Dubai, Other Countries Attacked By Iran

Above, Asya last year in Dubai.

The crazies in Iran have launched missile attacks at other Arab countries in retaliation for the military action of Operation Epic Fury. This includes attacks on Dubai.

The last I heard from Asya, she was working in Dubai. I haven't heard from her in a while and I sent her a message to see if she's still there. 

According to the New Voice of Ukraine:

Images showed smoke rising over Tehran, and explosions were reported in five Iranian cities. Iran, in turn, launched ballistic missiles at Israel.

Israel dubbed its operation against Iran “Roaring Lion,” while the United States named its operation “Epic Fury.”

Explosions were also reported in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where one person was killed. The UAE Ministry of Defensesaid the country had come under a “blatant attack” involving Iranian ballistic missiles.

Explosions were also reported in Bahrain and Qatar, where U.S. military bases are located.

To read more, go here. 

Trump In Dubai

The Donald Trump For President Facebook page posted the photo below with this caption:

BREAKING: The world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, in Dubai just lit up in the American 🇺🇸 flag on the occasion of President Trump’s visit tonight to the UAE.

Since Asya is currently in Dubai working at a health spa, I sent her a text message to see if she could take some photos of it and send them. That is, if she is anywhere near the building. 

Hopefully, she will see my text in time. 

Swamp Cooler Fixed, Etc.

Above, the old and new swamp cooler motors. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I headed into Gallup to go to the Home Depot to get a new motor for the swamp cooler.

Just in case, I brought along the old motor for reference. They had one of the same configurations (horsepower, etc.) as the old one. I also bought a new plug cable and pulley for it.

After getting home, I texted friend Nandoh and he said he'd be over in an hour or so. 

While waiting for him, I worked on the Jeep and got it running. While it was running, I did some adjusting of the carburetor. Now it idles stronger. (I later took it to the Flying J to check the mailbox and everything went fine. No conk-outs!) It wasn't the fuel pump after all.

Later, Nandoh came over and installed the new swamp cooler motor. It fired up as soon as I turned on the switch. I will be taking Nandoh and his wife to dinner for helping out.

It's a good thing we got the motor in, it is going to be over 90° today. It is 88° now.

Speaking of heat, I heard from Asya. Today's her birthday. She said she's in Dubai. She got there two weeks ago. She is working as a massage therapist in one of the hotels. She may work for a massage salon for a British girl.

She sent the below photo:

OVER FIVE MILLION PAGE VIEWS!

Armand's Rancho del Cielo (this here blog) has reached another milestone today.

The total number of blog page views has now passed the 5 million mark this morning. That is quite an achievement for this little "hobby blog" that was started in April 2008. 

The name of the blog pays homage to President Ronald Reagan's beloved ranch in the mountains near Santa Barbara, California. The ranch is now owned and operated by the Young Americans Foundation (YAF).

The header, by Asya Lipovetckaia, has now been updated to reflect this milestone.

Made It To Havasu

Above, the painting I gave Mitch for his birthday two months ago painted by Asya.

Yesterday, I made it to Lake Havasu, Arizona for the Christmas weekend.

I got into town around 2:00 in the afternoon. I took my time during the drive as it was foggy along the route on Interstate 40, particularly in the Flagstaff area. Other than that, it was an uneventful drive. I made two stops for coffee. One at the Navajo travel center about 40 miles from the New Mexico border and the other at the travel center of Twin Arrows Casino Hotel. I also stopped at a gas station in Seligman for some munchies. 

Above, last night at dinner at The Chair. Note the London Bridge in the background.

I set up the motorhome at my friend Mitch's driveway and we went out to dinner at The Chair restaurant and cantina (formerly known as Blue Chair, but the name was changed due to legal issues) near the London Bridge at the English village. They have good food (I had two fish tacos).

Today will be spent relaxing.

Painting Framed

The painting I commissioned Asya to do for Mitch Geriminsky's 70th birthday is now framed and hanging in a prominent place in his Lake Havasu home (shown above).

It came out great and Mitch is also very pleased with it.

The "Happy Birthday greeting card" Asya sent along (below) with it was included in the framing and is in a sleeve on the backside of the painting.

The Farm Painting: Start To Finish

Above, the finished painting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The idea for a special birthday present for Mitch Geriminsky for his 70th birthday came to me last June.

Since his has been great friend since we were 13 or 14 years old and he saved my bacon in Wells, Nevada five years ago, I thought I would have Asya do a painting of a farm. His home is decorated in a farm motif, which is why that was chosen. 

I wanted to have a gate with his name, so I came up with "Mitchell Farms" and have his age as the address number. 

