What the new Palm Springs Library could look like

Pretty cool!

So glad to see a happy ending for this young whale

From: The Times Colonist

ZEBALLOS — An orphan killer whale calf escaped from a remote Vancouver Island tidal lagoon Friday where it had been trapped for more than a month, immediately swimming toward the open ocean and making calls for its extended family members, say overjoyed rescue officials. The young orca's bid for freedom occurred at a high tide early Friday and involved swimming through a swift-moving, narrow channel and underneath a bridge, with Espinosa Inlet in the near distance, and Esperanza Inlet beyond. "It's been a joyful day, a really joyful day," said Ehattesaht First Nation Chief Simon John at a news conference. "I'm very ecstatic how things happened today. There was a lot of anticipation for this moment for the past five weeks." The orca has been the focus of intense rescue efforts since March 23, when her pregnant mother became stranded on a rocky beach and died near the bridge in Little Espinosa Inlet next to the community of Zeballos, more than 450 kilometres northwest of Victoria. The calf chose a "clear and glass-calm, star-filled night" at about 2:30 a.m. to swim under the bridge and down the inlet, said a joint statement from the Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations. The young orca's behaviour changed almost at the moment she passed under the bridge and headed for the open ocean, said Paul Cottrell, a marine mammal co-ordinator with the Fisheries Department. "We were just amazed at how quickly, and how the behaviour of this animal changed when it went from the shallow inlets, where it was restricted, to these wide-open inlets that are very deep," he said. "Her behaviour, her acoustics changed. She actually sped away from the boat and moved into Esperanza Inlet and really took off from the group." Cottrell, who has been in Zeballos since last month working with area First Nations on a rescue plan, said he's confident the young orca will survive and find family. "It was just a great feeling knowing we've given her a great chance," he said. "Now it's up to her and we're very confident that she will meet up with her pod." Cottrell, who has worked on numerous whale rescues off B.C.'s coast, described Friday's events as "one of the best experiences" of his life. The orca calf, estimated to be about two years old, was seen breaching and playing near the bridge end of the lagoon for much of Thursday evening, but only a few people were there to witness her escape as she swam under the bridge, John said in an interview.

Best Baguette in Paris

It looks wonderful, doesn't it?

"French baker Xavier Netry, from the Utopie bakery, has won the annual Best Baguette competition in Paris. He shares his secrets to his stellar French tasty treasure. The French baguette. A national treasure. Nothing beats it, or that nostril-tingling warm waft of freshly baked bread as you enter a boulangerie. It’s less a baked good and more a way of life, a symbol of the French art of living. And now, the verdict has dropped, as the French capital has awarded 2024’s best baguette."

Loved this

Makes me almost want to get out my paints. Well, I would just need one colour. So simple yet so effective.

Gabriel Rissi/ Unsplash

Golden Gate Bridge

I remember being so impressed the first time I saw this bridge. Interesting that the colour was accidental.

From: History Facts "The orange color of the Golden Gate Bridge was accidental. San Francisco’s most famous bridge is unmistakable thanks to its brilliant reddish-orange hue, but this color was chosen almost by coincidence. The Golden Gate Bridge was destined to be an ordinary bridge painted in gray, silver, or black until architect Irving Morrow (who worked on the bridge’s lighting and art deco style) championed the unique orange vermillion color. Morrow first suggested the hue after he noticed that some of the bridge was painted with a primer in that color. In 1935, two years into construction, he presented a “Report on Color and Lighting” to the project’s board of directors, suggesting that “What has been thus played up in form should not be let down in color.” He believed the orange complemented the nearby Marin Hills and contrasted with the blues of the sky and sea. In the end, the board agreed, and the bridge was painted from end to end in a shade officially known as “international orange.”

Ah....cellphones

This gave me a chuckle. I guess we'll see a lot of art involving cellphones.

Elena Goukassian 17 April 2024 Share Dindga McCannon in front of her new mural at Rikers Island Photo: Ellie Epstein Dindga McCannon in front of her new mural at Rikers Island Photo: Ellie Epstein A new mural by the artist Dindga McCannon was unveiled today at Rikers Island, the notorious prison island in the East River that hosts New York City’s largest jail. The mural, titled Towards a Brighter Tomorrow! (2024), appears on the exterior wall of the Re-entry Service Center, where recently released individuals can pick up cellphones and naloxone on their way to freedom.

