CALIFORNIA LIVING 1800s

City of San Juan Bautista.

Just a bit of old California History. This is the Mission at the City of San Juan Bautista. The city was incorporated in 1869. There's a Museum that features some amazing old time transportation, the Limo of Coaches and more.

How would you like to have to use this bathroom everyday!

The Hotel Dining Room
Ladies Guest Room
1800s LivingAll of the above pictures were taken by Steph Jordan

EAST COAST * WEST COAST DIVAS: "Baby's Got Back" - Sir Mix-A-Lot

EAST COAST * WEST COAST DIVAS: "Baby's Got Back" - Sir Mix-A-Lot

"Baby's Got Back" - Sir Mix-A-Lot

"Oh my God! Becky, look at her butt! It is so big! I can't believe it's so round; it's like, out there! I mean - gross! Look! She's just so...black!" Sounds familiar? It's part of the opening lyrics in the comedic rap song of the ninties, "Baby's Got Back" by Sir-Mix-A-Lot. Many of us can't help but smile as we listen to SMAL sing about his fondness for large derrieres. How about that YouTube video of the newly married couple boogying to it during their reception? Well, I can't imagine that Saartjie Baartman aka, "The Hottentot Venus" thought her ample derriere was a laughing matter. Not familiar with that name? Well, it's Herstory Time...listen up. Saartjie (Sara) Baartman was born in 1789 to a Khoisan family in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. She was a slave of Dutch farmers. In 1810, a British ship's doctor noticed what seemed to him, Sara's "unusual" shape (read: big butt). He took her to London with her believing she was going to gain wealth, when in reality, he was "pimping" her. She was put on display for paying audiences to ogle her unusually large derriere and protruding genitalia, and was  forced to entertain people by gyrating her nude body, with the promise of half the profits. This caused a scandal and she was sold to a French entrepreneur (another pimp?), who took her to Paris, where she was put on display by an animal trainer for fifteen months!!! After being the subject of public ridicule, Sara descended into alcoholism and prostitution (ya think?) to support herself. Sadly, Sara died at the age of twenty-six of an inflammatory ailment; possibly Smallpox. Free at last! Right? Wrong! After her death, Sara's skeleton, brain and preserved genitals, were placed on display in Paris were they remained until 1974! It wasn't until 2002 that she was returned to rest in her homeland. If you care to know more about this sad story, google her. It's a story that needs to be told. Perhaps you'll remember Sara the next time you watch videos portraying women as body parts; rather than whole human beings.

EAST COAST * WEST COAST DIVAS: "Young Man, Older Woman" - Millie Jackson

EAST COAST * WEST COAST DIVAS: "Young Man, Older Woman" - Millie Jackson

"Young Man, Older Woman" - Millie Jackson

Good Morning! What do Madonna, Cher, Joan Collins, Juliette Mills, Mariah Carey and Courtney Cox have in common, other than their celebrity and gender? They are all involved or have been involved with younger men...in Cher's, Juliette's and Madonna's cases; much younger men! They are part of a group of women recently referred to as "cougars" (a predatory cat by definition). Mind you, men have chosen younger females to mate with, date, and marry for years, and it was never given much thought, nor given a label like "cougar". Sometimes, you might hear, "oh he's just a dirty old man" (snicker, snicker), but mostly nothing negative is said. Elvis Presley arranged to have Priscilla Beauleau move in with him while she was still a teen-ager and he was in his twenties. Jerry Lee Lewis married his young, teen-aged cousin,and don't get me started about Hugh(Hef)Hefner! He has them in pairs and collectively they don't add up to his age. He would need about five or six for that to happen! Can you imagine the hoopla if a woman was doing this back then? (Referring to the 1950's). Now I know things have changed somewhat, and young men/older women relationships are flourishing; but still, not without eye brows being raised,and disparaging comments being made: "she's a cougar", "he's in it for her money" "she's robbing the cradle"... At this point in my life, I say: sister, if you and a younger man are attracted to each other, and he is not your student (you hear that Mary Kaye Letourneau?), your son or daughter's friend, or your relative, go for it. Afterall, you deserve to be happy too!

EAST COAST * WEST COAST DIVAS: "What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye

EAST COAST * WEST COAST DIVAS: "What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye

"What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye

Good morning all. When I woke up this morning (TYL), I was all set to write about relationships between young men and older women. However, as I listened to the news (a daily ritual; first thing I turn on), the conversation was about skin lightening!!! It seems that there is a renewed interest in this topic, due to the recent appearance of baseball player Sammy Sosa's skin. Sammy Sosa is a brown skinned Latino brother that I considered handsome, who has become almost unrecognizable! His skin looks stripped of all it's chocolate-ness and his eyes appear green (contacts). According to what I've read, he claims to be using a "skin softening" product...wanna buy the Brooklyn Bridge? Anyway, there seems to be a phenomenon sweeping through Asia, Africa and I suppose, North America too...skin lightening! I don't get it, but to each his own...bleach that skin with that hydroquinone...lol! The Temptations said, "Beauty's Only Skin Deep, yeah, yeah, yeah!" Micheal Jackson said, "It Don't Matter if You're Black or White" (yeah, right), James Brown said, "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" and we  sported afros and embraced the beauty of our blackness ( well, some of us did) and Marvin Gaye queried, "What's Going On?"...I am with you Marvin.