Favorites & Remembrances

Viaggiatore and I are wandering through our time together here on our blog. Reminiscing about old blog friends, laughing at funny moments, looking back at all of the time we've spent and places we've gone.

Instead of posting a New Years meme, we've decided to share some favorite stories and experiences with you. There is no rhyme or reason; only smiles and laughter as we wander back through the years we've shared together.

Read what you like, and comment if you want to; we'll be checking in.

Scarlett & Viaggiatore

All of the Viaggiatore stories: See links at right, they are chronologically ordered! Very important if you want to know who he is, where he came from and how he ended up here!

Where Do You Live - A look at where we've been

Killing Me Ever So Softly - A dark journey into the heart and soul

Dream Maker - An underdog realizes his dreams... heartwarming!

Armed and Dangerous - In which I embark on an unexpected and riotous quest

Armed & Dangerous II - The sequel... because I never do anything halfway...

Philosophy, Justification & Irony - The truly humorous story of a tea bags journey to my mug, and my justification of it

The 3 Men Who Walked On Water - Laugh out loud photo of the day...

Schmoozing With His Majesty, King Elvis - 30 Years Later - Funny story about little people and the King

The Earl of Gray & the Chocolate Kiss - A sensuously tasty poem

Reflection - A very sobering (brief) video that will astound you and possibly bring a tear to your heart.

Easter Chicken - Scarlett's shenanigans in the kitchen for a holiday dinner...

My Love - A letter to a soul mate

Wandering With Bay - I take a little girl on a big adventure!

Settling Matters of the Heart - The great debate on whether one should settle in love or not!

There's an Explanation For Almost Everything - Government hilariously defined

The Picture Worth a Thousand Words - Sarah Palin wearing the other teams colors...

Of Murderers & Journalism - I ferociously lambaste U.S. Rep Jared Polis for his cold and callous remarks regarding the death of newspapers

There & Back Again - Photo post of my journey with Mr. Black to Versailles and Paris

At Home in Scotland - Photo post of the trip Mr. Black and I enjoyed in Scotland

Twilight Reminiscing - I recount the stories of our journey to Paris

Walking Through Echoes of the Past - I recount the stories of our visit in Scotland

Traveling Tails ~ Boston! - Mr. Black and I visit Boston



We hope you've enjoyed wandering with us, on our shore and on all the distant shores we love to visit. Have a very Happy New Year! We'll see you in January.


Scarlett & Viaggiatore

Traveling Tails ~ Boston

Viaggiatore, Mr. Black and I have returned from Boston with several photos, some nice postcards, and some more memories tucked into our pockets. We visited for 4 days and squeezed in quite bit of fun...

Highlights~
Museum of Fine Arts
Harry Potter Exhibition at Museum of Science
Guitar Hero Laser Show at Museum of Science
Boston Ballet ~ Nutcracker
Afternoon Tea at the Plaza
Chinatown
Coffee shops
Charles St.
The Freedom Trail
Revere Beach (Atlantic Ocean)
Mike's Pastry Shop & Hanover St.
Cheers (both)
Boston Symphony
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum


Tails~

We had three hotel rooms in four nights. The sink leaked in the first one, the second one was a handicapped room with a drive in shower that resembled a locker room and there were teenagers a few rooms down who were seriously committed to hallway races at 3:30 in the morning. After a brief discussion with the management, we were put into a very nice room on the executive level for the last two nights.

We walked over the better part of Boston, taking it all in and enjoying it, but none of the walks was quite as good as the late night walk through a downpour rain under a shared umbrella. It was a bit of a long walk as I'd directed our path several blocks left when we should have gone one block to the right... but it was still very nice.

On the train to the Boston Symphony, I'd been sitting next to a rather shabby looking young man (whom Mr. Black is certain was a gang member), and when his stop came, he stood to get off the train and motioned with his head for me to follow him. I was shocked and tried my very best not to erupt in hysterical laughter. The boy was quite serious. He tried to convince me, without words, but to no avail, so he finally gave up and left me there with Mr. Black.

Mr. Black took over the Navigator duties after I discovered we'd been on the wrong train for half an hour; en route to the Museum of Fine Arts. Oops.