Wine for phones

It's rather sad restaurants have to go to such lengths to get customers to give up their phones but what a great idea. From: Delish "A restaurant in Italy is offering diners a tempting deal if they're willing to take a temporary break from their phones. Customers who are willing to surrender their phones for the duration of their meal will receive a free bottle of wine. The enticing offer comes courtesy of Al Condominio, a restaurant in Verona, Italy. Owner Angelo Lella revealed to The Guardian that he had grown tired of people obsessing over their phones constantly. His fix to the problem? Good wine. “We wanted to open a restaurant that was different from the others,” he said. “So we picked this format—customers can choose to renounce technology while enjoying a convivial moment together. Technology is becoming a problem—there is no need to look at your phone every five seconds, but for many people it is like a drug … This way they have an opportunity to put it aside and drink some good wine.”

Price on transit in Paris doubling in price during Olympics

I think this is not a bad idea given transit in Paris is very reasonable if things are like they used to be. Perhaps things have changed but we were always thrilled by the cheap price on the Metro in Paris as compared to The Tube in London.

Ikea joke

Having assembled various items from Ikea I can really relate. From: Linda's blog

Tell me it's not true

Red Lobster is reportedly considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. We've had some wonderful meals at Red Lobster...a great place for lobster lovers. I do remember being a little squeamish picking out the live lobster I was going to have for dinner.

Raeside always gets it right

Gallery: Adrian Raeside cartoon: A chat with the new family doctor Adrian Raeside Apr 16, 2024 4:00 AM

Deadliest creature in the world

And they just seem to love me.

"Based on the number of human deaths per year, the deadliest animal is not a creature that humans usually find scary, such as a lion or a snake. Mosquitos are by far the deadliest creature in the world when it comes to annual human deaths, causing around one million deaths per year, compared to 100,000 deaths from snakes and 250 from lions. Perhaps surprisingly, dogs are the third deadliest animal to humans. Dogs are responsible for around 30,000 human deaths per year, with the vast majority of these resulting from rabies that the dog transmits." Source: Statista

Lou Rota Mother Nature Dessert Plate

I never thought I would get excited by a dessert plate but these attracted me and a pretty good price too. (200) Reviews $20.

Pets of US presidents

Some pretty strange ones for sure.

Here is the whole article with pictures of all the pets mentioned. https://www.dictionaryscoop.com/article/Did-You-Know-The-Stories-Of-These-Iconic-And-Lovable-Presidential-Pets?x_title=1&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=blog-20240411-treatment

A lovely evening

We had dinner at Donna's last night.It was so nice to be together. Merci beaucoup, chere amie!

NASA and Nessie

From: Nice News This is all quite fascinating to me. NASA and Nessie...who would have guessed they would be linked together. "A large-scale hunt for Nessie will take place this May and June (Image: Loch Ness Centre) The Loch Ness Centre has announced a brand new search for the Loch Ness Monster, and has called on NASA to lend its expertise. In 2023, the newly revamped research centre launched a large-scale hunt for Nessie that saw hundreds of in-person and virtual volunteers search the famous waters of the loch. Following multiple potential sightings and reports of strange noises heard from the depths, it is returning with an even bigger search next month. Set to take place between May 30 and June 2, the Loch Ness Centre is once again looking for budding monster hunters to take part in the search. This year, however, organisers are also asking for experts to lend a hand. As well as scientists and universities, the research centre has called on the pioneers of exploration at NASA to provide equipment and expertise. By using state-of-the-art technology, the Loch Ness Centre is hoping to uncover the mysteries of Loch Ness once and for all.

Cool photos of the eclipse

From: Euronews

At least something is cheap at the Masters

From: Morning Brew "Good morning. The Masters begins today, which means it’s once again time to marvel at the dirt-cheap concession prices at Augusta National Golf Club. The classic pimento cheese sandwich costs $1.50, a chicken sandwich costs $3, and a beer costs $6. Think about it this way: You can get two egg salad sandwiches, a coffee, a breakfast sandwich, a ham & cheese on rye, a chicken biscuit, a blueberry muffin, and a beer for the same price as one honey deuce drink at last year’s US Open for tennis ($22). Of course, it’ll cost you well over $1,000 for a ticket, but that’s not really the point…" —Holly Van Leuven, Matty Merritt, Molly Liebergall, Abby Rubenstein, Neal Freyman

Great news for fast food workers

Good on California. It has always seemed like a pretty progressive state to me.

