The impromptu open mic on top of the garbage can caught my eye from where I sat above on the stone steps. Sunlight came down from a blue sky, a recess from the rain of the day before. My cousin was speaking to a girl we had met the night previously about how nice the weather was while a few people to my right strummed guitars and discussed their workshops. I stretched back, listening to the roar of conversations I could not quite make out and closed my eyes.
It was well into the second day of the Champlain Young Writers Conference, or rather, my third day since I arrived a day early being a good four hours away, and I couldn't believe how quickly it was going. It felt like just five minutes ago I was sitting at the edge Lake Champlain watching the mist roll off the water, and maybe ten minutes before that I was at breakfast of the first day. How surreal.
I was there for nonfiction and was attending an awesome workshop led by Tim Brookes. Three pages of my composition notebook were filled with writing; three more pages than I had been able to write outside of class assignments for a long, long time.

I opened my eyes to a sunset unlike many that I've seen. Deep reds tinted the edge of indigo clouds, and Lake Champlain glittered with the golden reflection of a sun beyond the mountains. It occurred to me that it looked as if the water were on fire. I shifted my feet on the terrace, straining to see over the trees and buildings. My camera felt heavy in my hands, incapable of capturing the incredible beauty I was witnessing, and so I let it fall against my stomach, suspended as it was by the neckstrap I wore constantly. 
The screech of wrought iron against the floor cut into the creative conversation happening closer to the fireside lounge discussing a collaborative poem about the sunset. Another person was singing a song I had never heard before, but I was more concerned about witnessing the sunset in completion. I threw my coat down on the wet chair and sat down. I opened my notebook and began to write.

The conference was a fantastic experience. I went last year, but I think the extra year of maturity and preparedness for the outside world really let this year be fantastic. If you are a young writer and you love Vermont beauty and atmosphere, definitely consider applying for CCYW. There is something for all writers; impromptu poetry slams, moth storytelling, fiction workshops and craft talks, and just a great bunch of people.

Man, what a month April has been already. I just got back from my trip down to Sarasota, FL, and what a cool time we had. The trip was primarily meant for my grandmother to see the college I will be attending in fall, and so that I could attend Accepted Students Day.

We went down by train, which was, as it always is, an adventure. I travel pretty well; pack me up with my laptop/ipod, camera, simple sketch set, a magazine, and some snacks and I'll sit tight for quite a long time. Even still, just about 30 hours of traveling later and I can get a little anxious to get to our destination. Our train was about 2hrs late, and then we had to take a bus to Sarasota. All the while frigid air conditioning made me feel like I was in the arctic.

Then we had to walk 1.1 miles to our hotel, which would not have been bad if we weren't all exhausted from not sleeping much and lugging around all our luggage. Still, we made it to the Best Western, threw down our luggage, and changed into Florida attire. Then we were off to the supermarket across the street for snacks and then dinner.

Our hotel wasn't too bad; it was reasonably priced, had a free breakfast with drinkable coffee, and was clean with a pool. We swam I think three times total because we were out and about so much.

There is something so cool about just being plopped into a city and having to figure out things. We didn't plan on getting a car because mum wanted to see how I'd get on with public transportation, and it wasn't bad at all. In fact, everyone was so helpful. We got bus routes/times, tips on how to save money, and what routes were best to take for where.

While down there we went to two beaches (Lido and Siesta), Mote Marine Laboratory, and the Ringling Museum. We also walked (a lot! I think this is the first vacation where I trimmed up) around Sarasota, Siesta Key, and Lido Key. While doing so my brother and I did a little scavenger hunt for cars, and I was absolutely amazed by how many of the vehicles I had looked at only in magazine and online there were. Here's a bit of a list of the ones I remember (in no particular order of coolness).

