JUNTA HISPANA FESTIVAL - JULY 19, 2015 - FLUSHING MEADOW PARK IN QUEENS

This was my first year selling my art and photography of Puerto Rico at theJuntaHispana festival and what a wonderful day it was!

Art, cultura, food and music from Mexico, South America, Central America, Spain and the Caribbean. As always, I met a number of wonderful, inspiring people, had some great food along with some awesome performances from each country. It only took approximately 20 years of living in Queens to find out about this event! I'll definitely return next year. A special thank you to Gabriela from JuntaHispana.net, a wonderfully warm and poised vendor coordinator, despite the planning chaos! 

Temperatures peaked at a hot, hazy and humid 100 degrees (my favorite kind of weather). Families and children frolicked in the sprinklers in front of the infamous Unisphere all afternoon. It was a great day with great energy overall. I'll definitely participate next year!

Solstice in Times Square: International Yoga Day

I discovered Bikram yoga back in 2012 when trying different methods to spice up my workout routine and I've been completely hooked ever since! I'm officially obsessed with all things YOGA. 15 years ago, a brilliant initiative called "Solstice in Times Square" was launched. It's an annual event that takes place in Times Square, wherein (probably well over 5,000 +) yogi's come together to practice as a collective to celebrate the summer solstice (the longest day of the year). 

The event is all day and literally happens smack in the middle of Times Square, it's really quite a sight to behold and even moreso to be in and therefore FEEL. I mean, the energy and positivity that was radiating from each participant was so apparent. Even if you're not a particularly "feeling" centric person, the upliftment and aesthetic marvelousness was captivating. 
 

In many cultures, the summer solstice or the welcoming of the summer season has been celebrated and has served as an indicator of the renewal of the mind, the body and the spirit. An energizer, an activation for creative expression and a rebirth. 

Skywatching.

I know I've mentioned this in previous posts somewhere. For as long as I can remember I've been obsessed with astronomy and the sky. Don't we all yearn for freedom? Expansion? For limitless possibilities, dreams, wishes? For me, the sky is a total visual representation of all of the above! With that, we had a really soothing, sexy, summer thunderstorm here in NYC a few hours ago. When it ended, the sky just opened up and revealed all sorts of rare beauty. Including gorgeous cumulus clouds and vertical cumulonimbus clouds, typically seen after a powerful thunder and lightening storm. Naturally, I grabbed my camera and headed outside. All photographs were taken in Queens, NY.