A quick trip to China via Lan Su PDX

I haven't visited Lan Su Chinese Garden since it opened back when I was in high school. At the time everything was brand new and the plants had not yet matured. If you're in Portland and desire to visit China but don't have the budget, drop by Lan Su. 

Lan Su is a very traditional garden smack dab in Old Town China Town in downtown Portland Oregon. Lan Su garden has several pagodas, lotus flowers in a beautiful lake that's filled with koi fish. They even have a beautiful waterfall and tea house. There's calligraphy everywhere and lots of beautiful molding in every nook and cranny. 

The garden is simply amazing. The architecture has been preserved so well, and the plants have matured since my first visit. On any given day you'll see all sorts of wildlife. Dragonflies, butterflies, and even a beautiful heron make guest appearances regularly. 

The garden is also host to artwork, calligraphy demos, and live music. The garden smelled heavily of gardenias and sweet ripened fruit. 

I really enjoyed my time here, and look forward to regular visits throughout the summer. I really would like to see more dusting take place. I understand that the garden is outside but it appears some regular dusting has taken a backseat. 

I'll be back soon Lan Su!

Follow me on Instagram @freehandmehndi

YouTube @freehandmehndi

Facebook @fhmhenna 

A Culture Junkies Paradise! World Beat Festival Salem OR

This past weekend was insane fun coupled with insane heat. June 29th I attended the 16th annual World Beat festival in Salem Oregon. 

(Me with Mariko of Takafuji Dance Company)

It was the first time I've attended this festival and I'm glad I did. I'm a bit of a culture junkie. I love to travel to, eat, listen, and look at the many cultures that make the world this cool place that it is. World Beat festival made all of that possible just 45 minutes away from home. 

          (Takafuji Dance Company)

             (Chinelos de Morelos)

  (Native American Pow Wow Dancers)

  (Native American Pow Wow Dancers)

      (Chosho Yabe Calligraphy)

   (Titlakawan Traditional Aztec Dance)

The music, dancing, and other performance art were my favorite parts of the festival. I wish the food selection was a little more diverse. There was your typical festival food, and a few ethnic options. Some countries/cultures were only represented by one food vendor if at all. 

(Elephant ears so bad but so gooooddd)

There were plenty of art vendors on hand. I counted three henna artists all bunched in the same area (not good). Over all I loved the festival and hope to see more food verity next year. I wonder how festival organizers might encourage that? There was constant entertainment in a beautiful outdoor setting. 

(More Takafuji Dance Company, my favorite performers)

     (Chosho Yabe Calligraphy)

  (Native America Pow Wow Dancers)

    (Awesome incredibly large tee pee)

I highly recommend this festival. Pictured are my favorite performances. There was a lot I didn't see or didn't take pictures of because I wanted to sit back and enjoy. Oregon is such a diverse state with so much to offer. See you next year World Beat!

Select images were provided by Mason-Cruise Gallery. All images copyright 2013 Mason-Cruise and Free Hand Mehndi. 

Follow me on Instagram @freehandmehndi

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/freehandmehndi 

Please subscribe http://www.youtube.com/freehandmehndi 

Tigard Festival of Balloons

It seems like the festival season never ends around here. Saturday night I ventured out to cook park for the Festival of Balloons. Hot air balloons are massive and range from your traditional light bulb shape to funky purple people eaters with claws. 

They were doing what's called a glow. The balloons were all grounded and were lit up with flame inside. The glow was absolutely beautiful. It's surprising how quickly those balloons can come down. 

The above picture shows my entry ticket and groovy ladybug initiation stamp. They had an awesome fundraiser charging $1 for rides up and down the steep hill (from parking lot to the venue), on the back of bouncy golf carts. 

What festival would be complete without rides, games, and entertainment for the kiddies? The ducky game was the cutest and the haunted mansion was not so scary, but really fun to laugh at. 

Festivals are a blast. Next weekend June 29th I'm headed to World Beat festival in Salem OR. See you there! 

Mandalas sacred symbols in henna

Mandala is Sanskrit for circle, and has a sacred and deeply spiritual meaning for many. This henna season one can find mandalas just about anywhere from palms, tops of the feet, even on shoulder blades.

It is said that mandalas have a calming property, allowing the mind to focus and filter out the stress of the day. Even if this isn't a part of your belief system, you can't help but get lost in the intricate patterns that complete a mandala. 

After being sick all week and on the road to recovery I decided to henna myself. The mandala was a natural choice and allowed me to filter out the icky that was making its way out, and focusing on an upcoming exciting weekend. 

Thank you for stopping by. Health and wellness in your future.  Peace and blessings be upon you. 

Follow me on instagram @freehandmehndi

facebook

and youtube

A little under the weather

I've been feeling a little sluggish, a little bleh for the past few days. My blogging has suffered as a direct result but I'm on the mend. 

In an attempt to get healthier I've decided to walk more often. I take it very seriously and find myself walking for hours around the city. To make it fun I've been exploring the sights and sounds of Portland Oregon. 

Yesterday I headed out to the sauna and on my way home I bumped into Portland's very own mini White House. I didn't know we had one but apparently we do and it's pretty cool. 

I love historic homes and mansions. While visiting Louisiana several years ago I had a blast looking at all the sites and learning about their colorful history. In Portland many of these homes are privately owned and maintained so its best to keep a distance. I'd love to do a photo shoot here, something presidential and henna related hmmmm.

Oh, and I almost stepped on that slug too. Had to get down on the sidewalk to get that pic. 

A henna artist in the city of roses

Portland Oregon is my home town. Portland has many fun names but the one we like the best is "The city of roses". We're well known for our award winning roses. I fancy myself a amateur  photographer and walk all around the city invading gardens to take pictures of these silky petaled wonders. Here are a few of my favorite shots. 

I know this last one isn't a rosé, it's actually a tulip. I'm so proud of this one I had to share it. 

Images taken with iPhone 4. Follow me on Instagram @freehandmehndi. All images Copyright 2013 Free Hand Mehndi

In my spare time…

In my spare time I like to play photographer. Flowers are my focus but occasionally I step outside of the box and shoot something with more movement. 

No, that sweet cannon isn't mine but I can dream. On Friday June 7th my city hosted one of many fabulous fireworks displays. Unfortunately it was a very short show possibly due to technical issues but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Here are a few shots I took with my phone. 

Bubbles Under The Bridge

On the eve of memorial day I accompanied local photographer extraordinaire down to the waterfront (under the Hawthorne bridge) to take pictures of our beautiful Portland Oregon skyline. Instead we were greeted with the sounds of loud drumming (along with flute, guitar, bells, and maracas), dancing, performance art, and BUBBLES!

The bubble man was nice enough to let me play along and a bubble fest ensued. Portland is known for its weird and quirky citizens (thanks Portlandia). I'm so happy to call Portland Oregon home, and to have been able to participate in this impromptu celebration.

It's always fun when people from all walks of life gather to jam and have a good time.

All images copyright 2013 Free Hand Mehndi and Maison-Cruise Photo Gallery.