Smitten with Bermuda

As I sat at my kitchen table yesterday morning,  I thought of my new friend, Leonora who would soon be leaving Bermuda for home- after forty(40) visits to the island. We met at Salt Kettle, back in May. Bless her heart, she still rides a moped after all these years. How I marvel at this!  She marvels at my capacity to stop and smell the flowers (That's what happens when you are afraid of road rash...)  Leonora has also commented on my blog "selfies", taken to prove that I am actually the one who is living this story. Leonora went so far as to replicate one of my selfies on Facebook this weekend- in front of a Bermuda moongate,  complete with hat, shades and lipstick! It warmed my heart. I have to laugh because I never took selfies, out of necessity before. But, this year has been one of solo travel for me- something that I have done quite a bit, but not usually for 'leisure' or the sake of being deliberately creative.  I was beyond delighted to hear...

Yesterday, I met a young woman from The Bermuda Tourism Authority at the island's Annual Gombey Showcase at the Botanical Gardens.  Without delay, she asked me how many times I have been to Bermuda-presumably to gauge my status (newbie vs.veteran).  She followed with a rather pat question:  "What is your favorite thing about Bermuda?"  I was auspiciously silent. How could somebody ask me that, I thought, with a certain degree of indignation...  If I were to have a single answer to  that question , my love affair with Bermuda would be shallow. Clearly, I have no lack of fellowship when it comes to appreciating the visual aesthetics of Bermuda. This subject brings to mind one particular lady, who shares my passion for nature and my love of color. She  is an iconic artist, here in Bermuda, who brings joy to kitchens and tables around the world from her artistic outpost on Queen Street- The Island Shop. Speaking of beauty in Bermuda is fruitle...

This week, I came back to Bermuda, having been invited to attend a Culinary Experience- a full day event at The Loren at Pink Beach, introducing their farm and sea to table cuisine. I presumed that I would be in the company of other writers; little did I know, at the time, that we are all actually 'influencers.' We met early in the morning at The Loren for an introduction by our two Chef hosts. A new, modern boutique hotel, The Loren is located on the South Shore of Bermuda with spectacular views of the rocky coastline.  I had been under the misimpression that the hotel was owned by Stephen King, the writer. To the contrary, it is owned by a hedge fund magnate from New York, who happens to share the same name. As one might expect, of a posh new hotel, no detail was sparely aesthetically. The ambience evokes 'nouveau Bermuda'.  Meticulous thought has gone into the vibe, which manifests itself in lots of earthy natural textures- utilizing, wood, stone, metal, and...