This N That...

It's long past due for another post. However, as the last few years have gone by, I've not been out on many photo shoots. So, what HAVE I been doing, you might ask? 

In the last few years, a lot has happened. I lost my Mother - it's always hard to lose a parent...

(I miss you Mom!)

And, on a happier note, I've attended and graduated from massage school. Yes, I am now a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT). I'm currently working on becoming a Master Massage Therapist (MMT) so I have many more hours of classes to complete. My camera has been on the back shelf.

By the way, if you live near me, here's my massage website: klg.massagetherapy.com

So...if you think changing careers, coming out of retirement to go back to school and taking classes at age 60 - soon to be 61 - then setting up a practice from scratch is crazy, you may very well be right.  But one thing I have learned from this myself is that you are NEVER too old to do what your heart desires!

And, I've had such a feeling of accomplishment having finished the initial school, more of an accomplishment to have received my license, and the best accomplishment helping other people feel better and pain-free!

Now, while I pursue my Masters, in between classes, I work in my very own little studio giving massages, facials, and wraps. I converted the little house behind my own home into the perfect little massage studio. It has everything I need.

Nope, life around here is never dull or slow. And, even with all of that, I still even get to have a little fun here and there...like  traveling back to my beloved Mexico to do a little shopping and spend quality time with dear friends.

... In fact, NOTHING was going to keep me down! :)

Life is too short to let the small stuff keep you down. So get out there and reach for the stars. Laugh whenever you can, because life isn't always a bowl of cherries - sad, but true. Make the most of your life! (Like making crazy videos of yourself acting silly for your granddaughter)

That's all for now. Until the next time I pick up my camera... 

Traveling To Mexico
Part I - The Trip to Atotonilco

Dancers from the Ballet Folclorico

Mexico - home of the Ballet Folclorico, amazing potteries, great artists, delicious foods, gifted artisans, and beautiful locations through the country.

I had the fortunate opportunity to spend one month in my beloved Mexico. Yes, it holds a dear place in my heart. I lived there for five years and, ever since moving back, I've longed to visit again. Finally, after six long years, a friend asked me to travel back with her and I did! 

Flying above the beautiful clouds!

While I was there, I stayed VERY busy! I visited with old friends. It was so good to see familiar faces...

Sofi, Gabriella, Rosa, Dani, Mirella

Lynn, Ted, Jerry, Connie

Jillian, Arnold, Jan

Ellen, Jan, Mario

I ate out a lot. There were so many good places that we were not able to eat at all of them, unfortunately, but I tried to get to as many as I could!
       

I did eat a lot of Mexican food as well as seafood but before remembering to take the picture, I ate them! Here are a few things I ate:

Chicken with green sauce and fried spinach...

Crab cake with fries...

Shrimp Etoufee'...

Fish fillet in garlic butter...

Shrimp & Scallops on pasta with a cream sauce...

Pan fried whole huacinango (redfish)...

One of the highlights of my trip was a tour to the cheese factory in Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco. We started the tour by boarding our bus at 7am. For a snack before our breakfast stop, we were all given a chicken salad sandwich. It was delicious but not like any chicken salad I'd ever had! It had shredded chicken, potatoes, carrots and mayonaise....tasty.

Our first stop was at the Hacienda Coyotes for a continental breakfast. We were offered cookies, fruit with yogurt (very much thinner than yogurt in the states and not as sweet) and slivered almonds for topping, coffee, and our choice of fresh squeezed juice (orange or grapefruit). While waiting to be served, we walked around the grounds.

Jillian & Rosa at a little fountain in the entry way...

Rosa & I

 A nice big inside...

Decorative walls embossed with the name of the restaurant...

Skylights and Star Lights...

In the background you can see our tables...What a beautiful view while we ate!

Taking pictures of the grounds & lake...

Watching the ducks and geese swim...

Baby geese....so sweet to watch...

A view from the other side...

What can I say about this one????? Maybe it was one of his favorite dancing horses??

Our breakfast...the fresh fruit and juice was delicious!

After we had out breakfast, it was on to the next stop - the cheese factory! Now, it's not what you might expect on the outside...maybe not even on the inside...but it was a very busy little factory.

The owner had traveled all over Europe, learning how to make 34 delicious European cheeses that you won't find in Mexico (except for Mexico City, where he markets his wares). 

You'd never know it was a cheese factory from the outside! The actual factory where they make the cheese is below and the tasting room is up those stairs.

The sheep, cows and goats are kept up there behind the factory. 

Stainless steel tables and plastic bins waiting for the whey...

The owner, inspecting his cheese...

A glimpse at one cheese store room...

Workers packaging goat cheese rolls...

Making Manchego cheese...

Pack it in a bucket lined with cheese cloth so all of the liquid can be squeezed out in a later process...

Loading more of the buckets to fill the rack...

After they're filled, you put the lid on and stack them sideways on this machine. Then when it's turned on, buckets are pushed against the left wall so all of the liquids can be squeezed out...

And the process starts again!

He uses three milks (Tres Leches) to make his Manchego...

A better look at the "squeezing" machine...

