panajane.com

Late Night Blues

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 04:58:00 +0000

My beloved gifted me with an awesome little trinket for our 1 year anniversary: a tripod! Played around with it that very night, tried to capture the essence of the moon, but she's such a finnicky lady. Hard to get a good clean shot. The night wasn't lost, and I was able to snap some interesting shots before the cold wind forced me to seek shelter.

This was the first picture I took where I realized, "Holy crap, I can see the definition of the stars! They're not just blurry orbs floating in a milky sky.". What a difference! {end tripod raving}

{commence second part of raving} WHOA!!! Makes me wanna go camping RIGHT THIS MINUTE.

Oh yes.

The tripod is lightweight and sturdy, perfect to take along on those long voyages into the interior of Panama. Can't wait to see what this little tripod can do!

Gratuitous shot of my pretty little herb garden before it was devoured by our neighborly cattle. At least I was able to get a shot of the garden pre-midnight snack attack (very few plants survived the attack: mostly root systems and half eaten shoots).

Let's play a little game called: identify the herbs above. No, seriously, let's play that game because I seriously don't know what half of those herbs are called or what they do. I do so love the purple clover looking plant over yonder. Wanted to use them in my bridal bouquet and also for the groom's boutonniere before the vicious surprise attack.

The only plant the cows did not even nibble on was the infamous "ruda" well known for her pungent smell and other holistic uses. She's the mint green plant in the front row, second from the left.

Happy cactus! Grow so that we may tear off your babies and propagate them across the land!

Sunflower seedlings shaking off that old husk of long ago (these got dug up by Calypso about a week later. Yes, my garden is battling for survival).

In this edition of WHAT THE EFF IS THAT?! We'll put the spotlight on a fat slug like caterpillar munching away on mango leaves. I think it is a caterpillar, but I don't poke anything hairy on principal so I can't confirm. I like to imagine that the big, fat caterpillar is the Mob Boss (the Capi de Tutti Capi) and that the smaller hairy caterpillars surrounding him are his cronies, and they're sitting in the back booth at Sal's Pizzeria talking about, letting Ernie "take the plunge" as in "Sleep with the fish" as in "Early bird gets the worm", but no one ever talks about the poor worm. Ernie would be that worm.

I like how quickly this became a gardening post. How about I just categorize all my posts as 'Miscellaneous' be through with it. I might as well title it 'A bit of ADD, that's all, wait, what was I doing?'.

Gardening like a Lady: a manual by moi. Rule 1) You shall not curse a) your fiance b) the pets c) the cattle d) your fiance (yes, twice). You shall not exclaim in vociferous proclamations when Mother Nature does not bend to your every whim and plea. You shall wear a hat, always, which you will promptly take off in the bright hot sun as it, "Flops this way and that, doesn't allow me to SEE properly". You will wield a pick ax like a pro, until you pull a muscle because, WHAT IS THIS, MANUAL LABOR?!?! Kidding, I love making holes in the ground and sticking living things in it and then worrying about them endlessly as the friggin' ladybugs have their way with them. Good times!

The Lady who Attempts to Garden by my beloved. This could also be titled, The Lady Nectarine.

Un Resbaloso en Portobelo

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:28:00 +0000

Sometimes you get lucky and it is the right time and the right place to be somewhere. The date matches up and suddenly you are aware that if you act fast and quick you might actually win out.

Driving to Isla Grande with a carload of lovely ladies, we suddenly come to a small 'tranque'. We slow down and I notice that all cars are slowing down. They're placing quarters into extended cups held by young men and boys dressed in bits of bright colored clothing and mismatched items. A thought clicks and a word pops into mind, 'resbalosos*'.

"Quick, get me quarters!" I yell, as I search my beach bag for my trusty little camera. The girls scramble for change as the group of boys descend upon us. Their faces painted black, they dance around us as we place quarters in their cups. I whip out my camera and 'piropear' them as they throw kisses back at me.

"Ey ey, posen pa' la camara!", I taunt, and they pose for me, this gaggle of mismatched kids, loving the attention they're getting.

I'm glad we were in a moving vehicle because as folk lore tells it, 'resbalosos' are usually covered in dirt, grime, water, mud, oil, etc. and their purpose is to rub up all over you if you don't give them change.

"Dame un besito mami!" and they crowded into my camara, drunk with the power of being 'resbalosos' for the day.

"Vamonos, vamonos!" I urge Laura, and she hits the pedal and we drive off, leaving the 'resbalosos' to harass/delight the oncoming traffic.