We drank 6 pots of different teas at our Afternoon Tea at the Plaza and visited with their resident tea sommelier, Cynthia Gold, who is a wealth of information on one of my favorite beverages and a wonderful lady.

I loved leaving footprints in the sand on Revere Beach, and slipping some pretty shells into my pocket, to touch when I am aching for the sea.

The rest of the stories will be saved for another day. It was a very nice trip, indeed.

Wishing You A Very Merry Christmas

Viaggiatore and I have put up the tree, woven with soft white lights and trimmed with treasures gathered over the years. The stockings are hung over the glow of a warm fireplace, snow globes adorn the mantle, and an army of Nutcrackers stand guard throughout the house. Candlelight dances and Christmas music plays, trays of chocolates and drums of candy canes sit waiting by the door, where the mistletoe hangs.

It is such a very special time of year, and we wish so much that the cheer and joy of the season finds you and nestles itself in your hearts and in your holiday.

Merry Christmas

On The Road Again!

Viaggiatore, Mr. Black and I are heading out onto the road again! We are going to visit Boston! I love Boston. I wish it was October instead of December... but it will be a delightful, albeit cold, visit.

We'll hit a couple of book stores, visit Boston Ballet, wander through little Italy in the North End, walk on the beach (weather permitting), check out China town, walk the Freedom Trail, enjoy an afternoon tea at the Taj, see the new exhibits at the Museum of Fine Art and the Isabella Gardner Museum as well as a few other surprises... and of course pay a visit to Cheers!

If you've been, what would you recommend we see and do?

Happy Thanksgiving

A very Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Just A Note Or Two

A: Viaggiatore and I are very glad to be back! It's been a long break this time. Too long!

B Flat: Congratulations to Michelle of Bleeding Espresso for winning the Wandering Expedition! We may have one again at some point in the future... Viaggiatore and I do love to travel! So does Michelle, as it turns out!

C: Scarlett was extremely lucky and got to do a photo shoot/story with Harrison Ford this last Saturday. His fiance Calista Flockhart and their son were there as well. I will not post all the really good shots, because those are for publication elsewhere, but here's a sweet hello from them to you:

D: There is another upcoming journey which Viaggiatore and I will be posting about soon! We haven't seen the ocean since April and it's time to go again; although I have a feeling it will be much too cold to put our toes and paws into the waves! We'll enjoy the creme pie and delicious Italian food from the little Italy neighborhood in the northern part of this old seaside town. We'll walk trails and beaches, see stunning works of art and even drop in on Harry Potter! Of course, we couldn't visit Harry without bringing Mr. Black along for the adventure! Photos and stories to come in a few weeks.

E: Viaggiatore and I are off to enjoy Turandot from the Met Opera tomorrow night; no photos but definitely comments from that, to come soon as well.

Until we wander back again!

Veterans Day

Thank You, Veterans

Passport Stamps

"There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye, keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends." ~Homer, Odyssey 9th Century BC

Another Brief Interblued!

Before...

Those crazy kids at the University of Rochester Medical Center have found a new healing power for spinal injuries! The blue dye that can be found in M&M's and Gatorade. Apparently, when introduced into the body immediately after a spinal injury, it blocks the effects of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) which hinders the bodies ability to heal. Great news!

There's just one side effect... it turns the lab rats blue. Temporarily.

Sing the Blue Rat Blues with me now...

After!


True Story!! Read all about it at CNN!

Wandering Into A Bath ~ Destination Thirteen

Congratulations Vanilla! She won the latest point in the Wandering game! Excellent work!
We were indeed visiting the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, and if you haven't checked this haunted ruin of a graveyard out, it's well worth a look!

Current points:

Michelle: Bleeding Espresso 4 points
Rel: Under The Microscope 2 points
Hearts: Guilty With An Explanation 2 points
Lee: Dancing Crow 2 points
Vanilla: Absolute Vanilla 1 point


As soon as Vanilla found us, we were off again!
Viaggiatore and I have turned and gone in the opposite direction, to go have a very special bath!

Destination Thirteen~

Between the Ankh and the Crescent, a former capital city where every ruler built his own palace.
The bath of the first is now filled but once a year.
Once an emporer's bath, it is now a shrine.

