DREAMING of SPANISH VILLAGE ART CENTER

DREAMING You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one...................John Lennon Here I am at Tom's house, on my favorite sofa, ready for my afternoon nap. (yawn)....I am pooped out from taking my morning walk through Spanish Village Art Center, saying 'hi' to my artist friends, enjoying the artwork and listening to the live music. Every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, Tom and I enjoy the beauty of the Park....I get belly rubs, compliments, and pats on the head from passerbys, and Tom tells our friends about my blog..... There is nothing like a soft, comfy, sofa....well, except, a warm, cheesy, piece of pizza!

EGGS & MICE

On Sunday, the Easter Bunny paid a visit to our village.

Colorful, plastic eggs, stuffed with candy and necklaces, were hidden throughout the day for our yearly egg hunt.

Laughing children, armed with baskets, brown paper or plastic bags, searched the patio for eggs, hidden in the planters, perched on benches, or waiting on the window ledges.

Brandon, my poodle buddy, who spent the afternoon with me, observed the festivities. I asked him what he thought of the Easter bunny, and he said they tasted like chicken.....Agghh! Erika, the rag kitten, scampered by with a mouse squirming from her mouth.

I guess it was a good day of hunting for the children and Erika....as for me, I prefer a slice of pizza.

A WINDY DAY in the PARK

Here I am taking a short break to PEOPLE WATCH it's such a windy and blustery day in Balboa Park. Sigh!.

It's funny. You can't see the wind, but you can feel and see the effects of it.
My fur may appear a bit disheveled, an effect from the blustery, rainy, week.

Pricilla, our feral cat, who detests getting her paws wet, and Franklin, our overly anxious village rat, have found hiding places for warmth and shelter.

At night, on the weekend, the folks in the alley set up a party called 'Art in the Alley'....it was raining, but the artists and guests were having fun. Everyone was giving me taste treats (my favorite was meat balls), pats on my head, belly rubs (ahhh!), and compliments.

I love village festivities!


P.S. Is Love like the wind? You can't exactly see it, yet you feel and see the effects. What do you think?

Until later,

Bella aka Roxie

FYI! I am constantly walking up to those who smile, When Im not watching people, I love to rub up against them for a "petting-session".

Should I have my own Facebook page?

It's me Bella aka Roxie and meet Mr. Tom

Here I am with Mr. Tom one of my very best friends. Do you like my Pink Bow? Lai made that for me. Lai is an artist in Studio 26 at Spanish Village Art Center. She feeds me doggie treats.

I can't wait to go outside and see all my friends in Balboa Park today.
Hi All,

I didn't realize how much I love Spanish Village, until I nudged Pricilla, the feral cat, said 'hi' to Franklin the village rat, or visited my artist friends in their studios, where without shame, I rolled over on my back for tummy rubs, and mooched taste treats.

I love the freedom of being at Spanish Village.....watching art, of all kinds, being created, listening to the live music, and enjoying the happy visitors who come and enjoy the village.

Most of all, I love being reunited with my best buddy, Tom, who comes and takes me for walks throughout Balboa Park, and sometimes takes me to his home to hang out.

There is much to Love at Spanish Village!

BELLA'S BACK (aka ROXIE)

My Best Friend is Tom you will find the two of us roaming Balboa Park on any given day. Please stop and say hello.

SOMETIMES, you can't teach an old dog new tricks...apparently, I'm one of those dogs. I found out a lot about myself while living with Lai...like residential living brings out the dysfunctional characteristics in me.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the 2 square meals a day, the smell of roast beef cooking, a place on her bed to sleep, countless belly rubs, new ribbons on my collar almost everyday, but all that gentrified living brought out the crazy in me.

As the countless days passed, I couldn't tell one day from the other. The television was constantly on, the little, white, yapping, fuzzy dog on the otherside of the fence annoyed me, and soon I was daydreaming about holding her by the neck and shaking her. I constantly barked at her to come out, so I could bark, growl and lunge at her. The Zen in me grew fangs. It was no longer a peaceful neighborhood.

Rapidly, I became frustrated and found relief in the tactile feeling of chewing on assorted shoes. Fuzzy slippers, tennis shoes, rubber crocks, strapped high heels, leather loafers....all lent relief with each chew. The backyard was riddled with pit holes I had compulsively dug.

My hindquarters began housing itchy, bitey, pinching, bugs which caused me to knaw at myself incessantly..... Lai took me to a veteranarian, who concluded there were no itchy, bitey culprits on me, and my overall behavior was an emotional reaction to my lifestyle.

Lai could see I needed to return to the Village, where each day held something different, and where I could be with my all my friends especially TOM my caretaker now. I'll never run away again I promise.

SO, I'M BACK!

There really is no place like home, and home for me is Spanish Village Art Center!

I'll be writing you soon!

Good Bye.

Dear Readers of my blog,

I am sorry yet very happy to tell you I have been adopted by Lai. She is taking me to my new home. I will miss the Village life, but I am looking forward to having my own home and bed to sleep in..... so this is the last of my blogging....

Good Bye, my friends....and may you always keep the spirit.

Much Love,

Bella

A Wonder and A Reflection

I have been called a 'good dog', a 'cute dog'....but, never a pretty dog. I am looking at my reflection in Lai's glass door and am wondering if maybe I could be considered interesting or pretty. You might ask 'what's the big deal?'.....Well, the Balboa Park 2nd Annual Top Dog Photo Contest is coming up...entries (photos) of dogs posing or frolicking in Balboa Park are wanted for this contest....Spanish Village would be ideal with it's Spanish charm and colorful tiles throughout the village... I'm just wondering if someone like me would have a chance at winning the Loews Coronado Bay Resort overnighter that includes dog surf lessons and lots of doggy goodies...or perhaps, 2nd place, a dog portrait, and Balboa Park Passports...maybe I could get Alane to take some photos of me....do you think I could win? I don't know..maybe I could get Beverly to brush my fur....Cassandra to put on a fresh bow....

*Balboa Park Top Dog, submit Aug 29-Sep 16, www.balboapark.org/topdog, voting on line from Sept 21-Sept 30....winner chosen Oct 3.

Potluck and Board Meetings

My comfortable hole is freshly dug, and I am getting whiffs of the potluck food for the board meeting this evening....smells like fried chicken, chocolate cake, oil and vinegar, ummm, pizza, and I think Carol's pork roast.....the village is the next best thing to home....

Flea Baths and Dried Fish

The morning is comfortable...it is cooler now, and I feel somewhat better since Beverly gave me a flea bath. She tried to give Pricilla one, too, but Pricilla would have none of it.

Already, the patio artists are unloading their artwork for today's sales. All the studios will be open since it is a weekend...and the kid's weekday art classes are closed for the weekend.

I ate a piece of dried fish....not too sure how I feel about it. An artist from Finland gave it to me while she was sitting in Gallery 21 for the Finn Fest Show that ends on Aug. 22nd...lots of photos, mixed media, paintings and jewelry from and about Finland...

Well, time to do my morning stretch and say 'hi' to the patio artists! Hope you and your dogs come visit me! Woof!

An Evening of Enjoyment

The white lights were strung throughout the patio, up and down the patio, tables were covered with various, colorful cloths, each adorned with a pot of colorful flowers, individual food stations representing foods from Thailand, Mexico, United States, Italy, India, and more were set up along the perimeter of the patio, candle light, live music, and over 500 chattering, hungry, happy people enjoying themselves, had a party last night at the Village....most of the art studios were open to welcome the guests...I was a hit at the party, so much petting, compliments and treats! Afterwards, all the artists enjoyed the overabundance of food....including me! How I love corporate paties!