Ferrari - We saw both the F12 and the 458 (my favorite Ferrari). The F12 casually pulled up next to our bus at a light and the 458 I glimpsed in someone's driveway.
Tesla - My brother saw this first, and then I saw it again the next day.
Bentley - We saw two, one being an older model I didn't know and the other being the Continental.
Rolls Royce - There were actually a couple of these around, including a newer Phantom and a few early 00s. 
Lamborghini - This was the first wicked car we saw down there, up close and personal. I stepped off the curb (not thinking mind you, I come from a town of less than 300 people) to read a sign and my brother and I were almost victim of a Gallardo Spyder. I also spotted a Murcielago from the train headed home.
Mustang - Okay, these were all over the place. The two neatest were a '65 (my favorite model), and a Boss 302.
Camaro/Challenger/Charger - Again, these were very common down there.
Aston Martin - My brother saw more of these than I was able to spot, but walking to the bus stop a nice DB9 Volante Convertible did a spiffy parking maneuver in front of us.
Porsche - I was actually surprised at how many of these were on the streets! A wide group of models could be seen, including the Cayenne, Cayman, Carrera, and GT3.
Mercedes - Naturally, Mercedes is a bit more common than some of the above list, however I got to see an SLS AMG, which is my hands down favorite Merc. Who doesn't like gullwing doors?
Maserati - The Quattroporte was a nice sight to spot.
Jaguar - Again, in ample supply. I didn't find the F type, but there were plenty of spiffy models.
Lotus - A handful of these could be spotted in St. Armands Circle and were rather neat.


Like I mentioned earlier, we went to the Mote Marine Laboratory and the Ringling Museum. Both were exceptional places that I could have easily spent longer in.

The Mote does a lot of conservation and research for local marine life and ocean health. They recycle most of the water for their aquariums and work locally.

The Mote was a lot of fun; we stopped in for milkshakes at the cafe there and they were great. Something that struck me profoundly was the tank of sharks in their shark lagoon. It was entirely impressive watching the huge animals swimming just beneath my feet. I think more people should learn about how magnificent sharks are and work to conserve these important creatures.

The Ringling Museum is something that can't be done in one day. The first thing we did was visit Mable Ringling's Rose Garden while waiting for our tour of the Cà d'Zan, and it was quite beautiful. There isn't much like the scent of roses and the garden was full of that sweet perfume.

However beautiful the Rose Garden was, I was completely blown away by the sheer elegance and richness of the Cà d'Zan. Being in the Venetian Gothic style, it was like a little slice of Europe perched on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. I can't even begin to fully capture the experience; all I wanted to do was walk barefoot in the place to feel the cool marbles and stones, and even imagining a day living there was an intoxicating thought.

The history of the place (and the Ringlings) is also a very interesting story; if you ever get the chance just do a little research on them.

This chandelier used to hang in the Empire State Building. How neat!

There simply are not words to describe the grandeur of the place, and I could have spent hours in there just marveling. The Ringlings really gave a gift to Florida by creating this place, and the art museum across the property.

I didn't take any photos in the art museum because I was too much in awe of the mastery of the old painters, however a lot of the paintings were in the Baroque period, and very large scale. My favorite piece was the Blue Madonna by Carlo Dolci. We didn't even see another side of the museum because we started getting tired, but the entire thing was magnificent.

This trip was really awesome and I am looking forwards more than ever to starting school and moving down there! Sarasota is a beautiful place, and if you ever are in the area, shoot me a comment or email and I can let you in on some great foodie places!

Packing is always tough for me, and with three long trips on a train under my belt, I would like to think I am getting better at streamlining the process. Well...My trip is coming up quick and I'm still a little concerned as I've not put any effort into packing.

There's been a lot going on, including the ending of a project (that I will share soon!), the beginning of the end for my AP art class portfolio, and endless amounts of end of year things, so packing got (quite literally) shoved to the side.

I finished picking up a couple of things, including a summer dress, a shirt, and some sandals, and this weekend I hope to grab another shirt and maybe a hat, but I still feel a little crunched for space. We've decided for the train we'll be taking a suitcase and backpack each, and I've not the faintest idea where I am going to fit my camera tripod. I already cut down on art supplies, deciding on my favorite two sketchbooks and bringing only a sketching pencil set, and books (Jeremy Clarkson's Round the Bend and another book I've not picked yet ((it'll come from this list here)).

