North Carolina Museum of Art – The Sculpture Garden

September 22, 2018September 20, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

In August, when I spent some time in Raleigh, I did all of my museum visits on Saturday, the day that I left the city. I spent most of my day at Nasher Museum of Art, and I was tremendously frustrated that I didn’t have enough time to tour the North Carolina Museum of Art. However, I did spend some time outside, in the sculpture garden (or, as it’s described by the museum, NCMA Park). I walked around a bit, took in the sights, and enjoyed the warmth and sunshine as I prepared for the drive back home.

Henry Spencer Moore, Large Spindle Piece (1974)

I’m always fascinated by sculpture gardens. The concept of outdoor art and massive structures that were created for aesthetics (as opposed to functionality) is so interesting to me. The thought that you can have a “garden” of sculptures is so whimsical yet, while walking around, it seems so natural and normal. There’s something wonderfully tranquil about walking around in a sculpture garden.

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Jaume Plensa, Awilida & Irma (2014)

There was a lot to see (164 acres!), so the pictures in this post are just a little taste of what the sculpture garden has to offer. I’d love to return in either the fall or the late spring, when the air is a tad cooler and either the plants are starting to change color or are coming into full bloom.

Ledelle Moe, Collapse I (2000)

Because I didn’t even get inside of the museum, I’m certain I’ll be returning. I have family and friends in the area, so I’m sure I will have company the next time I visit. It’ll be great to enjoy this museum with a loved one!

That’s all for this Saturday, friends! I hope you all get to do something fun to commemorate this FIRST day of autumn! Take care, and talk to you all tomorrow.

All About Auntie Janet (Jackson)

September 19, 2018September 19, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m enjoying a delightful flashback, all the way back to last month. On my birthday, I saw Janet Jackson perform live in Raleigh, NC and I had the time of my life! This concert was part of her State of the World tour, and she did not disappoint!

The event was held at the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek. The weather was perfect – no rain! – and the staff was professional, courteous and oh-so-helpful. Let me tell you all: Janet has STILL got “IT”! She looked great, she sounded great, and the entire concert experience was excellent.

Janet performed a lot of her hits and she has plenty of them to choose from (she’s been performing for over 30 years!) My favorite song is “Runaway” and yes, she performed it and even did some of the dance moves. I had such a ball singing and dancing along: I’d see her again in a heartbeat.

Oh, you know I made sure to film a bit of the concert for you, too. I added it to my YouTube channel but I’m also linking it here. Enjoy!

travel

Upcoming Travel Plans – September and October 2018

September 18, 2018September 17, 2018 Mstldelano2 Comments

You all may recall a few weeks ago, when I mentioned that I was planning a trip to Charlotte to visit my family. However, that trip was supposed to happen this past weekend . . . the same weekend that Florence decided to pay the Carolinas a visit. As a result, I had to cancel my plans and reschedule. It looks like I am all set to travel to Charlotte at the end of the month, which works better for my overall schedule.

However, that is going to be a small trip, and it’s not the trip that I’m most excited about (though I’m always excited to spend time with family!) No, what I’m really excited about is that I’m going on a cruise in October! I generally go on a family cruise every other year, and this is the year that we’re due for another family vacay. So we’ll be cruising to the Caribbean and spending 7 days on the water together with a few thousand strangers LOL!

cruise

I’m usually not too excited about cruises, because I’ve done a lot of them and they tend to become indistinguishable from one another. But I’m more excited about it this time for a few reasons. Firstly, we’re going to Honduras, which I’ve never been to before. I’m always more excited about visiting a new country than I am about cruising in general. Secondly, this is the first cruise I’ve been on with my favorite cousin in about 4 years (she skipped the cruise we took in 2016). Finally, there’s something so soothing about being on the water: I can really think clearly when I’m sailing. So, I know that this cruise won’t be any different: I’m looking forward to using that time to relax and think through some things.

Those are the trips I have planned for the next 6 weeks. I’ll post travel updates as the dates get nearer: there’s always so much prep involved with these things (though that part is always fun to me!).

travel

More Travel Plans . . .

August 28, 2018August 27, 2018 Mstldelano1 Comment

Hey friends! I hope you all are having a phenomenal start to your week. Yesterday was a bit tough for me (had some unresolved “junk” come back up) but other than that, I’m feeling well and looking forward to some better days ahead.

It looks like I’m going back to Charlotte in a few weeks. I’ve been wanting to visit my grandmother but I think I’ve finally found a weekend that works for a short trip. I don’t enjoy the drive – over 4 hours one way – but it’s worth it to see family, right?

roadtrip

I’m still checking out hotels and trying to narrow down what side of town I want to stay in, but while I’m there, I’m hoping to stop at a local museum. You know I do what I can to make sure I have something new and fun to share with you all. Which museum should I visit: the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art? The Mint Museum Randolph? The Harvey B. Gantt Center? We’ll just have to wait and see . . .

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Well, time for me to get back to my travel planning. I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

travel

Review: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capital Hill

August 24, 2018August 22, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

A couple weeks ago, when I attended the event at the Haitian Embassy, I stayed in DC so that I wouldn’t have to drive home late. I reserved a room at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capital Hill, a hotel that is walking distance from my job. I was impressed with the friendly staff that welcomed me as I walked into the hotel.

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I went to the front desk and was greeted graciously by a charming young lady (I wish I could remember her name – I’d give her a proper shoutout if I could!). The only downside with my check-in experience was getting to my room: the elevator took FOREVER to get to the lobby. However, the hotel is doing some renovations so the elevator delays are to be expected. Aside from that, it was a smooth check-in process.

The room was comfortable, beautiful and quiet. I really liked the immaculate restroom and super comfy bed. Sadly, I didn’t spend much time in the room, since I left out early the next morning. But the time I spent in there was wonderfully restorative.