* I once had a roommate from Colon City who used to regale me with stories from her colorful hometown (which I in turn, loved to hear). We discussed many topics ranging from the famed 'congos' and the stories behind each character: the 'diablicos', 'la reina congo', el 'pajarito', etc. It's really interesting to learn these folkloric traits, because then you can recognize a magical, wonderful moment while still in it.

This is all you need to get inspired

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Press PLAY, instant productivity.

En las faldas del Cerro Picacho

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:37:00 +0000

The great thing about my new job is the following: amazing people, places, emotions. Panama has so much to offer, and that much becomes clearer every day. It has so much potential, right there in front of your noses. Untapped potential. And I do not believe that the future lies in the city, no it lies in the interior of Panama, forgotten in historical churches and landmarks. It lies in the folklore, in the bright red smile of an 'empollerada', in the flaxen dress of the 'coquis' singing about the demon woman, in the strength of a buey pulling a traditional cart. It's in the mud caked walls that was built as a home for your grandfather when he married your grandmother, in the weaves of the traditional sombrero pintado, the leather of the cutarras covering your cracked soles.

Los Picachos de Ola

Ola is the poorest district of Cocle, yet it has much appeal. Wide open spaces surrounded by a wall of rocky hills, which look like they'd be perfect for rock climbing. Far off you can see splashes of a waterfall, with a steep drop off a cliff; El Chorro de Ola, which you can sometimes see (if you're lucky and it's a clear day) on the Interamerican Highway from Penonome to Aguadulce on your right hand side. That small glimpse does not do justice to the beauty that is the waterfall up close. It must be a good 50ft drop, pure white foam cascading down. It was a good amount when I chanced upon it, but I assume it has a bigger roar when it is rainy season (that area receives a lot of rain). Small, humble farmer and cattle homes dotted the lush landscape, Ola seems to have passed under the radar for country (or secondary) homes. The road is in pristine condition, and the lack of heavy machinery in the area means that it will remain this way for a couple of years.

El Chorro de Ola

On the drive back down, we chanced upon a tigrillo crossing the narrow road in broad daylight. The sleek feline looked much like an overgrown house cat, but with bigger haunches and a thicker body. Shiny blue black coat, agile and fast it darted in front of our car and dived into the bushes, leaving me awestruck. They call them 'tigrillos' up here, but I don't know if it is a margay or an ocelot or what. What I do know is that it was a rare sight that I delighted upon and I realized suddenly, this is the kind of tourism that I want to make: one that delights the soul and sets it ablaze.

My Name is Panama

I had the opportunity to wear a full pollera for the very first time back in December. Despite being born and raised in Panama, I had never had the opportunity to wear a pollera, though I had had the desire to for as long as I could remember. Cheesy as it sounds, it was a dream come true. You do not wear a pollera; you display it with honor and pride. Tembleques, bombachas, enaguas, pollera, blusa, etc. Complicated and multilayered, with a whole regime and tradition to it. Putting tembleques on someone is an art in itself; my scalp was throbbing as the night wore on, from the very weight of the beautiful combs topping and bouncing around my head in multicolored hues. I tripped on the skirt, forgetting to pick up the swirling skirts when

walking up stairs and inclinations. This pollera thing requires poise and grace, an easy smile at the ready, impeccable makeup and not a hair our of place. Hmmm, next time I'm wearing a pollera montuno! Hair in braids and a jaunty sombrero pintao crowning my head. No tembleques and certainly no throbbing scalp. After a couple of hours of wearing tembleques there is no better feeling than taking them out.

Beautiful pollera montuno.

Isla Cañas

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:13:00 +0000

Isla Cañas is located in the district of Tonosi, in the Los Santos province.

Isla Cañas is a wildlife refuge protected by the ANAM. It is Panama's biggest and most important sea turtle nesting ground, which means that every year thousands of sea turtles make their way to this beach to deposit their eggs, usually around the months of October through November (this also depends on the moon's cycle). It's also the home to many different sea birds, aquatic creatures, fish, dolphins, etc.

Isla Cañas is surrounded by a naturally occurring estuary that is bordered by 1,300 hectares of mangroves. The island is populated by a small fisherman village of about 800. In order to access the island, you need to jump on a lancha that weaves through the mangroves and crosses the estuary to a small dock. Welcome to the island!

There are approximately 13 kilometers of beach, which make it an ideal nesting spot for sea turtles. Most of the sea turtles are of the Oliver Ridley variety (lepidochelis olivacea).