Train rides can be a bit long, so I'm trying to bring things that entertain me for long periods of time. Music is also something I've been wanting to bring, but my library is a little stale. Any suggestions?

With the countdown starting, I'm getting excited and trying to keep busy.

As the weather continues to assault much of the U.S with icy blasts of cold, I am comforted with thoughts of Florida via a trip planned for later in spring. I've been to Florida before a few times as I have family there and will be going to school there later this year. This time, I'm going down to the West coast for about five days and will be bringing along both my camera and potentially a film camera.

I'm definitely looking forwards to the warmer weather and even rain at this point will be welcome. How has the climate been by everyone else?

Some parts of the mainland are colder than Anchorage, Alaska today, and all I know is that leaving my hiking boots home in favor of my tattered, paint splattered high-tops was about the worst idea I've had since...well, it was a bad idea. Naturally, my mind has been escaping far away to dream about places I wish to visit or return to, though oddly many of the places I've been idly daydreaming about are not warm.

Perhaps it is the beginning of cabin fever, but I've been looking back at photographs to trips to New York City, Montreal, Florida, and other places longing merely to escape the monotonous trudge of daily life and go somewhere else.

It is those thoughts that brought me to read more about places I've always wanted to visit, especially in the BBC's Travel section where I often frequent during lunchtime in the week, and eventually to write about them as I see them.


London, Britain


Twilight over London from New Zealand High Commission

A stop for perhaps most travel enthusiasts, I am looking forwards to visiting London in the future. Hopping across the pond has been a goal of mine for quite a few years now, and as I wish to get my MFA in London at one of the art/design colleges, I figure it would be a good thing to visit the city before I make any plans towards actually living there. (And maybe get my BFA first too...)

Some attractions in London:

-Tate Modern: Ever since I wrote my senior paper on Ai Weiwei and explored through writing the sunflower seed exhibition he showed in Tate Modern, I've written this modern art museum onto my 'must see' list. Entry is free, which is a plus (and something I am unused to; most NYC museums/art galleries have ridiculous entrance fees) and sitting on the Thames the restaurant is supposed to offer great views.
-Royal Albert Hall: I'm a concert going type of person, and an opera enthusiast, and a musical lover, so I really want to visit the Royal Albert Hall and soak in the architecture and atmosphere while enjoying some Puccini perhaps, or whatever is being performed at the time.
-The Angel and Crown: Truly, the best way to know a city is by its food, and after browsing some of the top noted pubs and restaurants I grew interested by The Angel and Crown, located on St. Martins lane. Mind you, I've no pub experience, much less a British pub, so if anyone has been to the A&C, let me know how it is.

Colorado, USA



Rocky Mountains

The farthest West I've ever traveled is the border of Tennessee and Kentucky, and to be honest, other than a few far West points of interest like Seattle, San Francisco, etc, I don't think too much about the stretch of land between Tennessee and the Pacific Ocean. Mind, I know it is there, but not much fuss is made about it and I don't feel a pull towards the West like I do towards Europe, save perhaps Colorado.

Vermont has beautiful mountains, the Adirondacks of New York are impressive (and I hope to hike some of them later this year), however the awesome sight of the Rockies are something I want to see for myself. High altitudes, gorgeous scenery...I imagine I'll be packing a couple sketchbooks and cameras to try and capture the place.

