my mom

Going away party on the lake - Austin, TX

Porcelain cups at Bat Trang, Vietnam

Announcing summer rain - Kruger Park, South Africa

Marina at Sistiana as seen from the Rilke Trail - Italy

Mural on the malecón - Havana, Cuba