Isla Cañas has very little development; it is still pristine and rather virgin, but it needs more protection by the authorities, as well as more cultural awareness of it's potential as a world wildlife sanctuary.

Torio Tranquility

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Torio was everything I needed it to be: calm, beautiful, relaxing, inspiring. I had been looking forward to this trip like a kid looking forward to Christmas (which btw, is right around the corner... how the hell did that even happen?! It caught me by surprise.).

We stayed at Cabañas Torio, which is a small cabin compound 7 minute walk to the beach (when it is high tide you can hear the waves crashing on the shore). There are about 8 small cabins, all with a/c, fans and hot water. The cabins are small, but perfect. Most fit about two people, though they do have bigger cabins that fit up to four people. The cabins also have tv's with cable, although I don't see the point of it (don't tell me that you came to a gorgeous beach to watch shitty tv!). The cabin compound also has a restaurant that is open for breakfast and dinner, with accessible prices and tasty, fresh seafood (ask for the catch of the day!).

Torio is a gorgeous little beach surrounded by verdant green hillsides that tumble down to the bay. It's a volcanic area, which is why the sand is dark, almost black. The beaches in this area are wide and expansive; when it's low tide, it's really low. It is a perfect place for long walks on the beach, perfect for beach combers or the athletic type who enjoys outdoor jogging.

Calypso cooling off in a small pond.

View from the top of one of the hills overlooking Torio.

This is not the view from the cabins! We did a little minor trespassing in order to get these gorgeous shots.

Visual Pollution

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:43:00 +0000

Recently the MOP (Ministerio de Obras Publicas) declared that billboards along the Inter-american highway were blocking important exits and visibility (among other things). They plastered huge stickers on everything that was not on private property. The massive stickers read: Valla Ilegal (Illegal Billboard) in bold red and yellow, with white font. A month later they took all the billboards down. I actually think it makes for a pleasant change of scenery, which is why this documentary calls my attention.

There is an awful giant LED billboard on the Cinta Costera that is so bright it's blue glare can be seen miles away. It's distracting and tacky; I can't imagine living in one of the many skyrises that are right next door. I'd probably feel like Kramer from that episode of Seinfeld, where the giant roaster chicken made everyone insane.

Visual pollution is not just tacky advertisements of half clothed virgins oozing sex appeal, but it's also trash; the plastic bottles, cans, plastic bags, etc everyone leaves behind. It was such a shame to see that the day after the November 4th parade in Penonome, the streets littered with plates, cans, bottles, plastic forks and knives, napkins, etc. There were probably not enough garbage cans to go around and people are lazy so they're unwilling to search for a trash can, while a lot of people don't care and will throw the trash anywhere.

Which is why I absolutely LOVED the ad campaign of Tu Das Asco which was plastered in big billboards and newspapers in Panama. I thought it was clever and hard hitting. I've seen a brand new Hummer, drive out of a McDonald's drivethrough and throw out the cardboard cup holders quite carelessly, so it is NOT about social status and how much you make; it's about culture, choosing to throw trash where it belongs because you want your city/community/country to be clean, look appealing among other things. It's also healthier because it is well known that trash engenders vermin and vermin engender disease (dengue, hanta, black plague, etc).

Another great social campaign which was started on Twitter is #limpiemospanama. A great way to create awareness on a social and cultural problem that needs to be addressed.

I'm not against all types of visual pollution. I think street art can be both beautiful and inspiring, especially in spaces where there is not a lot of natural or architectural beauty. If you're surrounded by cement, sometimes a little bit of street art can make your day.

a glimpse of Torio

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:25:00 +0000

Torio is located in the very tip of the Azuero Peninsula, past Mariato. It has great beaches for surfing (both small and large waves), as well as a lot of solitude and privacy (you can walk for miles on the beach without running into anyone). It took us about 2.5 hours to drive down from Penonome, but we stopped a couple of times to eat and weren't in a big hurry to get there (we had a weak tire situation, so we took it slowly). The road is paved, but there are some spots that do require some maneuvering as they have holes and whatnot. The road down the Azuero Peninsula winds up and down the gorgeous Veraguas mountains, which makes for a very calm, relaxing drive.

While we were there, I got into the habit of going for 6am walks accompanied by Calypso, who spent the entire time frolicking on the beach, sniffing stuff, making under water bubbles, barking, and generally acting like a crazy fool dog that she is. Those 6am walks became an enjoyable part of the getaway (even if at the beginning I was cranky as all hell for being woken up at dawn on my vacation!). It's difficult to stay upset when you're walking along the beach, not a single soul in sight, with a happy dog chasing after seagulls.

