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Monday, July 28, 2008

All that is RoCk & RoLL...with a bit of NoStaLgiA thrown in!


Here is another 'famous' Robyn & Adrien Mystery trip. It was my turn for July. So, since gas has been kicking the crap out of us. I decided to utlize the public transit system. And found some really cool things right around downtown Sacramento. Which I didn't even know excisted until I started to surf the net! We meet right downtown on K street. We had an early lunch...here at the HARD ROCK Cafe!

Here is the guy that seated us! I was so fascinated by his hair...and if anyone knows me...I will talk to ANYONE! So, there I was chatting up this 'Rock Star' and finding out what he did the night before (partied...no surprise there)when all of a sudden it hit me! Ask him to pose...and HE DID! He rocked, played right along. Loved his hair and his fun spirit!

OK...so of course, I have to show you how much this food rocked! I mean look at the burger, MAN o' Man! Now that is a serious burger friends! And since my best friend is so OPPOSITE of me and doesn't like anything BEEF...she got a serious Turkey Club! Check it out!
We walked out of there, very full and needed to walk five miles to work off that calorie intake! But WHO CARES! Gosh darn it...we are on a mystery trip! We don't hold back! We experience it all!
Well, we needed to get back on the light rail to head out to our actual mystery spot.
We mosey on over to our stop and begin to wait. And then to what would be my husband's dismay...what happens! Some guy asks ME for help! Yep...he picked the right girl! I am a sucker! I walk over and realize I am standing in front of an EX-CON who just got released a couple hours prior. The standard issue...white t-shirt and blue jeans and white sneakers and the ever present brown paper bag, containing all his worldly possessions. And when I looked up...there it is...the tatted teardrop right under his eye. What was a girl to do. So, asked what I could do for him....(hmmmm...maybe in hindsight not really the thing to ask an ex-con who hasn't seen a woman, well...in a while!) He smiled like a Cheshire Cat and gave me the once over, but me being a wise butt, just said...dude! What?! Then placed my hand on my hip looking annoyed. He then got all soft and timid and started to sound shy...WT Heck! Maybe he had run ins with women Correctional Officers...LOL! Any woo, I digress...he needed me to show him how to get a ticket. Yes, it has been that long since he has been out. Poor soul! Seemed nice enough, but kept it in the back of my mind that teardrop meant that he killed someone at some point in his criminal career. He thanked me profusely, the train came we all got on. Once on, he couldn't stop staring at me. It reminded me of those cartoons I have seen, where the dog looks at someone and sees them as a T-Bone steak. Yep...that is how I felt! LOL! It never ceases to amaze me the adventures Adrien and I have had on our mystery trips...amazing!

This is where I took us for our July Mystery Trip! It was truly fantastic and totally empty. Adrien and I were there on a Sunday, and there was almost no one there! It was glorious. We wondered around the museum as if we owned it! I for one love museums and history. So, this was a great combination. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to get a better idea about our great state, California.

Great exhibits in this museum. Our first one that we came across had to deal with the Japanese American internment camps. This exhibit brought me to tears. It was a scary time for America...but to think we did this! I couldn't wrap my mind around it! The pictures and displays were haunting...and still resonant in my mind.

The pictures depicted what these Americans experienced on a daily basis.

Here is a photo depicting Ronald Reagan signing over a bill that passed, that would reimburse these hurt Americans and their families, years later! Almost all lost their land and farms and stores. And all that was precious to them. Even though they were tested like this...they still LOVED AMERICA! Truly amazing exhibit.

Then there were fun, uplifting exhibits as well. This was about the dogs used in service. Rescue and otherwise.



And as everyone knows by now...I am really into all types of ART! Here is some that was painted on the ceiling in one exhibit hall. Truly fantastic and can you image laying on your back with your arms in the air for hours at a time to paint this mural?



Then came to some local neighborhood history! This place is where all the lobbists would come gather and exhange notes and such! It was a fun place I hear and great cheap food! Love the derby hat! And here is Adrien enjoying some of the old booths and items from the cafe!

I am going to post some random photos of the museum as there are so many great things to see! I highly recommend coming and experiencing this musuem on your own accord. From A to Z this museum has it. Anything to do with California, it is in there. Art from one corner of the building to the other. Inspiration from one corner to other. Truly a gem in downtown Sacramento.





Then we came to (I think) one of the more interesting parts. I will let the photos do the talking!




Then we 'mickeyed' around once done with the whole tour of the musuem. They had 3 huge Mickeys in the little sitting area part of the museum where you could kick back and take a break.


