Albuquerque to Tucson via Scottsdale, AZ...

a few highlights of a whirlwind trip….

The Plains of San Agustin, New Mexico

curious land form while zooming along I-60 in Arizona

 Paolo Soleri designed bridge, Scottsdale, AZ

Teddy Bear Cholla & mossy rock,

Pinnacle Peak , Scottsdale, AZ

 Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ

University of Arizona Art Museum, Tempe, AZ designed by Antoine Predock

The garden of the historic Arizona Inn in Tucson, AZ

Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson, AZ

And sunset in Saguaro National Park in Tucson

These photos touch only some of the amazing sights and things we experienced on this road trip.

As usual it will take me as much time or more to recover and assimilate this journey…

as it did to take it.

 I remain ever grateful to have missed the big snowstorm in Albuquerque last weekend…

San Diego.....

Usually when some one invites me to 'come with' my answer is a resounding 'Yes!'........and last weekend, my 'Yes' brought me to San Diego...........

Where we visited.....the amazing and beautiful

Balboa Park

The site of two world fairs on land set aside in 1868 has set the stage for an amazing grouping of museums and parkland

and at the sprawling San Diego campus of the University of California.....UCSD

we viewed example after example of monolithic architecture.... buildings made of poured concrete

and mirrored glass......

anchored in groves of eucalyptus

and enjoyed wonderful California cuisine......

and beautiful sunsets over Pacific Beach and La Jolla Cove

but my favorite was the tour we took of this place

The Salk Institute, in La Jolla

Where I learned of the ideas behind this timeless archtecture ........

a melding of the ideas of two brilliant men......Dr. Jonas Salk, famous for his polio vaccine and existential architect Louis Kahn........

Their vision and working relationship, bound together with their mutual Spiritual understanding and practice formed the breathtaking beauty we see here today........

one of the premier scientific research facilities in the world....

New meets Old...........

Wuddaweek............

a week ago Tuesday found me on plane for a last minute visit to Toronto to finish up some

old business........

the weather was stunning.........the temperature gentle on my skin....and the low end of the summer light invited me to take a walk on the last evening of my two day trip there.........

I used to live in Toronto........

  my favorite path begins just to the west of the Royal Ontario Museum (the ROM)....and continues through the University of Toronto....south to Queen Street where....once upon a time I had a studio, near the Art Gallery of Ontario (the AGO)

 and that is where I walked this day.....

  past many examples of stunning Architecture linking new buildings to old.....

  my favorite is this one

Frank Gehry's amazing addition to this place....

is a wonder....

which makes this

 a magical place 

to BE...

A Ramble...........

Last weekend..........we rambled from Albuquerque, New Mexico.....to Scottsdale, Arizona........

And as a 'ramble' goes........we did not take a direct route..........

first stopping for breakfast (honest!) at The Grove Cafe in Albuquerque.....where we picked up some amazing English Muffins and Jam

and then headed on south and west......

past the.....

otherworldly appearing VLA.......or

Very Large Array 

and then on to

for

In Pietown.......no kidding.......

and we had the MOST delicious blackberry pie ever at The Pietown Cafe

and arrived at our destination at sunset.......weaving through the most amazing landscape of Saguaro Cactus.....

and we hiked......

and we experienced......

Beautiful and Peaceful Architecture......

and visited......

James Turrell's eliptical sky space

Knight Rise

at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art......

and we ate, and shopped and ate some more, and saw more architecture and art......

 and soaked up the warm Arizona sun...

and headed back home......

down Old Route 66.....

through.....

a mighty fine sight to see......

this amazing mural by John Pugh....

and now I'm HOME....

for a minute or two.....and I'm dashing off again.....

trying not to feel pulled in too many directions........

but a request to visit Florida did not seem out of the question....

since it's still blowing and cool here in the high desert....

and I can....

Toodles.....

Bale Bengong.........................

Here in Bali I have discovered this wonderful structure.................it is called a Bale (pronounced Bali) Bengong.  Bale means "the Building" and Bengong...........well as it was described to me there was not a word..........my friend Kadek said the words "imagine............don't say anything"........and he made a face that implied a day dreamy kind of look...............OH............."Contemplation"........yes, this is a building structure for "Contemplation"................a Bale Bengong....they come in many shapes and sizes.....

My private Bale Bengong at Puri Asri Villa.................














As I prepare to leave Bali........I think......
Wouldn't it be nice to take this home?.................