My favorite cheese - Camembert!

Shelf after shelf of delicious cheeses!

After our tour of his factory, we all headed upstairs to for the cheese tasting which included 12 different cheeses, bread, fruit and wine. YUM! First time I've ever had cheese, wine, bread and fruit together. The flavor parings were excellent. I have to say that my favorite cheeses seem to be the softer ones, with Camembert being my all time favorite!

After tasting the cheeses (as much as we wanted, which meant we were stuffed afterward, lol), we went back downstairs and was able to purchase any cheese we wanted to at great prices. Then we loaded back on the bus.

As we were getting ready to leave and everyone was loading their cheeses and drinks back on the bus in the storage area, a pickup truck, the bed full of people, pulled up and parked on the side of us. There were a few women, some younger girls and little boys and a man watching us load the bus. The woman saw one of our people putting his beer back on the bus and she said she was really thirsty, then asked if she could buy one from him. He gave her a beer and she had the biggest smile on her face!

Our next stop was going to be the Tequila Factory. I've been on a tour before (different time, different place), so I pretty much knew what to expect although each one is different in their own way.

Turning onto the unmarked road for the Tequila Factory...

At the gate of Hacienda 

At the gate of Casa Quiote

  

Who wants a barrel of Tequila???

Adding the labels and tags to the bottles...

My friend, Noe, with a custom-made bottle and custom-made tequila - Diva.  

Let me take a minute here to talk about that bottle of Diva. As I mentioned in the caption, it's a custom-made tequila, orange flavored, and it's made exclusively for a casino in Las Vegas. We couldn't buy a bottle of it, nor could we buy even an empty bottle - however, they did let us taste it. 

When we asked a few more questions, we found that if we were to go to Las Vegas to purchase one of these beautiful bottles of tequila, it would cost $100 a bottle!!! Now on with the rest of the  tour...

Barrels of aged Tequila...

Our tour guide worked miracles and we got back on the bus with 2 bottles of Diva to have with our gourmet dinner, which would come after a tour of the little town of Atotonilco.

It didn't take us long to reach the town of Atotonilco -full of rich history and culture. We drove to the town square where our little tour would take place...

Hitching a ride to the next location...

Our bus was met by a Mariachi...

We met our tour guide at the gazebo in the middle of the town square. Almost all Mexican towns will have at least one town square where the gazebo and church/churches are located.

Atotonilco's church in the town square...

Every church is different - this one had crystal chandeliers!

Notice the year - 1895

Typical Mexican town with interesting history and lots of things to see!

Even the birds meet in the town square (check out all of the lights, lol)...

One of 3 original buildings...

Every town has beautiful murals in their government buildings telling of their beginnings...Atotonilco was no different.

After our tour was finished, it was time to travel on to the hidden restaurant for our gourmet meal. I don't think I would have EVER found it on my own! There were so many turns and back roads it seems, but when you live in the area, a prime location is not always needed to do a thriving business!

Charly's was truly a 5-star restaurant! We had our choice of  beef Fillet, stuffed chicken, or salmon. Before the trip, we were asked which one we chose for our dinner. I chose the chicken and Rosa (my friend) chose the fillet. We decided ahead of time that we would each get something different and then split our meals so we could taste two plates instead of just one plate. One of the best decisions I've ever made! :)

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of our fabulous meal. But let me try to tell you what it was like. First of all, we were given a plate of botanas (Hors d'oeuvres). There were sliced cucumbers and jicama, along with little rounds of bread that was spread with the most delicious pates and cheese spreads! Oh, and baked stuffed peppers too!!! 

Our waitresses came around and we placed our drink orders. While all the food was included in our tour price, our drinks were separate as some chose to drink tequila, beer or wine with their meal. They also asked those who'd chosen the fillet, how they wanted it cooked.

After a very short time, our food was served. My plate had fresh broccoli and carrots with a tin boat of scalloped potatoes and ham and my chicken, covered in a rich fresh stewed tomato sauce. My chicken was rolled and stuffed with fresh spinach and cheese. That stewed tomato topping was DEElicious! 

Rosa's fillet was cooked PERFECTLY and it had the most wonderful smoked flavor. I wonder what kind of wood he used to grill the meat? And, there was so much on either plate that it was hard to finish just half of each food. Definitely worth the trip and I'd give it 10 stars based on a 5 star rating system!

Of course, when we finished our meal, the bottle of Diva was opened and drinks were passed around...

Here's to Noe and the wonderful tour he took us on!

Tile work at the restaurant...

What is Mexico without cactus! 

All too soon it was time to get back on the bus and head for home. It should have only taken us a little over an hour to get home but just after we left, we came upon an accident on the two-lane highway. We had to wait for ambulances and authorities to show up. We waited two hours before we were able to continue, but it didn't matter. We'd all had such a wonderful day on our tour!

All of this and it only cost $1,000 pesos which was the equivalent of $73. I don't know about anyone else but I felt like I got my money's worth that day!

Now, that was just one day. There is so much more that I did while in Mexico, but that will have to wait for my next segment, Traveling To Mexico, Part II!