Then we hopped back on to light-rail to get a cool, creamy treat! Now, this was worth waiting for!


Well, there it is! Our July Mystery Trip. A bit long but aleast there were a lot of photos...right?! Keep the peeps entertained as they scroll down the long, wordy post! LOL! It was fun. And an INexpenisive way to spend a Sunday with my best friend. Whom I just enjoy getting caught up in anyone of our adventures.
With much love,

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Magnolia ThunderPussy!


*Warning not a average Robyn posting...strong language and content, in respect for some of my regular readers*


This mystery trip was back in April! Yes...April. Adrien booked a walking tour of the Haight and Ashbury area! I LOVED IT! I am such a Jerry Garcia fan and really loved our tour guide. She was kooky and had fab stories. She has personally done(I mean meet)everyone from Jerry Garcia, Jimmy Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin...and many, many more! The pic of the house below at one time housed the Hell's Angels! I know...get out! They lived right next door to Jerry Garcia. And how it was explained to me from my hippie tour guide, this is how Jerry came about having the Hell's Angels as his security.

This is Jerry Garcia's house. No big deal to most but to me...it rocked!

Here is a pic of our hippie-chick tour guide (looks as if she is trying to cup the whatnots of the mural...lol) She could talk and talk...and her stories were like listening to the history channel. We walked miles and miles, but some of the best miles.

And this brings me to the next photo. There I was standing on a crowded street corner taking everything in. When...BAM...hippie-chick tour guide says "Magnolia Thunder-Pussy used to have a place..." I burst out so loud with laughter, I swear everything came to a halt. I was rolling. That name alone evoked quite a picture in my mind. But seems she was a coolie-o type of chick. And really did live the hippie style life. Where what's mine is yours. Check out the blown up menu you will roll with laughter!

Double click on photo below to zoom in. I am telling you it would rock if we had a place around here where I could order the likes of "Pineapple Pussy".


And this is what I found when I Google searched! I only wish I had been able to meet this crazy-sex-pot growing-joint smoking-getting her drink on-loving gal! Can you imagine how fun that must have been back then. Yep...those were the days (well my friends Walker and Inner Voices still seem to be living the 'puff-puff-pass-get-their-drink-on' life style...lucky bastards!)
Magnolia Thunderpussy (c. 1940 – 15 May 1996), born Patricia Donna Mallon, was a San Francisco burlesque performer, radio personality, filmmaker and restaurateur. Thunderpussy operated two San Francisco restaurants in the 1960s: the one at 1398 Haight Street, which bore her name, featured a late-night delivery service and erotic desserts such as the "Montana Banana" (two "balls" of ice cream, whole banana, whipped cream and chocolate shavings) and the "Pineapple Pussy" (a hollowed pineapple filled with strawberry ice cream covered with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a cherry).
Thunderpussy worked at several well-known dining and entertainment venues during her career, including the Boarding House (David Allen's nightclub on Nob Hill) and Capp's Corner (a restaurant in North Beach).
The Haight Street site is now occupied by a brewpub (also called "Magnolia" in memory of Thunderpussy).


There are crazy stores that line both sides of the main street. Crazy I tell ya! You have total chaos down there. Street performers and Hippies alike. Now of course the Hippies have a darker look, very rare to see tie dyes around. More like grunge.


And because the Hippie movement started in San Francisco, the fire department now has the Grateful Dead's logo on all their engines. Now, tell me that doesn't ROCK!

One of the best mystery trips for me. Very close to my rock-n-roll heart! And I am one for history and storytelling. I could have hung out all day listening to our Hippie-chick tour guide's stories. I would highly recommend this walking tour for anyone wanting to get immersed in some of San Francisco's diverse history.
Here is the simple link: Flower Power Walking Tour
With much love,

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Thank You...to all of you!


Thank you rules the day...all of you have made me not only feel 'beautiful' but embraced me in the blogger community. I did something that was simple in nature but terrifying in reality. I 'outed' myself on blogger. I had been getting tons of emails to reveal myself, which took time on my part. Then one night, all alone and feeling silly. I grabbed my trusty digital camera and set out to my master bathroom, which had the best lighting and the biggest mirror. And there I sat for an hour posing and shooting! Several (thousand...lol) shots later I felt I had some that would be fun and have the artsy feel I was striving for.