From: Nice News "$20 That's the new hourly wage for about half a million fast food workers in California. The latest increase — which is $4 higher than the overall state minimum wage — applies to restaurant chains with more than 60 nationwide locations. It comes after a yearslong fight by workers to establish better pay and improve working conditions."

Colourful cities around the world

I will probably be posting more of these.

From: Daily Passport "In a country of colorful cities, San Miguel de Allende still manages to stand out. Nestled in central Mexico’s highlands, San Miguel de Allende was originally an Indigenous Chichimeca village called Itzcuinapan until the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. A Franciscan monk named Juan de San Miguel built a chapel in the village in 1542, and the outpost grew in wealth and power as a market for the silver and tin mined in the region. Today it’s a haven for expats, artists, and tourists drawn to its magnificent and well-preserved colonial architecture — recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — as well as the city’s vibrant cultural and culinary scenes."

Solar eclipse

I watched quite a bit of coverage of this. It was all pretty interesting.

Comment from Louise Penny. Total eclipse of the sun today!! And we are right in the path of the totality. It's going to last more than 3 minutes here. Visitors from around the world arriving to see it. Am going to Manoir Hovey with friends to watch. Glasses at the ready. Will report back. Everyone very excited, and rightly so.

Great news for young people in France

From: Nice News "French President Emmanuel Macron said last year he wanted a rail pass for all, but after months of negotiations, a scaled-back version has been agreed. Following on from the success of Germany’s Deutschlandticket, France is set to launch its own version this summer. In an interview with AFP on Wednesday French transport minister Patrice Vergriete said an agreement had been found with all regions. The scheme is expected to cost €49 per month and it will be available to around 700,000 young people under the age of 27 this July and August. It will allow unlimited travel on TER and Intercity trains but will exclude high-speed TGV trains."

Tartan Day

This weekend marks the return of Tartan Day. On Saturday, people across Scotland and beyond will be taking part in the annual celebration. Falling on April 6 every year, Tartan Day is all about Scottish heritage and the cultural contributions of Scottish people throughout history. If you have never heard of Tartan Day, don't be too hard on yourself. Despite being entirely dedicated to Scotland, its origins actually lie outside of the country. First celebrated in Canada in 1987, nowadays countries all over the world take part in Tartan Day celebrations. Australia, the United States, and of course Scotland itself are among the places where the holiday is the most widely observed.

Barcode-like memories in chickadees

From: Nice News "If you often have a hard time recalling where you placed your keys or wallet, you’ll be especially impressed by the incredible memory capabilities of black-capped chickadees. The small birds store and retrieve thousands of seeds and insects to eat throughout winter, and a recent study shed light on how they’re able to remember each snack’s hiding spot. ​ Researchers determined that members of the avian species create “barcode-like” memories when they deposit food, and those barcodes are reactivated during the retrieval process. The team arrived at their conclusion by observing chickadees in constructed arenas with various spots for stashing food."

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Aïoli

We were first introduced to this in Brussels and will never forget the wonderful taste. It seemed very strange to us to get a mayo type sause for fries.

"This rich garlic sauce is similar in texture to mayonnaise, and is commonly used in the cuisine of Provençe in France and Catalonia in Spain. Provençal aïoli consists of egg yolks, olive oil, and garlic, while the Catalan version consists only of garlic, salt, and olive oil. Its name comes from ail, meaning garlic, and oli, the Provençal word for oil. Some historians claim that its origins lie in a Roman sauce called aleatum, which was also made with garlic and oil. A sauce similar to aïoli was first mentioned by Pliny the Elder, Roman procurator of Tarragona, in his first-century encyclopedia Naturalis Historia, in which he describes garlic and its powerful medicinal properties.

Solar Eclipse

From: The Desert Sun "As if a solar eclipse weren't enough, observers on April 8 may also get a glimpse of a rare "horned" celestial show, a dazzlingly bright comet with a scary name. A comet designated 12P/Pons-Brooks got the much more interesting name “devil comet” when it had an outburst, a large ejection of dust and gases, in July 2023. On the day of the Great American Eclipse, the devil comet may become visible to the unaided eye, astronomers say. Amateur and professional observers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a unique opportunity to view the comet, which is renowned for its periodic eruptions of gas and dust. "

Easter dinner illustrated

Naomi sent a photo of our wonderful Easter dinner. It looks great and tasted even better.

Paintings by Winston Churchill

I'm quite sure I have posted about this before but I continue to be amazed by his talent.

Easter dinner

We had a lovely dinner with Naomi, Ray, Richard and Grace. Thank you all for making this Easter very special.