I first sent her this rough sketch of what I had in mind:

 

She then used it to come up with her rough sketches on the layout:

She then bought the canvas in St. Petersburg, Russia:

Then she refined it on the canvas:

During this time, we sent each other photos of different farm and tractor photos we found online to use as guides. I had her eliminate the sun in the layout as it would cause shadowing issues. I also had Mitch's wife Holly in the loop during this process and she was able to keep it a secret.

In July, the painting was nearly finished:

Shortly thereafter, she sent it to me from St. Petersburg, Russia:

As our PayPal, Western Union and other money-sending companies were stymied from sending money to Russia due to the embargo, I was able to pay her for the painting when she was traveling in Cairo, Egypt.

It arrived in Jamestown, New Mexico in plenty of time for Mitch's birthday in October. He had visited here, during which the painting was safely hidden away. Now, it is at Hobby Lobby in Lake Havasu being framed. It should be ready tomorrow.

Painting Frame Selected

Above, the selected frame in the visualization monitor. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Home sweet home! 

I am now back at home in Jamestown, New Mexico. It was a long drive, but I made it.

Before leaving Lake Havasu, Mitch Geriminsky and I went to Hobby Lobby to pick a frame for his birthday present painting. Asya had a work appointment, so she couldn't participate via a video call. 

Above, an assortment of picture frames at Hobby Lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Hobby Lobby had more frame styles that I thought they would. Plus, they have a visualization device that puts the artwork in a frame electronically and it is shown on a monitor. That is a big help in selecting picture frames. 

Above, the visualization monitor. The top two is the frame we selected. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After looking at several different frames, we decided to go "rustic" and it boiled down to three frame possibilities. Mitch and I liked the one we selected (we also had a lady customer helping out and she agreed with us). 

Above, the selected frame style on the painting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I shot photos of the monitor with the different frame styles and sent them to Asya. Later in the day, while I was in Winslow, Arizona having a dinner break, she responded and said she supported our frame decision. The framing will be done by November 2.

I can't complain about the price either. The frame cost under $60.00.

Now, About Framing The Painting

Above, the painting that needs to get framed. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 

When Asya painted by portrait back in 2016, we went to a Tarzana frame shop to select a frame for it. She was a big help in the selection.

Then, when she painted the "Three Mesas" for me in 2018, she was back home in St. Petersburg, Russia. She shipped the finished painting to me from there. This prompted Janice, our then-post office clerk, to ask, "Did you order a door?" due to the wooden shipping box. I went down to Frame 'n Art in Gallup to get it framed. Luckily, since Asya and I are connected in WhatsApp, we did a video call at the frame shop and, again, her input on the frame was helpful.

We were planning to do this tomorrow morning (St. Petersburg is 10 hours ahead of Arizona time), for Mitch Geriminsky's "Mitchell Farms" painting at Hobby Lobby in Lake Havasu. Frame shops are rather limited in Lake Havasu. But, unfortunately, Mitch's father-in-law passed away last week and the funeral is tomorrow morning. Hobby Lobby is closed Sundays, so we can't do it today.

So, we will likely do the frame selection on Tuesday morning with Asya instead. It would be evening in Russia at that time. Following this, I will be heading back to New Mexico if all works out. Asya is currently checking her schedule.

Mitch's 70th Birthday

Mitch Geriminsky's 70th birthday party took place yesterday afternoon in Lake Havasu.

There was a sizable group there and some took advantage of jumping into his pool or jacuzzi. We had a great spaghetti dinner, thanks to his wife Holly.

As with all birthday parties, it included the opening of gifts.

Mine was planned out several months in advance. I contacted Asya in St. Petersburg, Russia to commission a farm scene painting. Their home decor is in a farm motif and I had an idea to have her paint a farm scene as "Mitchell Farms" and include his age as the address of the farm. During the process, I kept Holly in the loop, so she knew what Mitch would be getting.

I figured that since he essentially saved my bacon in Wells, Nevada five years ago when I had my heart attack, I owed him this. Plus, he has been a good friend since we were 13 years old.

Here is the painting:

Above, Mitchell Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Asya sent the painting to me, she included this birthday greeting:

After the birthday gifts were all opened. Mitch and I posed with the painting.

Above,  Mitch and I posed with the painting.. Photo by Dwight Kuntz.

Gladstone's Gets Two-Year Reprieve

Above, Asya at Gladstone's in September 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back on August 21, I posted about the eminent closure of the popular Pacific Palisades seafood eatery Gladstone's 4 Fish to make way for a new restaurant of cuisines by Wolfgang Puck.  

