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for the glowing review! "Go ask Alice ... where all the best vineyard gardens are. She's an erudite charmer; you'll have fun!"
Historic Gardens

9/11 Memorial NYC: A Photo Essay

9/11 Memorial © Alice Joyce

The 9/11 Memorial has opened in New York City … … on the site where the World Trade Center Twin Towers once rose skyward. Two vast pools now occupy the footprints of the two buildings. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker designed the memorial to incorporate thirty-foot waterfalls, cascading into pools that culminate in a central void. Bronze parapets outline the uppermost ledge of each pool. Here, inscriptions of the victims’ names can be seen. The reflection of One World Trade Center heightens the impact of the new Museum Pavilion’s glass facade – the museum is not yet completed. One World Trade Center will be the tallest building in the United States when construction concludes.

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Land Art

Andy Goldsworthy, The Spire - Presidio of San Francisco

Goldsworthy - The Spire - Photo © Alice Joyce

Artist, Andy Goldsworthy’s The Spire emerges in a clearing at The Presidio of San Francisco, where the park’s reforestation efforts are ongoing. In this section by the Bay Ridge Trail, 150 dying trees have been removed. In 2008, Goldsworthy used felled mature trees to create the sculpture’s monolithic form.

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Desert Travel

The Desert in Bloom

Anza Borrego Hawk Canyon Photo © Alice Joyce

Stunning natural settings to trendy eateries: When my travels include vigorous workouts in rugged terrain, I look forward to indulging my foodie cravings, accompanied by a glass of excellent wine. Known as one of the top U.S. sites for spring wildflower displays, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park did not disappoint. I’d hoped to visit since moving to California, and finally found time for a mid-March getaway. Myriad conditions must be in harmony for wildflowers to appear in this magnificent setting: A matter of rain, sun, wind, and temperature: all in harmony during the prior year and the season leading up to Spring. 2011 is proving to be noteworthy, with vast swathes of lupine, dune evening primrose, brittlebush, and ocotillo (Fouqueria splendens), to name but a few. Set in the midst of Anza-Borrego State Park is Borrego Springs .. a town that comes to life most vividly during the wildflower season. A small, friendly oasis, Borrego Springs offers a limited number of rooms available in a comfy resorts, motels and no-nonsense hotels, campgrounds, and the lovely Borrego Valley Inn.

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