What have we gone to see?

Wandering Into Sand & Sea ~ Destination Twelve

We are wandering off again!

Congratulations to Lee of Dancing Crow, who won the last point! Great job! That was a tough one. The scores now stand as follows: Michelle (Bleeding Espresso) has 4 points, Heart in SF (Guilty With An Explanation) has 2 points, Rel (Under the Microscope) has 2 points and Lee (Dancing Crow) has tied them with 2 points! Fantastic work everyone!

If you haven't started playing then join in! We have a long way to go and right now the possibilities are wide open! Viaggiatore (the lion on the beach at the top of the page) and I are wandering around the world throughout the year 1893. Everything that we are seeing will either have been invented, discovered or existed by that year. At the end of the journey, whoever has the most points (earned by guessing where we are or whom or what we've gone to see) will win The Wanderer's Treasure Bag!

Viaggiatore and I love the sea. But we're not quite there yet... where have we gone now?

Destination Twelve ~

By an ocean of water and still it is sear.
A cemetery of ships too far from the waves.
A very deep beach.

**extra hints**

We are south of Angola... and it is very dangerous here. There is but one way into these foggy gates of hell and no way out.

Good luck!

Wandering South ~ Destination Eleven

Welcome Lee of Dancing Crow (go check out the photos; they are fantastic!), and well done on winning the latest point! Keep trying and give these fine folks a run for the prize! Michelle at Bleeding Espresso has 4 points, Heart in SF at Guilty With An Explanation has 2 points, as does Rel at Under the Microscope - 2 points, and Lee of Dancing Crow now has one. Great job, everyone! There is more to be done...

We've left the Mediterranean, and now Viaggiatore and I are heading south, just a little, we will be wandering across a great continent! Now we are looking for a common thing the world over, but in a very special and specific place.

Follow the clues and find out where we've gone to now! Earn the point and you're one step closer to winning The Wanderer's Treasure Bag!


Destination Eleven ~

"And from the belt of the world, you shall bring from the highest mountain of fire, that which calms a fever"


What are we seeking?

Wandering Through History In Medius Terra ~ Destination Ten

Congratulations to Heart in SF! She won the latest point in the Wandering Game! The score is now as follows: Michelle at Bleeding Espresso; 4 points, Rel of Under The Microscope; 2 points, Heart in SF of Guilty with an Explanation; 2 points! Great work everyone!


If you haven't played yet, get in the game! We've got many places to go and things to see!


Viaggiatore just loves knowledge (see his book there in his photo?), so we will make one last stop in this region, before going south. Where have we gone now?

Destination Ten ~



1. The tales were rolled

2. They burned and destroyed them

3. Temples of knowledge and knowledge in temples



Best of luck!

Wandering In Medius Terra & Euripus ~ Destination Nine

The Wandering Game continues... positions have shifted a bit; Michelle at Bleeding Espresso has four points, Rel at Under The Microscope has two and Heart in SF at Guilty With An Explanation has one.
See if you can catch up! The winner (after several stops around the globe) will be awarded with The Wanderer's Travel Bag! Details about that are in the first Wandering post.
Come along and play with us! Try to figure out where Viaggiatore the Shameless Lion and I have gone off to this time!


Destination Nine ~

~Dug a long ditch for a shorter sail

**HINT**
...Sue is here.

A Brief Interlude ~ With A Katana

Congratulations to Rel of Under The Microscope! He won the latest point in the Wandering Games! There will be a new location up this afternoon... come back and play!

In the interim, here's a head turner for your entertainment:

A Sword Wielder Robs Walgreens In Glendale (as published in the Denver Post) ~

GLENDALE — A 19-year-old man held up a Walgreens in Glendale with a sword Tuesday evening.
He ran off with a cache of the painkiller Oxycontin, but he was chased down by police about a hundred yards away, according to authorities.
The man's name wasn't released pending his booking, said Glendale police Sgt. Joe Silla.
The red-haired teen, dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt, wielded a Samurai-style sword during the 6:30 p.m. holdup, Silla said.

You know times are rough when a kid resorts to holding up a Walgreens with a sword for painkillers.

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.