May 23, 2008

A True American Idol

David Cook - Billie Jean



The best Idol performance ever! Hands down! I had chills! :)

And of course, David Cook had me at "Hello" ... :)



Btw, congrats to David Cook! His talents are undeniable and already I'm ready to buy a CD with all the songs he's done on American Idol this season! :)

May 21, 2008

The Little Inn in Connecticut that Started It All


When will I stop ranting about my Gilmore Girls, you wonder? Probably never. It's television's best show ever! I'll be forever in my little sister's debt for telling me about the Gilmore Girls in 2005. Albeit I found out about the show way after its beginning, it didn't take me long to catch-up with everything ... thanks to the wonderful DVD sets usually on sale at Target.

Hearing how Amy Sherman-Palladino (one of the show writers) found inspirations for Gilmore Girls during her stay at the exquisite Mayflower Inn in Washington, Connecticut, we decided to stop by "the inn" during our annual New England fall trip in 2005. Though we didn't have time to stay the night at the Mayflower, I did get out of the car and walked around the gardens and the inn just to take it all in. Even though Washington seems much more quiet and rural than Stars Hollow, the Mayflower Inn is every bit as charming as Lorelai's Independence Inn and Dragonfly Inn.

Hope you get a chance to visit this place soon! Besides being the cool "beginning" of the Gilmore Girls, it's a beautiful exquisite inn in its own right. And plus ... it has a world-famous spa to pamper your every need!

I hope to come back and stay for a few nights next time! Though with that dream, I need to save up! ;)

PS - Before I sign-off on this entry, here's a YouTube video of the Gilmore Girls behind-the-scene special hosted by our very own lovely Suki St. James celebrating the show's 100th episode. Enjoy!

May 20, 2008

21+1 Photography Podcasts & the Bridge of Sighs


I love Google Alerts! Every day it fills my mailbox with interesting things. My favorite pick this morning is 21+1 Photography Podcasts That Will Inspire You by Martin Gommel.

Oh yes, and about the picture above, I took it on our first evening in Venice a few summers ago. As soon as we checked into our hotel, we took vaporetto rides to the Piazza San Marco and walked around. Of course, the Bridge of Sighs is a visit not to be missed when in Venice. There were so many tourists crowding around that one spot on the canal, all waiting for their turn to ride the gondolas or take pictures. I was one!

For those of you who love history, the Bridge of Sighs was designed by Antoni Contino (his uncle also designed the famous Rialto Bridge in Venice) and built between 1600 and 1603. It connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. Local legend is that lovers will be assured eternal love if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under this bridge. Watch the 1979 film A Little Romance and you'll see! ;)

May 18, 2008

The First NY Photo Festival Ever


Maybe next year, I can be there in person! :)