I then posted and then held my breath...and then 70 something comments later, I breathed easy. Nothing but love from the comments. Comments that brought tears to my eyes because they were so sweet and kind. And virtually all from strangers. I love blogging, each of your blogs has carried me to wondrous and well traveled paths. I have enjoyed learning about each of you. I have experienced the gamut of emotions on all the blogs I have visited. You name it, I have experienced it!
To my blogger family...I humbly thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thanks for making this one of the best experiences here on blogger!

And the LOVE Keeps Coming!

Terri over at Lakewood Manor and Lisa over at LisaLaughs have each given me an award! And it happens to be the same award! I am very honored to have this bestowed on me.

Terri is a truly inspiring woman to me. We have known each other online for a while now. We have shared alot of experiences together. Her father and I had Thyroid Cancer at the same time. And Unfortunately, that great man lost his life to the disease. Through my tough times with the disease she was a ray of sunshine and she gave so much of herself to me! I love you, Terri! Thanks for always being there for me!

Lisa is an incredibly talented artist in my book! She is amazing in the scrap booking and anything with paper world! Lisa and I have been in some swaps together and have come to enjoy our swaps together. I have learned a many things from this highly talented woman. Thanks for always being so lovely to me!
Here are the rules for the award:

The rules for receiving this award are:
1) Put the logo on your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on yours.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Here are the 7 people I nominate. All 7 are incredible in so many ways. I love their blogs and visit daily. Each one is so very different. And each brings something to the table. I love reading their tales and get so wrapped up in their posts. From creating art,to unraveling a mystery, to discovering one's journey, to wittiness. I have a huge blog role list, and if I could I have have put ALL of you. I think each of your blogs are incredible. To the 7 that were picked...thank you for blogs and thanks for sharing a peek into your worlds. I for one, have thoroughly enjoyed my journey to your blogs.

1. CSI Seattle - Fantastic man, friend, incredible writer, father,husband,teacher, and has a love for all that is CSI!

2. FarieBees - She has a knack for making her garden lush and inviting to all...people and little critters alike. She is an incredible thrift er and then turns around and makes something magical out of her find!

3. Lattes and Rainy Days - a new blogger friend to me, but have come to find that her and I have so much in common. Kirsten takes beautiful photos and her words haunt me. There is a ribbon of commonality between us.

4. Randy's Creative Hands - New to the blogging world. When Randy and I first meet, it was like meeting an old, lost friend. He is a gentle soul and has a god given talent. Randy is an incredible artist, he does wood crafting/arts. His skills are fine tuned and he has a quite the following in Arizona. Slowly but surely, I think Randy will find that his art will be making it's debut coast to coast.

5. The Old Professor/Paulz Blog - Some of you have been introduced to this wry and witty man. Paul has on a many occasion made me spit coffee onto my monitor while reading one of his witty posts. His posts have become a highlight in my day. I promise Paul will not disappoint. He is a very wise, wise Professor!

6. The Weather in the Streets - This woman is incredibly inspiring to me. Leah's writing is impeccable and her words are beautiful. I love her descriptions of events that have taken place. Leah is an incredible writer, mother, wife and most importantly, friend! This blog will not only have you laughing but will make you THINK!

7. Rose Cottage Studio - Last but certainly not least! This woman is beyond incredible. I have come to love my friendship with Suzanne. She is highly motivating and has a incredible heart of GOLD! Suze is selfless and loves everything...from animals to humans. I love her strength and her fire in her words. She is passion at its best! Promise you too will love her as much as I do!

So, my incredible friends please take the time and enjoy these wonderful blogs. Stop by and tell them 'Robyn' sent ya! You will not be disappointed.

With much love,

Monday, July 14, 2008

Through the looking glass...
















Through the looking glass I see the many faces and moods of Robyn. For all my blogger friends and those who are lurking in the back ground, I have come forth. I have posted pictures of other's faces...it is high time you all have a face with a name! I have taken a artsy spin on just a simple photograph. I had fun and played and posted those that I thought provoked the essence of Robyn. What do you think?!
Ok...besides being pre-color treatment for my premature greying (which I have inherited from my dear father who is snow white), and only having the master bathroom mirror to work with, since I had no other person here to capture my images...lol! Still had major fun and I can't tell you how much I laughed. Thank goodness no one walked in to me laughing uncontrollably. 911 would have been called and the 5150 call would have gone out for sure.

**UPDATE: And for the 21 emails wanting to know and getting my eye color wrong! As much as I got a giggle out of the odd requests, I am truthfully glad no one asked for nude shots...LOL! Here you go. My eyes...lol, are green my friends!


With much love,