Sunday, January 2, 2011

Lindaraxa 2011...The View From My Window

 Lindaraxa's window overlooking Lindaraxa's Garden - Alhambra Palace


When I started Lindaraxa's Garden in April of 2009 I had no idea what I wanted to do with it.  If truth be told, I had just recently made the decision to stop trading in a stock market that had become a casino and no place for the small investor to make a living.  I had years of professional experience managing millions of dollars for institutional and private investors from all over the world and stocks were my love but, frankly, I was getting killed day in and day out by computers and fast money.  Now you have to understand that I have an obsessive compulsive  determined personality and whatever I decide to do I plunge in wholeheartedly.   It's a race to the top and to say I am also extremely competitive well, ...just ask my kids about their experience learning to play backgammon from their Mom!

Wall Street is full of people like me.  People who live that life 24/7 and enjoy it to boot.  It's not just about the money that can be made, it's more about the journey in one of the most exciting careers in the world.  But when the music stops and you exit the merry-go-round like I did professionally 10 years ago, the landing is awfully hard and substitutes hard to find.  Trading was it for a while, but then the crisis hit and the small fish like me packed up their kiosks and exited the party.



Lindaraxa's window from the garden


I can't really say what drove me to blogging, except it was something relatively new, unexplored and a challenge for someone like me.  More importantly, it was something I could get obssesive enthusiastic about and something that would fill my empty days now that stock charts and research reports were to be a thing of the past.  Cooking and entertaining had been a passion and a hobby since I was young and God knows I had enough recipes and entertaining ideas to fill a book or two.  I also needed a new challenge to fill my days now that I had put away my trading gloves so blogging,  food blogging,  became the new substitute for trading.



The maze - Alhambra Palace


Somewhere along the line, I also made an important decision. and that was to follow bloggers that were not all necessarily food bloggers. These guys and gals were more like me.  They were "older" for one, had travelled extensively, had years of experience in their field and had innumerable new things to share, for free, with neophytes like me, hungry for culture and entertainment in a little house by a lake.    These were the people I had surrounded myself with all my life,  people full of worldliness, sophistication and knowledge and here they were in front of my computer, everyday, willing and able to share their experiences .  So Lindaraxa came to a crossroads....as she usually does because she's just not happy staying on course and playing it safe (she's Sagittarius)... and discovered a new way to fill her days and fulfill her life with new ideas, new subjects and new friends.



Alhambra Palace - the gardens


I guess what I'm trying to say is I've become bored with just posting recipes.  I want this blog to evolve and mature and be vibrant and fun both for me and for you, dear readers.  So I will be doing some experimenting and branching out,  sometimes into things that are probably none of my business.  To begin with, there will be more of Lindaraxa's Tidbits, where I share etiquette ideas, history of food and entertaining, new books both cooking and otherwise, places I've been and recommend, etc.  We'll see...  I'm giving myself carte blanche but it won't be so radical as to drive away any of my visitors and subscribers, at least willingly.   For those of you who like recipes, there will be plenty of those, I promise, but I will try to post something different at least two or three times a month.  So if you want to come on this journey, fasten your seat belts...it may be a bumpy ride but we will figure it out, together!


Alhambra gardens

Oh! and Lindaraxa's Garden has now become just plain Lindaraxa, something I've been meaning to do for a long time but didn't dare so as not to upset the apple cart.  Might as well get you all bothered and bewildered in one fine sweep!

Photos: Google Alhambra Palace, Granada Spain

11 comments:

  1. We are all looking forward to your new blogging direction in 2011, Julieta. It is all certain to be wonderful.

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  2. Congratulations...this is the best way to start the new year. BTW: I am liking your white background here: did I just not notice this until now? or has it been this way for a while? I've been so......absent from serious blog reading and writing, for so long, that I'm not sure!
    It takes a lot of energy (and time) to blog and I think changes are essential.
    Can't wait until we get together to talk about all this!!!
    xxxxLibby

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  3. How exciting. I wait with bated! You go girl.

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  4. Then, all I can say is that though I thoroughly appreciated what you had made of your blog I look forward very much to seeing what it becomes. I'm definitely along for the ride!

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  5. Congratulations for moving so smoothly with the winds that carry you on your journey. I look forward to enjoying the journey with you.
    I will share with you one of my favorite quotes:

    "To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."

    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  6. I am so glad you are taking this new direction, I've followed your blog for more than the food, the photos and your writing are done so well it's a daily treat. And now on day two of South Beach diet and can use the diversity. Good on you!

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  7. We'll take it however you cook it up dear Linda!

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  8. Hello Roxie,
    I applaud this move, and look forward to following your blog (and journey) as it unfolds. Congratulations on the material you have produced to date, which has been wonderful, and best of luck as you take this (and us) to a new place. I am confident it will be even better. Thank you! Reggie

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  9. Good for you! I'll continue to look forward to your posts!

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  10. I look forward to joining you in this new jouney but please do not desert me when the garden is brimming over with produce! Your recipes are fantastic!

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  11. Thank you all for the encouraging comments; but please don't misunderstand...there will still be recipes galore just different things from time to time all related to eating and entertaining and the art of living well!

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