This was a good hotel experience overall: the location is great, the room was lovely, and I had a great night’s rest there. I’d love to visit again!

international

Another Visit to the Embassy of Haiti

August 21, 2018August 20, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Recently, I visited the Haitian Embassy again: this time, it was for a cocktail-hour social event. The Embassy of Haiti is easily my favorite, and anytime I can find an excuse to go, I make it my business to be there.

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Bust of Toussaint L’Ouverture in the embassy

The last time I visited the embassy was last year, during the Around the World Embassy Tour weekend. Unfortunately, my time in the embassy was limited: it was my last stop during the tour and the embassy was closing within 30 minutes of my arrival. However, you couldn’t tell that the embassy was about to close by how gracious the staff was: the diplomats at the embassy were so charming, warm and friendly. This evening at the embassy was much of the same: the congenial spirit of Haiti was on full display.

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Photograph of His Excellency Jovenel Moise, President of Haiti

The food for the evening was catered by Gisele’s Creole Cuisine, and it was excellent! I’m fairly certain I’ve never had authentic Haitian food, so it was a real treat for me. I wish I had taken pictures of the food but alas, I was too busy eating!

Gerard Valcin, Agoue Ceremony, 1977

The embassy is my favorite because of the fact that is absolutely gorgeous on the inside, and it could easily double as a Haitian museum. There is so much breathtakingly beautiful art on the walls that I never realized that they have a LIBRARY on site. I almost squealed out loud when I stumbled into the simple but elegant library that housed all sorts of books on Haitian history, culture, art, food, politics – you name it!

So, it’s official: I want to live in the Haitian Embassy. Just put an air mattress on the first floor and I’ll be set LOL! Seriously though, I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about the beauty of this embassy. It is easily one of my favorite places in DC, and I fall more in love with it every time I go. If you ever get a chance to go to this embassy, DO IT! You’ll be glad that you did.

relaxation · travel

Review: TownePlace Suites Hotel in Cary, NC

August 17, 2018August 16, 2018 Mstldelano1 Comment

I’ve been to Raleigh numerous times, but when I visit, I stay in Cary, a small incorporated town bordering the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Every time I visit, I stay at the TownePlace Suites, a cozy aparthotel that meets all of my needs.

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Quiet? Check!

Conveniently located? Check!

Reasonably priced? Check!

Ample amenities? Check!

Eligible for reward points? Check!

I always love my stays here and I’ve raved about it each and every time. However, I wasn’t blogging when I’ve visited previously. So now that I’ve had a recent visit, I can finally share this information with you all!

Instead of adding a bunch of photos, you can check out this video room tour. I stayed in the studio-style suite with an “office” (it had a desk area). If you’re ever in the area, I can’t recommend this hotel enough!

life curation · travel

Why I Have To Get Away . . .

August 16, 2018August 15, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Recently, I had an acquaintance comment on the frequency of my getaways. As you all know, I like to go on short and long trips as much as possible. The gist of what was said was, “It must be nice to get away whenever you want [. . . ] I wish I could do that [. . .] But it’s not like you actually need to travel [. . .]”.

Funny thing is, I do need to travel. I feel a bit bored and uninspired when I spend too much time in my routine. I crave the experience of going new places and seeing new things. I truly feel that traveling has made me a better person: I’m more creative, more educated, and more comfortable within my own skin due to my traveling experiences.

globetrotter

For me, getting away is a necessity. I must have different experiences and see new faces. It’s part of what gives me new things to discuss and new ideas to ponder. My last trip to Raleigh left me buzzing with excitement and clarity regarding what I want to do over the next year. I also felt so much PEACE, as I was enjoying a stay at one of my favorite hotels in the Raleigh/Durham area. It makes such a difference to my state of mind when I can disconnect from the ordinary and spend some time living at the pace that I choose.

I know that I’m not the only one that loves travel, and I realize that there are a lot of people that want to travel but can’t quite figure out how to afford it. I will be remaking a video describing how I can afford to travel. The original video was on my Instagram live feed but I would like to “polish it up” before I add it to YouTube. When that video is finished, I’ll come over here and let you all know. I know you’re going to love it!

culture · Uncategorized

I’m Coming to YouTube!

August 8, 2018August 7, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

One of my big “surprises” for the blog is that I will starting makng YouTube videos in the next couple of weeks! I’ve thought about it long and hard, and some messages are best communicated verbally as opposed to the written word. I won’t be posting videos every day, but for some topics, I think a video supplement is the best way to get the point across.

I have some short videos up right now, and I’ll be re-filming a video that I posted to my Instagram account last week. Here’s a video from my time at the Embassy of Ireland several months ago:

There will be lots of travel, cooking, art and cultural videos on my channel. In other words, it will be an extension of this website. I’m so excited for this new chapter, and I hope you all will enjoy the content I create!

life curation

Operation Birthday Blowout Was A Success!

August 6, 2018August 6, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

I can say, with no doubt in my mind, that my birthday blowout was a success! I got to see Janet Jackson perform, I went to two museums I’ve never visited before, I spent time with friends, I made some new friends, AND I got to try some new restaurants while I was away.

Then, the day after I got home, I was a bridesmaid in a wedding and I went to a family reunion. It’s been a very busy past few days! I’ll admit, though, that I’m loving every minute of it. It’s been a while since I’ve had a whirlwind (long) weekend.

I’m still working on a few of my side projects related to this blog and life in general, so I’m going to keep this post short and save my energy. I’ll share a few photos that will be part of future posts in the next few days. Also, I’m still thinking of a special way to commemorate this blog’s 1 year anniversary . . . I have something in mind but I’m open to suggestions! Feel free to let me know how we should celebrate this first year of Bronze Butterfly!