Things to do:
-Grizzle-T Steamboat Dog Sledding: I have a husky at home, but she is a poor excuse for her breed (Though, she is the absolute best dog I've ever known) and refuses to pull anything, including me when I am on a run and need a little motivation. Dog sledding has been something I've wanted to do for a while, and I like the approach this dog sledding place. I'd definitely want to be taught how to drive my own team, and from exploring the website a bit the place certainly seems to enjoy their dogs and wants to allow others to connect with the dogs in the way that they do.
-Cave of the Winds: Remember that little piece I wrote about the Secret Caverns here in upstate New York a while ago? My love of caves certainly hasn't stopped since then, and I distinctly remember reading about this cave in one of my classes a couple of years ago. What I like about the tour styles of this particular cave is the option of a lantern guided tour. There is something about that which makes me eager to try it.
-Rocky Mountain National Park: And naturally, hiking, photography, rock climbing and the like are outdoorsy things that are attractive to do in Colorado, and where better to go but the Rocky Mountain National Park?

Montreal, Canada

I've actually visited Montreal, however my trip was cut rather short as I was on a trip with my French class. My mother got to come as a "chaperone" (really, I convinced my teacher to let her come because I knew she'd love it) and we had a blast together. It was one of the few times that I broke my sworn vow not to take weekend trips anywhere that I could easily spend a week in and I lived more than half a day from, and though I am glad I went, I definitely could have used more than the two days that I spent.

While in Montreal I saw cosplayers in the metro, the beautiful colors of the Basilica de Notre Dame, and stayed in a hotel that, if I has been wiser at the time, overlooked much of the city if you stood in the pool room and would have made for fantastic photographs. I visited the Biodome and was yelled at by my class (which the exception of one of my close friends) for taking too long, but I couldn't help it, truthfully.

We also went to a restaurant that I regretfully cannot remember the name of, and had a plate of excellently grilled petit calmar. To sum it up, Montreal is an excellent place to go if you'd like to practice your French, see beautiful architecture, get mixed up in a cultural melting pot, and eat some cooked squid.

Lovely places to stop:
-Basilica de Notre Dame: The architecture and use of color in this spectacular Basilica is enough to make your head spin. I was spellbound by the Casavant organs and my neck hurt from looking up at the immensely detailed ceiling. This is a place to go to feel awe, quite simply, and admire those great artists who created such an extravagant place of worship.
-Biodome: Explore different ecosystems in this magnificent espace pour la vie. Kids and adults will enjoy and appreciate the range of biodiversity that can be found under one roof. I distinctly remember loving the tropical region (because it was warm) and doing a fun creature search. There is also an incline elevator above the Biodome which leads up to an observation area, if I recall correctly.
-Pointe-à-Callière: This was the very first thing I did in Montreal and it is a fantastic introduction to the city. If you are scholarly and love history like I am and do, you will immensely enjoy the tour of this museum and beneath it, where much of the history lies.

Lapland, Scandinavia

It is rumored that one can see the Northern lights once in a blue moon here where I live, however whenever the "possibility of seeing them is high" (as says any local reporter) it tends to be cloudy, and as such, I've never seen them. A place to go see them however, is the Lapland up in the northern parts of Scandinavia.

I'd love to go backpacking up there and pitch a tent for a few nights out there in the great expanses and maybe catch some sights of the Aurora Borealis occurrences. It would be another great place to bring some art supplies and a few cameras and might even inspire some music (enter offbeat Nightwish reference).

What do you do in the North?
-Rovaniemi: Apart from having a neat name, the so called "Official Hometown of Santa Claus" (See link) is one of the most interesting cities I've ever researched. Sure, it isn't as expansive or large as any of the "great" cities (London, Paris, NYC, etc), however from ice hotels to the beautiful places to see the Midnight Sun, Roveniemi appears to entangle the Lapland with the modern world in a truly intriguing way.
-Ylläs-Ski: Though I've never been on skies, I certainly want to, and the slopes at Ylläs-Ski seem to be conducive to someone who hasn't skied much or at all, and wants to improve.
-Camping: Let's be honest, who wouldn't want to do a few nights camping out under the stars in the beautiful, wild country?

Been to any of these places? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, and if there is anywhere I should include in later travel posts, write them down and I'll keep them in mind!


(Source of Lapland photograph: HibaHaba Flickr)