I love Spain! It's no accident that one of my soon-to-be self-published novels is called, "Flamenco & the Sitting Cat." A dream to sightsee on foot, León, Spain, was the next to last stop of a fun-filled vacation that my husband and I began with a weekend in beautiful Barcelona and then a stop in… Continue reading Ancient and Modern: Lovely León, Spain→
Who will your search turn up? Photo thanks to Ryan McGuire of Gratisography.com
Writers and readers alike, for times we’d like to look into our histories, author Margaret Lossi offers tips for how to get started. My two novels are works-in-progresses! Lossi says that when it comes to looking up one’s family background, be prepared for surprises…
Warning: family history can lead to emotional discoveries.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but you begin at the end! That is, you begin with you.
Check your birth certificate, verify your parents. It may seem like a given, but just sometimes people find they are adopted, or their mum is really their grandma. It pays to check.
Check your parents birth certificates, to verify your grandparents. Then work your way back through the generations, verifying birth certificates.
These first steps build the strong foundation of your family tree, so worth doing well.
It is not a case of how far back you can go, but the quality of your data
You may wish to answer a family question. I knew my parents were second cousins, so wanted to find out about this link. Set yourself a goal to work towards. Whatever your motivation, make sure you verify each…
Sure Frank Gehry's amazing architecture at the Guggenheim Museum helped put a failing Bilbao, Spain back on the map. Front, back, in, and out the Guggenheim Museum, Spain, turns perceptions upside down and inside out (tap or click each photo for more info)... However, art and art-worthy architecture abound everywhere in Bilbao. Along the way to the… Continue reading Breathtaking Bilbao, Spain by da-AL→
Each year, a dear friend opens her home to her dance-loving friends. We share great food and either perform or just enjoy watching. My love of dance is great -- that's why one of my upcoming novels is titled, "Flamenco & the Sitting Cat"! The style of Argentine tango that my husband I dance is… Continue reading Tango Elegante Video: “El Día Que Me Quieras” by da-AL→
Art bridges cultures... Art museums often lend each other masterpieces. This year, however, marked a first -- a large-scale show by a major Western museum in Iran! The world's largest museum, the Louvre, proudly calls it, “…an outstanding cultural and diplomatic event for both countries.” The Louvre contributed fifty masterpieces for "The Louvre at Tehran" to celebrate… Continue reading Part 1: The Louvre visits Tehran→