Loving This Young Jazz Artist

Esperanza Spalding is an American jazz bassist and singer. Spalding had intended to play cello but discovered the bass during a one year stint at age 14 at the prestigious performing arts high school, The Northwest Academy, to which she had won a scholarship. Spalding left high school at 16 and after completing her GED enrolled on a music scholarship in the music program at Portland State University, where she remembers being "the youngest bass player in the program."

Although she lacked the training of her fellow students, she feels that her teachers nevertheless recognized her talent and she decided to instead apply to Berklee College of Music on the encouragement of her bass teacher and did well enough in her audition to receive a full scholarship.

Almost immediately after graduation from college at age 20, in 2005, Spalding was hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest professors in the institution's history.

In this video, she performs the Stevie Wonder hit "Overjoyed" at the White House before a live audience that included President Obama and wife Michelle.

Watch and be inspired by this young artist.... I love her!

Stinky Feet Cover Up

Omigarsh!!! Isn't this the cutest thing. And when you have stinky feet you can just say "Hey, I'm wearin fish scented flip flops!".... This is really cute. I know it's weird and I don't know if it's photoshopped or it's a real design but I'm kinda diggin the novelty idea.

Good Morning Nemo

Won't have a hard time finding Nemo here, since he's the first one you'll see in the morning.
This is the Moody Aquarium Sink manufactured by Open Kristallux in Italy.




Moody was created to define the mood in your bathroom. You can choose Moody to be an aquarium with gold fish or a terrarium with rocks and plants or a Zen garden with sand or a simple pebble river bed.


Moody is not just a washbasin with a built-in aquarium but a creative concept that will transform your bathroom to whatever you would like it to be. The sink glass top can be lifted easily to maintain the aquarium or re-arrange your Zen design. There are openings on both sides of the sink covered by the soap holders that provide access for fish feeding.


Lighting, water circulation, oxygenation and filtration is maintained by a power circuit. The chrome finish brass stand and convenient front towel rail are supplied. Just buy the fish.... In the US it's distributed by Italbrass. Priced from $4495.

Ordinary Miracle

Just finding sunshine on my rainy Monday...

It's not that unusual
When everything is beautiful
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today


The sky knows when it's time to snow
Don't need to teach a seed to grow
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift, they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up, and find a way
To give some of your own

Isn't it remarkable?
Like everytime a raindrop falls
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday
Please don't throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
'Cause we are all a part

Of the ordinary miracle

Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle

It seems so exceptional
That things work out after all
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sun comes out and shines so bright
And disappears again at night
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

(A song from the movie "Charlotte's Web")

New Yorker Cover Art Created on an iPhone

Business Week - May 28, 2009

To the list of cool things you can do with an IPhone, you can now add “illustrate the cover of a magazine.”

The artist Jorge Colombo used the iPhone app Brushes to create the illustration that graces the cover of this week’s New Yorker. Colombo will continue to offer drawings made on his iPhone that will be featured on the magazine’s Web site.

Check out the video it's so cool. I never really wanted an Iphone before because it's so big and ugly, but now I want one just because of this application and the possibilities of creating a fun art.

Traditional Japanese Inspired Kitchen

A simple traditional Japanese kitchen is not that simple to accomplish. Attention to detail is very important. Simple is how I always like things to be.

Sliding panels are very traditional Japanese.

Making use of natural materials.

A traditional Japanese woodwork technique called Butterfly Joint.

Over A Cup Of Tea

Wanna know a secret to a healthy day?
Get ready and experience tea with God.

Communications experts tell us that the average person speaks enough to fill 20 single-spaced, typewritten pages every day. This means our mouths crank out enough words to fill 2 books of 300 pages each month, 24 books each year, and 1,200 books in 50 years of speaking. Thanks to phones, voicemail, and face-to-face conversations, words comprise a large part of our lives. So the kinds of words we use are important.

The psalmist's mouth was filled with praise when he wrote Psalm 126. The Lord had done great things for him and his people. Even the nations around them noticed. Remembering God's blessings, he said, "Our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing" (v.2).

What words would you have used in verse 3 had you been writing this psalm? "The Lord has done great things for me and I..." Can you finish it by saying, "And I am praising and thanking Him for His goodness"? As you recall God's blessings today, express your words of praise to Him... as you enjoy your cup of tea.

"I will rejoice
I’m gonna lift my voice
And worship you.
And glorify your name
Among the nations
I will rejoice
In everything I will give thanks
To you, for you have been
My help and my salvation..."
-Don Moen

I Like It Rustic

Last December someone gave me this tea pot set as a gift. One day I thought of driving down to the garden supply store to find some stone or perhaps an old wood that I can use as a tray for my tea set. I found this, cleaned it well with soap and brush, and then applied clear varnish. I also put little rubbers underneath.

I found this cheeseboard online and I love the idea that you can write on it with a chalk. Saves your guests the trouble of asking what cheeses are on the board. And again I like it because it's rustic. It's an ordinary slate that you can pick up from your local stone supplier. This particular cheeseboard sells for $60 at Viva Terra.

Here's another cute idea of a cheeseboard.
This one's made of marble.

Island Elegance

This is eye candy to me. A table setting idea that's simple, fun and elegantly casual.

