Spring Flowers '11 desktop wallpaper

It’s finally happening.

After such a brutal winter, Spring finally seems like it’s here. Of course, I’m ignoring the fact that it snowed last week, but that’s neither here nor there.

To commemorate the return of sun, outdoor activities, and a decrease in depression levels, I’ve created my yearly Spring Flowers desktop wallpapers and posted them over at mybestdesktops. Bring a little sunshine to your computer by downloading these today. Or if you like, download some spring flowers from 2010, spring flowers from 2009, or spring flowers from 2008.

I should remember to get outside!

Masquerader at the 43rd Annual West Indian Carnival in Brooklyn

Last weekend was the Labour Day parade in Brooklyn. One of my favorite Brooklyn events to bring a camera to. I took over 400 shots and have put some of the best online on my Flickr account and an article about the carnival at UncommonCaribbean.com. This was my first time back since 2008, so it was a ton of fun. Hundreds more photos are available in the West Indian Day Parade 2010 Flickr pool.

I should remember not to miss any more years.

R.I.P. José Saramago, author of Blindness and Seeing.

The Umbrian Countryside.

Wine Tasting near Montepulciano

Strolling through Siena

A wedding in Lerum, Sweden of all places

And exploring Göteborg.

I should remember to jot more down… I’m forgetting so much.

Butcher Shop in Peru

Tablet Hotel’s Tablet Talk teamed up with Food52 for a travel food photography contest to be voted on by the world and somehow one of my photos from Peru have made it into the finals. Please head over to Tablet Talk and vote for my Butcher Shop in Peru photo. Thanks.

I should remember to… uhm… win!

I really should remember to check out at least 50 of these.

The 101 Best Sandwiches in New York — Grub Street New York.

Recently, the woman and I hit St. Lucia for a long weekend. It was my first time there and I loved it. Mountains, rain forest, beaches, great food and Steel Pulse in concert!

On-Site St. Lucia: Start the Day Right in Anse La Raye | Uncommon Caribbean.

I should remember to keep traveling.

As people all across the US watch the situation in the gulf (if they haven’t tuned it out already), you can’t help but agree with today’s caption from The Big Caption.

Surfing in Barbados

On assignment for Uncommon Caribbean, I recently headed down to Barbados to learn how to surf.

I’d never been to Barbados before and was really impressed. I grew up in the Caribbean and have been to a decent number of Caribbean islands, but Barbados was really special. The people seemed extra nice and laid-back. The proximity to Trinidad provided me with many of the Trini tastes I grew up with. The hotels from the Elegant Hotels Group I stayed at, especially The House, were well run, quality establishments. The rums were delicious. Many of the beaches were exceptional. The nightlife seemed thriving for locals and tourists alike.

And, on top of all that, there’s surfing! There’s a longer surfing post at Uncommon Caribbean with all the details.

Surfing was a ton of fun and something I will certainly remember to try again… And it would be difficult to not remember how much I loved Barbados.

The Orchid Show: Cuba in Flower

Last week, the woman and I rode up to the Bronx to check out the New York Botanical Gardens’ The Orchid Show: Cuba in Flower. It was cold and there was still snow on the ground, but, for the most part, the ride was pleasant. After paying our $12 to park the motorcycle and $20 each to get in, we quickly found ourselves transported to (generally) warmer, lusher, more Caribbean climes. For the most part, the walk through the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory (incidentally, the nation’s largest Victorian-era glasshouse) was quite pleasant and the orchids on display delicately mesmerizing.

I should remember to make orchid hunting yet another reason to get to Cuba sooner rather than later. I’ll just keep this orchid desktop wallpaper up to remind me!