Our city was lucky to have a Mandala weekend. On Friday two Tibetan monks started building a Sand Mandala in the San Jose Museum of Art. In a few words the monks take crushed marble that is different colors, and placed a one grain at a time and design a beautiful picture. They worked from Friday until Sunday. On Sunday the monks joined Jennifer Prugh at Soula Power Yoga for a Yoga Mandala Workshop. It was very well attended and we had a combination of yoga postures and mantra (performed by the monks). It was very inspiring and calming. The money for the workshop was raised for the Childrens Tibetan Fund. After the workshop was over we walked to the museum and observed the ritual when the monks destroy the Mandala and share the sand with the onlookers.
On Sunday my parents went to see fridges - it is a necessary appliance : ). Gaby, Virantha and Mariajose took the metro to the Bellas Artes. We were pretty lucky as we did not have to wait for the metro cars long and our transfers were easy (a little walking though). We arrived to the exit in front of the Postal Palace, we first used the bathrooms in Sanborns and then went into the Postal Museum, we saw beautiful Cri Cri stamps and bicentenary stamps were just gorgeous. Even though it was Sunday one of the cashiers was open and I tried to get some stamps, they had none of the ones I wanted. Then we went into Bellas Artes, the store did not have the alebrijes that we wanted.
We then went to the blue tiles Sanborns and had lunch: enchiladas de mole and chilaquiles. We walked to the MAP store, behind the Sheraton hotel. There are plenty of choices and we like it because is it is not for profit store - the money goes back to artisans. Mariajose had seen in a brochure (she got it from Siqueiros’ house) that there was a pinata exhibit somewhere and it was in the MAP museum! so we went in. The building looked beautiful! There so many of them, they were very colorful. We went to the 4th floor and from there went down, Mariajose wanted to take pictures of all of them… but she did not. She did take a picture of the 1st place without knowing of Mi huicholito.
We then went back by metro, Alonso and my dad picked us up. We then had dinner, bacalao - cod (in english) red and white (this was a portuguese recipe that my mom made). It was so good, I want to learn how to make both of them.
After a long drive to find parking we reached Japan Town. Full of music, people and more people. We had a crepe at banana crepe and roamed around a little bit. We went into the temple and watched the drums.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle A year of food life Barbara Kingsolver 27th of October. This was a very interesting book. It made push my thoughts back when I started growing the garden with Sarina and Pat. Then when I did it with Erin and Leila. I remember the first time I tried a fresh tomato from the ground, such succulent juice and a totally different flavor that what I was used to. In many ways I wish I had a place and could make time to tend a garden. When I buy a house I will make sure I have the space. I had to request this book twice from the library, incredible popular.