The First Miracle In Cana

Jesus turned water into wine

Last Friday night around 10 pm my husband and I met with a good friend who had just finished doing a show at Hotel Sofitel. We proceeded to the bar area of the hotel's lobby lounge where there was live piano and vocals playing the old standards.... lovely.

We were having casual conversations over a glass of wine. On a normal basis my husband and I would only drink wine to enjoy with a meal. But on occasions like this we take heed to God's word... And be not drunk in wine, wherein is excess... - Eph 5:18

Along our conversations we suddenly came to the topic where Jesus turned water to wine. By the way, our celebrity friend is also a fellow brother in Christ. So we were asking each other, can you imagine how that tasted like? Jesus made THE BEST wine, that's not debatable.

Our fun bible discussion on wine and other topics on life jumped from one verse to the next, and to the next, and so on and so forth until we were jumping back and forth from the old testament to the new. But here's an interesting scenario... Mr. Bartender was listening with intensity. His whole body was leaned forward with his entire arms and elbows on the bar and hands clasped together. His head nodding every now and then like he's absorbing every word. I found that really cute, and I will never forget that picture in my mind.

And guess what? Yesterday at church, the teaching was about "Jesus Changes Water To Wine" - John 2:1-11.

Jesus made approximately 180 gallons of the best wine... which means His provisions are ABUNDANT, and always THE BEST!

Soul Stage

Jill Scott is an American soul, R&B singer songwriter, poet and actress, and she has won 3 Grammy Awards. She began her performing career as a spoken word artist, appearing at live poetry readings to perform her work. Later she was discovered by Ahmir "QuestLove" Thompson and was invited to join the band and the collaboration resulted in co-writing which was credited to Scott.

Love her... I have her entire live album in my ipod, thanks to my son.

God's Mercies Are New Every Morning

God's mercies are new every morning. You may have made a lot of mistakes, but God has not run out of Mercy. He makes a fresh new batch every single morning. Do you know why? Because He knew that we were going to use up all that He made yesterday. You may have done something last week that you're not proud of, but you don't have to carry that with you any longer. You simply need to receive God's mercy and forgiveness.

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
(Lamentations 3: 22-23)

The Boutique Bed and Breakfast

Not too long ago my husband and I drove to Tagaytay and discovered this gorgeous B&B called The Boutique Bed & Breakfast. It's a very small but very hip place with only 7 guestrooms. Each bedrooms have names like "i love", "i dream", "i surrender", "i lust", etc... and each of them are themed differently.

They also have the Hawaiian BBQ Restaurant which is famous for their BBQ Spareribs. We enjoyed their food, they're delicious.

The Sign

The Very Modern Facade That Caught Our Eyes

Front Balcony

The Chic Lobby Area

The "i love" Guestroom

Lovely Welcome Drinks

Pamper Yourself With the Guest Gift Basket

Wonderful Assortment of Breakfast On The Veranda

Garlic Boneless Bangus Breakfast

Hot Choco Up In The Cool Mountains Is Perfect

Al Fresco Dining

Overlooking The Taal Volcano

A Perfect Evening Hangout

A Token For Each Guest

Striking Evening Shot

Alwayspeppercorn Turns 1

Happy Birthday Alwayspeppercorn !

Like a proud parent,
God especially enjoys watching you
use the talents and liabilities
He has given you.

God intentionally gifted us differently
for His enjoyment

You need to be everything God
created you to be.
You're gifted for a purpose...

and your life is in the hands
of an unfailing God!


Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
(Isaiah 64:8)

*Lifted from the book "The Purpose Driven Life".

Braving The Storm

"Heavy rains

remind me of challenges in life...

Don't ask the
Lord for a lighter rain...

Just pray
for a sturdier umbrella."

Wellington Boot History

The Wellington boot is also known as the gum boot, rubber boot or the most popular term in the UK is "wellie" The wellington is associated with Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, the Iron Duke as he was known started the trend in the early 19th century. The boots proved very popular with the gentlemen of the time and very quickly became a fashion item.

The original boots were made of leather and it was not until 1852 that the first rubber wellingtons were manufactured, Hiram Hutchinson bought the patent to manufacture rubber wellingtons from Charles Goodyear who manufactured the first rubber tires.

Over the years wellington production and design have changed, however, they still serve the same purpose as they always have, that is to keep the feet dry.

Wellingtons have now moved full circle and are once again fashion items.

I NEED to pick up a pair of these !!!

Magnificent Oil Paintings

by, Leonid Alfremov (born 1955) is a Belarus born, Israeli modern painter who creates vivid colors of unique landscapes, cityscapes and figures using a palette knife rather than a brush to paint.

Born in Vitebsk, the birthplace of Marc Chagall, Afremov graduated from Vitebsk Art School which was founded by Chagall in 1921 and has had many notable patrons including Kasemir Malevich and Wassily Kadinski. After discovering that only communist propaganda posters would sell in the Soviet Union, Afremov moved to Israel in 1990. Within two weeks, he had found a job in an advertising agency painting billboards, but on the eve of an exhibition, his studio was broken into and vandalised. Afremov then moved to the United States and currently resides in Boca Raton, Florida.