Throughout the years I have incorporated polka dots into my wardrobe. About ten years ago, Yayoi Kusama did her first collaboration with Louis Vuitton, and this is when I discovered her work. Kusama is a pop artist from the 1960s whose work is in the same genre as Andy Warhol and the like. She works in bright hues and polka dots.
Kusama’s work is inspired by her hallucinations and life experiences. She brings them to life through sculptures and mirrored experiences, as well as through performance art and other forms. I am taken by her pumpkins, although her flowers are fabulous too. All of her work has some form of dots, or polka dots.
The SFMOMA in San Francisco currently has an exhibit which features two of her experience rooms and a large pumpkin sculpture. If you love modern art, and you enjoy Kusama’s work, I highly recommend stopping into the SFMOMA and checking out the exhibit. It is amazing, and I am so happy I went with my family!
You can learn more at SFMOMA’s website at SFMOMA.org. Tickets are required for the Yayoi Kusama exhibit, and they go quickly! So act fast.
Of course, I wore my Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton handbag which I purchased ten years ago during the first collab Kusama had with LV. I mean, I had to blend in!
While the handbags can be found on the secondary market now, you can still find other polka dot handbags for a fraction of the price. I linked up a couple cute ones below.
Do you love Yayoi Kusama’s work too? I hope you attend the exhibit and enjoy it!
pictured: Fettucine Bianco from Bella Saratoga, in Saratoga, Ca. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes in the South Bay /
One of my favorite meals is a yummy plate of pasta. I love all types of pasta dishes, and you will find me ordering pasta in restaurants, as well as cooking it myself at home. Therefore, it is only natural that I have a list of the best pasta restaurants in the South Bay!
I grew up eating pasta since my ancestors came here from Italy. Fun fact, I am one hundred percent of Italian decent! So, I would like to consider myself an expert on delicious pasta and how it should be cooked, as well as the best sauces.
So, if you live near San Jose, and you love pasta, let’s talk about the best pasta! Yum!!
My favorite pasta restaurants in the South Bay, listed in alphabetical order.
Aldo’s Ristorante & Bar
14109 Winchester Blvd., Los Gatos, CA
Favorites: Tortellini alla Tommaso, Rigatoni Paesani, and Tagliatelle alla Aldo. Get the cannoli!
Bella Saratoga
14503 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA
Favorites: Fettucine Bianco, Bolognese, and Chicken Mushroom Linguine.
Florentine Trattoria
14510 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA
Favorites: Half & Half, Ravioli, and classic Bolognese. Also, get the lemoncello dessert!
Italian Brothers Restaurant
330 No Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA
Favorites: Pappardelle Salsiccia e Funghi, Rigatoni Pesto, and Rigatoni Mafiosa
Sorelle Italian Bistro
915 San Tomas Aquino Road, Campbell, CA
Favorites: Sorelle Short Rib Bolognese, Linguini with grilled jumbo shrimp, Traditional meat sauce, and get the cannoli!
Do you have any favorite pasta restaurants in the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area? If so, feel free to share in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by, and eat the pasta!
XOXO
Cathy
pictured below: Half and Half from Florentine Trattoria
Egypt’s history is absolutely fascinating, and we are fortunate to have a fabulous museum which celebrates this ancient civilization in San Jose. If you are local to the Bay Area, and you have not visited the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum yet, what are you waiting for? Go now! If you plan to visit the area, be sure to schedule a visit in your itinerary.
My grades in history were not that great, in fact, when I was in school it was my least favorite subject. This actually makes me laugh now because as an adult, I love history! I actively seek out historical information and I can spend hours diving deep into history. I wish I could do that when I was in school! haha To be frank, there was only one historical subject which fascinated me when I was in school, and that was Egyptian history.
In the sixth grade, my teacher had visited Egypt several times and was able to teach us about it with her personal experience. She even showed us her personal slides taken during many of her visits! It was amazing and I was extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated teacher. This is why I loved Egyptian history; she really made it come alive as compared to all of the other histories I found boring in school. Since I enjoyed Egyptian history, my Mom and my best friends’ mom took us both to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum so we could see artifacts in person. My friend I bought earrings in the gift shop and really enjoyed the visit.
Although the gift shop does not seem to exist anymore, the museum has grown over the decades and includes genuine artifacts as well as casts of original artifacts. The description by each item will let you know which it is. Since my mom took me here, I felt it was only natural that I bring my kids here too. I wish I had done it sooner! They studied Egypt in middle school and now they are in high school and college. Is this a hashtag mom fail? Yikes! But I digress. . .
We spent about two hours at the museum but could have easily stayed longer. There are several levels to look through and the museum also has an exhibit on Alchemy which the museum plans to expand into its’ own museum. Alchemy is directly tied to Egyptian history so it will be incredible when it is complete.
One of my favorite things inside the museum is the recreation of a tomb. You can walk through the cave-like tomb and see what it is like inside of one located in Egypt. They even created the paintings and markings.
In addition to just viewing artifacts and learning history, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has been thoughtful in their artifact descriptions. I loved seeing how history is similar to modern day as well as how it repeats itself. You can even see an example of how clear cutting created climate change! Please read the photo below as an example.
In addition to the museum inside, there is more to learn in the museum gardens. The museum displays an outdoor version of Senet, an ancient game, as well as plants and other objects which offer descriptions of how they fit into Egypt’s rich history.
I recommend arriving a little bit early to the museum so you can enjoy the outdoor gardens before going inside. They are really beautiful and interesting!
You can learn more, and plan your visit, by visiting the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum’s website at EgyptianMuseum.org.
If you are looking for a yummy place to eat before or after your visit to the museum, I highly recommend Park Station Hashery which is on the corner of Naglee and Park Ave. They have delicious brunch items. My favorite is the breakfast burrito which appears on the specials. The regular menu is good too!
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your visit!
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