I enjoy people, I enjoy music, I enjoy the two combined on a summer's eve on a body of water with lights strung in the trees...

I grew up in a small California university town (9 hours north of LA, for reference :), the child of a Canadian Catholic and an American Buddhist. Suffice to say, my religious beliefs are varied and open.
I learned how to read my world from my father, a journalist, and how to read people from my mother, a nurse. I have an insatiable need to see how people, cultures, and ideas intertwine, clash, support each other...and the best way to do that is to ask! Traveling has given me the ability to learn so much about myself, my country, my beliefs--as well as those of other people. I highly value my education--through school as well as life experience. I strive to be mindful of my impact on the world (economically, environmentally, socially...) and of its impact on me.

I hope I am:
Musician, outdoors-woman, outgoing, mindful, flexible, patient, adaptive, mature, adventurous, girly, liberal, industrious, confident, accommodating, powerful, joyful, and most importantly, kind.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm an active participant in the sharing economy :) and I love meeting people from around the world!

Interests

light, color (but that's just light's manifestation), sound, texture, 360-degree concepts.

jazz shows, cafes, serendipity, dogs, beautiful handmade paper, watercolors, wildflowers, yoga, rock climbing. I host a monthly supper club and am a private chef. birdsong, forests, discovering, reading, thunderstorms, trees, timepieces, and birds.

• dogs
• birds
• coloring
• dancing
• education
• dining
• yoga
• clubbing
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• jazz
• outdoor activities
• rock climbing
• teaching
• journalism
• nursing

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:

Ali Farka Toure, Buena Vista Social Club, Toumani Diabate, Pink Martini, Tiempo Libre, Ibrahim Ferrer, Los Pinguos, Moshav, Meriam Mekeba, Julieta Venegas, Shantel and other balkan beats.

Rufus Wainwright, Ray LaMontagne, Brett Dennen, Amos Lee, John Mayer, Paolo Nutini, Onion Creek Crawdaddies, Crooked Still, The railflowers

Man Man, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, Yeasayer, Zero 7, Santogold, Thievery Corporation, Vampire Weekend, Sufjan Stevens, Feist, Regina Spektor, Sean Lennon, Peaches, Hot Chip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The White Stripes, Kings of Leon, Cat Power, Postal Service, Flaming Lips, Modest Mouse, Beck, Arcade Fire, Rilo Kiley, The Shins, Marie Antoinette soundtrack, soundtracks in general...

female idols:
Maria Callas, Eva Cassidy, The Waifs, Dixie Chicks, Joni Mitchell, Aretha Franklin, Mariee Souix, Norah Jones, India Arie, Jolie Holland, Wailin' Jennys, Chic Gamine, Tracy Chapman!

beats and reggae:
Aloe Blacc, M.I.A., Lupe Fiasco, Panda :), Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Common, Citizen Cope, Ben Harper, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Outkast, Bob Marley, Damian Marley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wyclef Jean, The Roots,

old school:
Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, The Rolling Stones, The Police, CCR, The Beatles, Van Morrison, James Taylor, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Cure, Frank Sinatra,

jazz, funk, & soul, always:
Sugarman Three & Co., Ella Fitzgerald, Madeleine Peyroux, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cab Calloway, Sam Cooke (winner of the sexy award), Robert Johnson. Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone, Diana Krall, Ray Charles, Otis Redding

...been listening to "Rising Sand" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Good one.

Books:
Love You Forever, Teddy Bear Bakery, Isabel Allende, Tom Robbins, poetry, short stories.

Movies: rarely

Photography: Sabine Weiss, Tina Modotti. Amazing women.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

watched & had a hand in my brother (and best friend) growing up...miss him loads.

I saw the Northern Lights in northern Norway! That was amazing.

visited 22 states (9.77%)Create your own visited map of The World

Teach, Learn, Share

Ask me for my Nanaimo bar recipe...or enchiladas!

I'm always down to learn new dance moves...

What I Can Share with Hosts

Food,

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Austria, United States

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