My walking partner who prefers pooping on the beach, thankyouverymuch.

to be continued...

a glimpse into the Panama I know and love

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:56:00 +0000

"Big, Bigger, Biggest is an upcoming production about the worlds gigantic structures reflecting today's advanced developments in architecture and construction.It's first episode 'Canal Zone' will be aired November 10th on National Geographic Channel."

Can't wait to see this show!

Halloween 2011

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Props to my awesome crew of friends who are all so gifted and creative and came out with AWESOME costumes. Really gonna have to pull out some crazy costume next year!

Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:39:00 +0000

I've decided to go as Cleopatra for Halloween, taking my inspiration from the beautiful Liz Taylor in her iconic portrayal of Queen of the Nile.

I have a wig from last year's costume as Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction which I decided to re-appropriate for the Cleopatra costume. I did have to trim the wig a bit and make the bangs shorter and more blunt in order to get the desired look.

I also have a faux gold necklace with hanging bits of gold that made a perfect diadem, as well as one of those belly dancing scarves that tie around the hips, with dangling bits of gold coins that makes a helluva racket when I shake my hips (which you can rest assured I will be shaking all. night. long).

I wanted to spend as little money as possible and make it more of a DIY costume (since I'm on a DIY kick). The outfit was still missing something, so I decided to make a big necklace out of cardboard panels which I then spray painted gold and glued on tons of precious "jewels". It looks very gaudy and over the top, but hey, I'm the goddamned Queen of the Nile bitches, I gotta have bling.

Part of what makes the Cleopatra costume so cool is her very exaggerated eye makeup; the blue eye shadow all the way up to the eyebrow, the black eyeliner that meets the very edge of the eyebrow. I had to buy the bright blue eyeshadow, as I am not a big fan of blue eyeshadow in general, as well as heavy duty waterproof eyeliner marker.

Get this look here.

But, it's no fun to be a queen without a king, so I begged/nagged/demanded that my darling and ever patient fiance go as Marc Antony. He agreed (after much brain washing on my part) to dress up as Cleopatra's love. As I have absolutely zero sewing skills, I decided to get a lady to sew an appropriate Marc Antony costume.

This is our Marc Antony inspiration.

I found a garland of fake flowers in Machetazo for $1, which I then plucked all the blooms and coated with gold spray paint in order to create the wreath of gold leaves fit for a king. This is Drew's first time dressing up for halloween as an adult and I really hope he enjoys it. We'll be attending a pre-party at a friends house and then heading to Relic to partake of what has become a Halloween tradition for my friends and I.

Halloween Relic 2009

Fat Paris Hilton (though throughout the night I was mistaken for Marilyn Monroe)

Halloween at Relic 2009, epic!

Amy Winehouse, Private Inspector, and Paris Hilton

Halloween at Relic 2011

One part of the Russian Gymnasts (there were 3 in total) and Betty Boop

Naughty schoolgirl, the chick from the 5th element and Marge Simpson partying it up

Good times!

Zebra-human hybrid and rocker dude

Deadly Breakfast at Tiffany's

Escaped convict and a fairy

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Queen's Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Every once in awhile I become obsessed with a plant. Lately my obsession has been focused on the beautiful and showy Petrea Volubilis, also known as sandpaper vine (because its leaves have a sandpaper like texture) and queen's wreath (because it's ummm, fit for a queen? I dunno).

I tried taking cuttings from the ancient petrea that lives next to my house, but wasn't succesful, so I've started collecting the seeds and I'm planning on starting a little petrea nursery/fan club. If you want seeds, let me know (this only applies if you live in Panama, sorry folks).

I also really like this vine because it is native to Central America, and I am all about native species vs. invasive species. Petreas like a lot of sun and do most of their blooming around summertime. Our petrea has been giving us little batches of blooms here and there when we have short periods of sunny days (as it is rainy season right now), but I have only seen it fully in bloom once and it was a spectacular, showy beauty fit for a queen.

My Name is Panama

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:24:00 +0000

I love my beautiful little country. It's full of hidden gems that you sometimes stumble upon quite accidentally.

Rio El Harino, El Cope

La Pintada, Penonome

Volcan, Chiriqui

Altos del Maria, Sora

San Francisco de la Montaña, Veraguas

Cerro Vigia, Taboga

La Yeguada, Veraguas

Plaza Herrera, Casco Viejo, Panama City

Punta Chame, Panama

The Causeway, Amador

The Panama Canal

Punta Raton, Panama

Pipeline Road, Gamboa

Spray Painting Queen: Neglected Lampshade Edition

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:39:00 +0000

Before: Old, forgotten and in desperate need of some TLC

Look up close and you can see that it really is quite an interesting design. There is yet hope!

