The Rose Society's show

Roses are my nemesis, so I hope my walking through this exhibit will cause the rose-tending skills of these growers to jump into my cells. I currently have an "Oh My" sitting outside (still in its pot; lucky it's not yet been subjected to my yardly ways).

Berkeley & San Francisco

A recent trip to Berkeley started with a visit with a friend and lunch at the Blue Barn Gourmet. Then I met another friend and heard her thoughts of taking the Trans-Siberian Railway. Alone.

We also talked about (the following was pulled from this article) a landmark UCLA study that suggests when women hang out together during stressful times, the hormone Oxytocin is released as part of our stress response. This response encourages the two friends to perhaps add in a few more women to widen the group, which releases more of this hormone and further counters stress and produces a calming effect. I can only imagine things getting really rough and a bunch of women hoarding up, growing into a huge crowd.
Sadly, for our menfolk, this calming response does not happen, says Dr. Klein, because testosterone—which men produce in high levels when they’re under stress—seems to reduce the effects of oxytocin. Estrogen, she adds, seems to enhance it. Pics from the trip:

Dororthy Lamour takes the heat

If only I looked this good while roasting in 92-degree weather. San Diego has turned into an inferno.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson, I adore you.

This is the story of how they made it. Click to watch:
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/post/3943/the-grand-budapest-hotel-featurette-creating-a-hotel/

This book about the movie is on my "want" list.