I’ve been wanting to post these shots forever, and I’m finally getting around to it. Over the summer Lauren invited me to join her and a few friends on a local foodie adventure. Lodi was having its annual taco truck competition, and we were game for spicy fare.

I have to be totally honest, I’ve never been a fan of taco trucks. They scare me. I’m a clean freak borderline germ phob who inspects meals before digging in. I tend to shy away from buffets, carnival food booths, and pot lucks. Food cooked on the fly, brings out my inner Howard Hughes.

However that day I was particularly brave and decided to throw caution to the wind. On top of everything else, I was only five months post weight loss surgery. I had visions of my dainty pouch going into salsa shock. Eeek!

Well, I can now say I’m officially a convert and bow to taco trucks everywhere. These yummy tacos rocked! When we first arrived my fellow food warriors and I split up.We each purchased three tacos from different trucks and met at a large table in the center of the square. These peeps were real pros and I watched and learned. They scribbled the name of the each truck on the paper plates before we dove in. We all then proceeded to munch, chew, ooh, and aah. We morphed into food critics and discussed the sweet and savory spices in each delectable taco. I’m pretty sure we all agreed on the “best” one and proceeded to toss our tickets in the box located in front of our favorite truck.

It was a really fun day. The best parts were: my tummy didn’t go on strike and I got to meet a group of awesome new people! Count me in for next year.

Tasted as good as it looks!

I love taking shots of strangers....thought I was sly.

Foodie Warriors Unite!

Grant was in taco heaven : )

They're as sweet as they look!

Tats and tacos seem to go together.

Val my new pal.

I had to giggle when I opened email yesterday and saw my art studio staring back at me. I thought, “gosh that looks familiar”, and then I realized it’s where I work! Take a peek at the upcoming winter Studios Magazine which will be feature my studio. I love this magazine, it jam-packed with tons of creative storage and decorating ideas. I love to browse through it and ooh and aah over the fabulous work spaces…too much fun!

While visiting Palm Springs, we decided to drive south and visit Salvation Mountain. I fell in love with the Mountain, however the drive there was truly a “trip”. To say the Salton Sea area has some unusual sights is an understatement. As we passed through this strange area I felt as if I was transported to an episode of “The Outer Limits” (if you’re under the age of 50 you might not remember it.) At any minute I was expecting to see a one-eyed alien mosey out of the country store. I snapped a few pics while traveling through this eery town…take a peek~

Abandoned photo booths in the desert...huh? Go figure.

The guy in the hat yelled a few expletives as we drove by....I think he is the mayor.

False advertising.

No overniters here....we kept on driving.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to attend the San Joaquin Magazine‘s annual VIP party. The event was held at the beautiful Lodi’s Bare Ranch by Michael David Winery. Guests mingled and sipped wine in style while enjoying fantastic food and live music. We arrived just as the sun was setting and the skies were melting into shades of orange and magenta. Twinkling lights, fresh flowers, and rows of grape vines added to the ambience of the evening. (Watch for an upcoming article on me and my artwork in the SJM Decemeber 2011 edition.)

I heard the words, “You have Parkinson’s Disease” almost five years ago. Luckily I don’t suffer with tremors, I mainly struggle with mobility of the right side of my body. Recently some cognitive challenges have popped up, which is actually very common. Monday was check up day at The Parkinson’s Institute, an amazing facility located in Sunnyvale.

The past few months I’ve had an increase in foot clawing, depression, and some driving challenges. Unfortunately all of these are common symptoms of the disease.

Another troublesome symptom of Parkinson’s is mild cognitive impairment. Many people with Parkinson’s are surprised to find that they feel distracted or disorganized, or have difficulty planning and carrying through tasks. It may be harder to focus in situations that divide their attention, like a group conversation. When facing a task or situation on their own, a person with PD may feel overwhelmed by having to make choices. They may also have difficulty remembering information, or have trouble finding the right words when speaking. For some people these changes are merely annoying, for others they interfere with work or with managing household affairs.

To some degree, cognitive impairment affects most people with Parkinson’s. The same brain changes that lead to motor symptoms can also result in slowness in memory and thinking. Stress, medication, and depression can also contribute to these changes. Unfortunately I’m now beginning to experience some of the above symptoms.

During my visit, I was given the opportunity to participate in a 6 month clinical study. This new drug is not curative, but seems to really help with symptoms. Being part of a clinical study is a great way to help make a difference in the fight against PD.

Most people know very little about Parkinson’s Disease. Here are some interesting facts:

1) Smokers and coffee drinkers are less likely to get PD. I don’t partake in either.

2) Most people are diagnosed with PD after 80% of their dopamine producing cells are already dead. Symptoms begin to appear at that point.

3) Up to 50% of PD patients suffer from fatigue.

4) By the time you’re diagnosed, you’ve probably had the disease for 10+ years and didn’t even know it.

5) A common early symptom of PD is a loss in smell.

6) Some 90 percent of people with PD experience changes in their speech. They tend to speak softly, even though to them it feels as if they are speaking at a normal volume.

7) Most people with Parkinson’s find it difficult to sleep through the night. Rigid muscles, tremors, stiffness, or not being able to roll over in bed can all interfere with sleep.

8) Japan is the only country in the world where there are definitely more women than men with Parkinson’s Disease. In Japan, the women with Parkinson’s Disease far outnumber the men.

9) James Parkinson, who Parkinson’s Disease was named after, never knew that Parkinson’s Disease was called Parkinson’s Disease.

10) PD symptoms continue and worsen over time. Nearly one million people in the US are living with Parkinson’s Disease.

11) Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected.

To learn more about Parkinson’s Disease go to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.

Life is extremely fragile, and I was recently reminded of this. Two friends of ours, a couple who literally have hearts of gold, lost their beautiful granddaughter to a boating accident three months ago. Ashley was only 20 years old and had a bright future ahead of her. She was a star volleyball player, taught Sunday school, loved life, and had a golden heart just like her Grandma and Grandpa. I’m convinced she’s sporting extra sparkly wings and is sending tons of love to her family and friends.

When I was told about the tragedy, I knew a sympathy card wouldn’t be able to convey all of my feelings. I sat at my art table and created the following painting as a gift for the family.

Ashley will forever live in the many hearts she magically touched.

The photo limits what you can see. The piece is actually very sparkly, with rhinestones around the entire heart. The hand-crafted wings are covered with german crushed glass and really catch the light. In the center of the tree there's a 1940's rhinestone brooch that sparkles brightly.

Antique earrings were used at the base of the wings.

Ashley's jersey number was 14.

I like how the light shines through the wings.

A Tree of Life.

Ashley, a real live Pretty Girl.

I thought it was rather ironic the day after I visited an amazing Buddhist temple in my hometown, the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (31), married beautiful 21-year-old Jetsun Pema. Is she absolutely stunning or what! He is a cutie too! There was a special energy in the air the evening I shot the following photos. A full moon added to the magic of the temple. Maybe the planet was spinning a bit faster in celebration of the royal wedding.

Check out these amazing statues…..I giggled with glee when we pulled up to the site. You have to imagine how enormous these works of art are….some are 50 feet tall! Who knew this was only 20 minutes from my house! You will love the colors and the bling…very over the top fun. Enjoy friends…