After a hose down to wash off the spiders with accompanying spiderwebs, moths, dirt and dust. Then a little gold spray paint I had lying around (I used the gold paint for my Elizabeth Taylor inspired Cleopatra halloween costume, pics coming soon).

Happy lampshades! I painted the twin lampshade a bright, happy yellow a couple of weeks ago.

I really like them both, but the yellow one is kind of my favorite (but shhhh, don't tell the gold one that).

Detailed shot.

Find something old and ugly, slap a coat or two of spray paint and voila!

New and improved and really quite beautiful.

Red, white and blue all over

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:42:00 +0000

Aniversario del Distrito de Los Pozos, Herrera

Murder at the Howard Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Murder at the Howard Johnson is the next show at The Theatre Guild of Ancon, Panama City's premiere English language community theater.

It's a murder mystery revolving around a dentist and a couple whose marriage is in shambles... How far would you go to save your marriage? What would you do for love? As the song goes, "And I would do anything for love, but I won't do that" but, would you?

Directed by Brooklyn Sample
Talented performances by Melanie Gilpin Lee, Andres Clemente and Nick Miles

Shows run October 20-22 and 27-29, matinees available! As always, our bar will be serving spooky delicious drinks and entertainment. This show is sure to be the perfect preamble for a creepy fun Halloween.

Don't miss out on this nail biting, bone chilling show! Make your reservations at 212-0060 or e-mail tgapanama@gmail.com.

Ghouls, goblins, witches and zombies welcome :)

Vogue

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:10:00 +0000

The influence of Madonna on my childhood cannot be understated: a friend of mine had an older sister who had all of Madonna's earlier videos on VHS, and I must say we watched those videos over and over and over again. This sudden nostalgia for Madonna of all things, came out of nowhere but I had a sudden need of re-watching all of those old videos that still remain with me in a way. And hey, what are blogs for but to re-hash pop culture.

A couple of my favorites:

Delicious Lemon Meringue Pie

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:26:00 +0000

I plucked the two lemons from the lemon tree in our backyard. They were still warm from the sun when I used them.

I use this recipe each and every time I make lemon meringue pie, but I make one slight change: I replace the 1 and a half cups of water with milk. So much more creamier and tastier.

If you notice the meringue looks a little funny (errr, squirmy). I've had an icing applier thing that I haven't really gotten to use yet and so I thought, hey, let's use it for the meringue and make pretty little peaks just like in Martha Stewart (right, 'cause I imagine myself the new and improved Martha, though in reality I am far from it). I don't know a thing about icing applicators and it is obvious now because I chose the wrong tip and thus my meringue came out more like a squiggle (which on second thought, might be the perfect tip for writing on a cake). How does one get peaks in meringue?! Is it with a paddle?

For the cookie crust I used a cup and a half of Maria cookies with half a stick of butter, put it on a pie plate and baked for 10 minutes. Ta-da! Cookie pie crust.

Next time I make it, I will be using 3 lemons instead of 2. Living on the edge, AM KNOW RIGHT.

I made this for my love's birthday. Happy birthday babe.

I can fit the world on the tips of my finger

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:54:00 +0000

Little Green Dude

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:44:00 +0000

I've always loved little frogs. Not a fan of huge toads, but little frogs I can handle.

Literally.

I like to catch them, check them out, and then let them go.

Bye!

Inching my way through life

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:29:00 +0000

Genius idea!

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:33:00 +0000

I seriously need this in my house. How ingenious! Why settle for one flavor when you can have two.

The Calypso Files

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:56:00 +0000

Dog + hammock = bliss (photo by A)

Everything can be cured by a little wine and a carriage ride

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 23:40:00 +0000

P.s. Approximately an hour after this photo was taken, Bruno went on the lam for 5 hours in the countryside at night. Eventually he showed his face and we were reunited once more.

Remembering Mr. Rogers

noreply@blogger.com (panajane) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 23:26:00 +0000

This article was first published in the Esquire magazine a couple of years ago, but I never got a chance to read it. I did however, follow Susannah Breslin on Twitter (@iamsusannah) and she posted an article that mentioned the Mr. Rogers article. That quiet, gentleman was an influential part of my childhood (along with Sesame Street), and it was reassuring to know that he was as kind, gracious and humble in real life, as he was in his show.