I am back!

Mexican Cruise – October 2011

I am back!!!!!

Yes, I am still alive, and thankful for it, but it has being quite few months since I posted anything that I thought would be interesting for my friends to see!!!!  You see, this blog started as an artistic page, but since I do not dance anymore, (at least not professionally), and since I am getting older (but certainly no wiser) I need to gather something pleasant for you to see!

Last October we went on a cruise to Mexico on the ship, Carnival Splendor, with over 25 of our friends. We had a lovely time, but the ship was too large for my husband and I.

Here are some pictures for you.

The first day, walking to our stateroom, we saw so many colorful murals on the walls. This picture here helped me find our cabin every day coming in!!

Here is one of Glenn and I on our balcony before we took off from L.A. This is the only way to go…it is worth it to have a balcony!

Having a martini to loosen me up. I am not a drinker, so one does it for me…if two, they would throw me overboard seeing me try to jump on the nearest table to do the Mambo!!!!!! 

We went with our friends, Pam and Ed. They are a lot of fun to cruise with. This photo was actually taken of us in Monterey, CA.

Here I am, in front of the stairs…they are NOT real, you know!

One of the days we went touring Puerto Vallarta, with many of our friends…it was extremely HOT!!! We went to beautiful Mismaloya, where years ago Elizabeth Taylor came for the filming of The Night of the Iguana.  They are all over the place...the iguanas, that is!! Here is the Mexican waiter that got excited when he found out I was Greek. He spoke Greek very well, since he lived in Greece for a while.  What a small world.

A picture of Pam and I trying to look elegant!!!

And this is a group picture of the fun loving crazy friends we went with. I have many more pictures, but do not want to bore you to death. It’s just that I wanted to show that am still kicking, even though NOT very well!!!!

See you soon, I promise…Lily

an artist in the family

When Roberta, my youngest daughter, was 12 years old,  she and I went to Athens, Greece. Every time we drove through the narrow streets of Athens and she looked up to Acropolis, she was just so fascinated by the sight… she wanted to draw the Parthenon. She tried to borrow some drawing paper from one of her cousins but he declined. Another cousin was more than happy to share some of his paper with her!!  She was so happy…and yes, she drew the Parthenon. It was good, but for me, not knowing much about this kind of art, did not think much about it.

Through the years and seeing some of Roberta’s other interests, I did not realize she had a hidden talent!!   For example, she took photography classes. She is pretty good at it. She took classes to learn Italian. She is also a wonderful poet and she has made us cry and laugh with of some of her beautiful poems.  But the hidden talent was still hidden and needed to be revealed!!  So, when she started 5 years ago to work with collages we thought,  “oh Roberta has a new interest”, but we were wrong!! The hidden talent surfaced and flourished and cannot be stopped!! From the humble beginning of the Parthenon drawing on borrowed paper to many other types of art…that I would not know how to explain…she calls herself a Mixed Media artist. She works with beeswax, Artist Trading Cards, altered jewelry, painting lovely pastures, stone cottages, Irish Castles, even the Pyramids, self portraits, and flowers, and yes even Vincent van Gogh sunflowers…her passion. Actually, those are one of my favorites of her creations!  Yes, I know, it sounds like a bragging, proud mama…and why not?? It is not everyday that a daughter would have three art pieces published in the well known art magazine Somerset Studio!  And to Roberta’s surprise, and I may say delight, an article was written about her art work in our local newspaper, The Daily Republic. You may check it out yourself here… 

Here are some of my favorites of Roberta’s art…Enjoy!!

Pen and watercolor sketch of Khafre’s Pyramid, Egypt, in a travel journal.

Hope, a painting on canvas for an Art for Autism fundraiser.

What a Curious Dream! an Alice in Wonderland themed mixed media piece…

published in Somerset Studio magazine, March/April 2010 issue

Flowers for Vincent, a painting inspired by Vincent van Gogh.

A Thankful Loving Heart, assemblage with canvas and found objects…

published in Somerset Gallery magazine, Summer 2011

The Painter’s Dream, mixed media art on paper, published in the Sept/Oct 2011 Somerset issue.

ArtcyLucy.com

You’ve came a long way, baby!

the lives we live

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
 Flora Whittemore

 

There are four new photo slideshows for you to watch, on the Stories of My Life page. Yes, even a slideshow with this adorable baby girl with the BIG bow!

Click here…

a way to remember

We do not remember days; we remember moments.  ~Cesare Pavese

If you wander over to The Stories of My Life  page, you will see a new photo slideshow that has just been added to my blog. Slowly but surely, we will be adding a few more little videos…just a way to ” remember moments”. 

Lily and Irises

It was a beautiful spring day…at a very lovely iris farm. 

It was a nice way to spend an afternoon, a mother and daughter walking through rows of irises. We were armed with three cameras, and took advantage of the beauty around us to take lots of pictures!