Gladstone's 4 Fish was one of my favorite restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

Well, it looks like Angelenos will be able to enjoy Gladstone's for another two years. The restaurant has been given a two-year reprieve.

The Malibu Times reported:

Gladstones restaurant which was scheduled to close last month has been given a reprieve. The iconic restaurant, once the highest grossing eatery in Los Angeles, has reopened under new management and is expected to keep its lease for at least two years.

The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors controls the concession which had an agreement with the late former LA Mayor Richard Riordan. When the agreement ran out the county found a new concessionaire with famed restaurateur Wolfgang Puck who won the bid. Puck hired LA architect Frank Gehry to redesign the tired structure. While the Puck group waits at least two years to secure permits the county decided not to let the space sit empty. 

To read more, go here. 

Asya In Egypt

This morning, after delivering the Jeep to the mechanic's shop in Gallup, I headed to the Tee Pee Trading Post in Lupton, Arizona on a cigar run.

While there, I received some photos from Asya who is in Cairo, Egypt (I think until tomorrow). They included some at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo and one at the Pyramids of Giza.

When she told me she was going to be in Cairo last week, I gave her an "assignment" to have a picture taken of herself at the Pyramids or the Sphinx. She was at the Museum and Pyramids today and sent the photos.

Here's a couple:

Above, today at the Pyramids of Giza.

Above, today at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo.

I should have asked her to get some tana leaves, but I didn't think of it until now. 😉

Roadside Kitsch

 After about a two hour drive (and some stops), I am home from Arizona.

One stop was for some breakfast (Monument Valley enchiladas) at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup.

Prior to that stop, I did stop for a coffee break and to take some photos of the kitsch art at the Painted Desert Indian Center trading post on Historic Route 66. I also had some texts with Asya on WhatsApp that I had to take care of. The Painted Desert Indian Center wasn't open yet when I stopped. It is just as well, I saved some money.

Here's some photos at Painted Desert Indian Center:

At the Arizona-New Mexico border in Luption, Arizona, I took this shot of the Indian shops:

Artsy-Fartsy

For the past several days, I have been collaborating with Asya on an art project (layout, suggestions, etc.).

She is currently in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Russia and is working on it there. We are in regular contact via WhatApp.

So far, things are progressing nicely.

Above, Asya recently in St. Petersburg.

Asya In The UAE

This morning, Asya sent me a big batch of photos from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

She is currently working as a massage or yoga therapist (of some sort) at the Emirates Palace Hotel, a 5-star resort hotel Abu Dhabi, which is the capital of the United Arab Emirates

Here's a couple of photos she sent in the desert:

I presume the mask on the camel is to keep it from spitting. I heard they do that, especially if they had been abused in the past.

Above, at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

Russia Is Watching

Above, the Kremlin in Moscow.

This little ol' blog has attracted attention from Moscow, Russia over the past 24 hours.

The analytics of this blog are showing that 18 page views originating from Moscow were made. I cannot tell what post or posts have attracted their attention, but I see that the majority of them originate from the same place.

I don't think it was Asya. She is either still in Montenegro or back in Copenhagen.

Well, whomever it is, they're welcome to look all they want. I've nothing to hide. But I do find it interesting. 

Reflections On My L.A. Visit

Above, Dawn and I on Friday. (Yes, Maria, she was dressed.)

Following a fun weekend at our 50ish Hawthorne High School Reunion, I am now back home in Jamestown, New Mexico. This was my first visit to L.A. since I moved out of California.

The reunion was enjoyed by all who attended. I got to see many classmates there, most of which I hadn't seen since either graduation in 1972 or at some of the other reunions over the years. The dinner (I had chicken) was very good, so I have to give kudos to Embassy Suites in El Segundo.

Above, Dwight and Mitch at King Harbor in Redondo Beach. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The next day, Mitch Geriminsky, Dwight Kuntz and I went to the Redondo Beach Pier and cruised around the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Much of it looked the same and much changed a lot. Unfortunately, it was more congested with traffic than I remembered since I moved to New Mexico four years ago. The quality of life has gone into the toilet.

Above, Mitch and I at King Harbor. Photo by Dwight Kuntz.

We saw first-hand how liberal crime policies have been detrimental for businesses. At CVS in Hawthorne, a woman shoplifted in plain view and the employees were powerless to do anything about it. The perp was a female repeat offender. There was no security guard there. Very sad.

Above, dinner at Pancho's in Manhattan Beach. From left, Mark Holloway, yours truly, Dwight Kuntz and Mitch Geriminsky.

We met with Mark Holloway at Pancho's Mexican Restaurant in Manhattan Beach Saturday evening an had a great time catching up over great food. The place hadn't changed since I used to bring Young Republican friends there when we had a convention in L.A.