We couldn’t help but think of how the irises looked as if they were wearing tutus, like beautiful ballerinas in a field.

This ballerina was able to strike a pose or two, with the irises.

We couldn’t help but think of the Original Artist, the Creator of all this beauty. We thought of his wisdom and love in creating such a variety of vibrant colors! We left the iris farm, with thankful hearts…and lots of photos.

Good Greek Music

http://www.sfinakiafm.com

My favorite Greek Internet Radio Station.

Sfinakia radio has being on the air since 1999, and was broadcasting first from Chicago, then from Milwaukee, and at present from Washington DC, USA. The purpose of Sfinakia is to bring to their listeners good Greek music and to resurface forgotten, old, immortal Greek songs… especially my favorite ones, The Rebetika!!! If you want an evening of good, nostalgic Greek Taverna music, please listen on Monday and Wednesday evenings with the very entertaining DJ’S,  Yianni and Papaki…and do not forget to pour you a glass of a good Greek ouzo!! 

Kali diakedasi,

Lily Cooke

Let’s go to the movies!

My family knows me as wife, mother, grandmother…and actress!!! Did you know that I was in a few movies in Greece? Yes, I really was! Here is a new page on my blog, called “Lily in the Cinema” and not only are there movie photos, but even a short movie clip, so you can see me in my acting role.

Yes, I am available for autographs anytime!

🙂

New York, New York!!!

What can I say? I Love New York! 

 It is one of my favorite cities in the world! In April 2009, my Greek friend, Helen and I visited NY after a short day visit in Washington DC.

As you can see, we stopped to see the immense image of Abraham Lincoln, very impressive!

Our trip to NY was for two reasons…one, to visit the headquarters of a Bible Society, which was an informative and spiritual experience.

And secondly, to see some of the wonderful landmarks that make NY famous, like the Empire State building.

We reached the top after a two hour wait, to the dismay of Helen, because she wanted to go to Macy’s instead! But please, how could we miss the wonderful view from the top??

Or how about the Statue of Liberty??

Here are two Ancient Ladies. But guess who is in the front? You guessed it…the live one!

  And the Metropolitan Museum, we loved so much…but 1/2 a day, it is impossible to see even a fourth of the awesome paintings and exhibits! Not to be biased or anything, but Helen and I ran to the Hellenic exhibits first. And of course David…our handsome David…as you see here!!!

 And what about Little Italy, wine, shopping, sweets, (dolci, as they say), and the fragrances of cafe expresso and freshly baked bread…oh my, I am drooling just thinking of it!!

The ferry boat was also very pleasant, with a crisp cold wind, and Lady Liberty…unforgettable!! Here is a picture with the friends we met on our tour. I have to say, one week is just not enough to do and see all the city has to offer to visitors like us.

I would go back in a minute, because I left some of my heart there!!!

Domates Yemistes

…or in other words…Stuffed Tomatoes, Greek Style

 Here is the elusive photo of one of the best Greek recipes I was telling you about earlier this week! This can either be made as a vegetarian dish, or with ground meat. There are many variations of this recipe. In the post below, you will find a link for the Stuffed Tomatoes with Ground Meat, and here is a vegetarian version.

Are you hungry yet???

If you would like to be notified of new blog posts…with recipes, links, photos, etc…just look to the right and click “Sign Me Up” and you will get an email notification of something new and fun to see here as it’s posted. Enjoy your stay…and come again!

 

mmmm….

Well, since this blog has being idle for a while, I thought I would share some photos of my colorful dishes that I love to prepare … but also eat!!!  

The fresh veggies are from last year’s plentiful harvest of Glenn’s garden…oh I can not wait for this years crop…I’m tired of eating store bought tomatoes!  There is nothing more tasty than taking a tomato, fresh, ripe and red from the vine and and smashing it in your mouth!!!  Oh boy! Ok, back to more food photos…

This is a Greek salad I prepared for a picnic, with Greek feta cheese (a must) and of course kalamata olives! And the other one is Nicosian salad (or Salad Nicoise),  famous in Cyprus.

You can see from the picture the ingredients…there is white tuna and boiled potatoes, and do not forget the dressing made with virgin olive oil and lemon and oregano! Here is a recipe for it, if you would like to make one of your own.

And my pasta flora…this Greek dessert goes well with Greek coffee. The main ingredient is apricot preserves or jam. You can find a recipe for it here at GreekCuisine.com

 I believe I forgot my specialty…my stuffed tomatoes with rice, herbs and pine nuts. I am sorry I don’t have a photo to show you! Here is a variation of the recipe for you to try. You can also find some of these recipes at Recipe Source, where there are 407 Greek recipes. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Don’t they make you hungry?!?!

Kali orexi and buon appetito! Lily