On Friday, before the reunion, I went to the San Fernando Valley and went to Tommy's for a breakfast sandwich and then checked on the Superman plaque and met with Dawn for a few hours. I hadn't seen her since I moved. We had a good time catching up. She looked great. I thought I sent her a picture of the "Three Mesas" painting Asya did, but she said I didn't. I sent it to her later and said it was beautiful.

Above, Asya in Albania in a photo she sent while I was in L.A.

During my time in L.A., Asya sent some photos of her trip to Albania. It is a prettier place than I would ever have expected. It's a beautiful Mediterranean nation that was once part of the Soviet bloc. 

Above, typical high L.A. gas prices. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The gas prices, on average, were two dollars more than in New Mexico. All were over $5.00/gallon, with many over $6.00/gallon. That's another result of liberal Democrat policies. They've ruined California.

Sadly, many decrepit RVs of homeless people in the Ballona Wetlands north of Westchester. It was such a beautiful area, now ruined. Pretty much everywhere one goes in L.A. there's homeless encampments. Such a tragedy. The Democrats refuse to fix the problem. They just encourage more of it.

Still, despite all that, I had a great time. I enjoyed going down to the beach. That's the one thing about the state I do miss. But the visit drove home to me why I left California. The place is now a pigsty.

Montenegro Sounded Familiar

Above, a recent photo of Asya in Denmark.

Asya told me the other day that she has to leave Denmark for three months as they had some issues with her tourist visa which is forcing her to leave. She had been there since February. She had to leave today.

After three months she will be able to return to Denmark. It appears that none of the European countries has transportation to Russia due to the Ukraine war.

She said she will be staying the duration of the three months in Montenegro.

Montenegro sounded familiar. I did some searching as I knew nothing about it. 

According to Google:

Montenegro is a Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. The Bay of Kotor, resembling a fjord, is dotted with coastal churches and fortified towns such as Kotor and Herceg Novi. Durmitor National Park, home to bears and wolves, encompasses limestone peaks, glacial lakes and 1,300m-deep Tara River Canyon. ― Google

And, according to Wikipedia:

What country does Montenegro belong to?

After the dissolution of the SFRY in 1992, Montenegro remained part of a smaller Federal Republic of Yugoslavia along with Serbia. In the referendum on remaining in Yugoslavia in 1992, the turnout was 66%, with 96% of the votes cast in favour of the federation with Serbia.

After reading about Montenegro as per above, it dawned on me the reason it was familiar: it was the setting for the high-stakes poker game in Casino Royale (2006) that pitted James Bond (Daniel Craig) against Le Chiffre (Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen). Although set in Montenegro, no filming took place there. It was filmed instead in the Czech Republic.

The location of Casino Royale in the Ian Fleming novel was set in the fictional French seaside resort of Royale-les-Eaux. 

Copenhagen Mall Shooting

Above, outside of the mall following the shooting. Screen capture by Armand Vaquer.

Proving once again that mass shootings aren't just a phenomena of the United States, a shooter yesterday opened fire and killed three and wounded several others. Oslo, Norway recently had a mass shooting on June 25 by an Islamic terrorist.

According to Fox News:

Authorities say the shooting incident in Denmark, where a gunman opened fire at a busy shopping mall in Copenhagen, leaving three people dead and at least three others injured was not terror-related.

The gunman likely acted alone and fired indiscriminately at random shoppers, Danish Police said Monday, the day after the shooting.

Copenhagen chief police inspector Søren Thomassen said the deceased victims included one Russian and two Danish citizens. The victims included a man in his 40s and two "young people," he said.

Thomassen said the suspect, identified only as a 22-year-old Danish man, was arrested at the scene and that the incident was not an act of terrorism. 

Since Asya is in Copenhagen, I checked with her to see if she was okay since one of the deceased was a Russian. She replied that she is in the countryside and thanked me for checking.

To read the full article, go here.

Rapidograph Technical Art Pens

A little bit ago, I was telling Asya the joys of using Koh-I-Noor Rapidogaph technical pens.

She said she's never had any experience with these, so I gave her the rundown on them.

Basically, they are pens with nibs (points) of varying thicknesses that are filled with India ink of their formulation. I think the ink is thinner than standard India inks in order for it flow through the nib onto the paper. They are great for drawing, especially in drawing lines. They can do this with rulers that brushes cannot.

The set I have I bought back when I was attending art classes at El Camino College in the early 1970s. They work just as well today as they did back then. They are fun to use.

Here's a set of rapidograph pens:

To view vendors for rapidograph pens, go here and here.