Category: Extraordinary Adventures

A T9er Fumbles Around India: Joyful, Overwhelmed, but Well-Outfitted

Our retail gal, Kate Johnson, from the Madison store recently traveled to India and brought back with her some excellent fashion advice, a fresh take on the less popular Kerala, and a beautiful reflection on the women of the world. Enjoy.

Traveling to India is one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. When the chance arises, you just have to emphatically say YES and ask questions later, sure that the details will work themselves out- as they always do. In July, my husband and I spent two weeks in the South Indian state of Kerala. Contrary to what Kerala’s tourism board would lead you to believe, this is not the typical American tourist choice. Most opt, understandably, for the Taj Mahal, Delhi, Mumbai or Varanasi, all in the north. We were also traveling during monsoon season- euphemistically known as ‘the off-season’. Needless to say, packing was daunting. Luckily, I work at a Title Nine store!

So, here’s what I ended up bringing with me: mostly SAMBA. I tell you what; I’m not sure what I would’ve done without my Samba V-Tees (long and short sleeved of course). Well, actually I can tell you exactly what I would’ve done – there would be plenty of photographic evidence of a beet red, sweaty, frizzy-haired, soaking wet, smelly, smelly white girl in India. Instead, thanks to Title Nine, I maintained a reasonable body temperature (and moisture level, for that matter) and was free to explore and enjoy my surroundings. Culturally, shoulders should be covered at all times and any obvious ‘chest’ should be concealed. But the hot and humid weather disagreed. The tencel blended with cotton and spandex of the Samba fabric performed above expectations. It resisted odor like a champ, wrinkles shook out like an instant face-life, and breathed like… Lance Armstrong. If I had been thinking straight, I would’ve packed my Samba dress (Amelia) and skirts (Amelia and Cha Cha)! Burnouts from Prana proved invaluable as light, breathable layers and cover-ups. Here’s the Chai Tee in action at a spice market in Koch:

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Title Nine From Behind the Lens

Almost as a perfect example of how we do things around here, when photographer Laura Barisonzi learned about Title Nine she reached out to us interested in working together, and next thing you know she was on a plane headed west. When it’s good, it’s good and we won’t waste any time seizing an opportunity. Who says we don’t like the East Coast? As T9ers you already know that the shots turned out fabulous and we couldn’t be more excited to have a new, vivacious and outgoing gal on our team. Glad to have you on board, Laura!

 *the following post was featured on the blog of “Wonderful Machine Cog“, a marketing engine for commercial photographers*  

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Gothic Cathedrals and Moorish Mosques

We spent most of the day in the gigantic Cathedral. It is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, and its designers recognized the fact that future generations would possibly think them mad. It is, counting Christian Cathedrals of all periods, the third largest in the world surpassed only by St. Peter´s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. It is a collection of magnificent rib vaults, stained glass, inlaid marble floors and priceless paintings and sculpture. There is enough gold and silver in there to sink several ships, and the wood carvings on the choir and pipe organs defies belief in its beauty. It was intended to be gilded, but is so much more beautiful and understated in its natural finish. It is here that Christopher Columbus…

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Arrival

We have arrived safely in Seville after a long trip. The first thing I did was to throw my ticket in the trash at the Seattle Airport 10 minutes before departure. Oops! It was in a slot my hand would not fit through, but lucky for me the garbage can was not locked. I am an experienced traveler! Our first Camino miracle occurred when we actually made our flight from Madrid to Seville even thought we arrived over 2 hours late. Then our walking sticks, which we had checked through, made it too.

We walked around the bustle of old town Seville in 80* sunshine, the palm trees swaying in the breeze. The sweet, strong scent of orange blossoms is everywhere and the bitter oranges brightly decorate every plaza. Tonight we walked through the tiny streets of the Santa Cruz district with hundreds of people out for a warm evening stroll. We had an excellent glass of Rioja wine, Croquettas and a beautiful salat crusted in sea salt with avocados. Open air dining in March!

Abrazos y Besos

About Marcia Shaver

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Meet Karen and Hear Her Intentions

I would like to introduce you to my good friend of 15 years, Karen, who will be walking the Via de la Plata with me. When asked her reasons for making this journey, she states, “Like a compass with it 4 main directions, I too have four main intentions for walking the Camino. First, I want to challenge myself on many levels. Second, I wish to slow down, simplify and see the day without the modern contraptions of my life. Next, I am ready to Walk the Talk of the million words that I have read, for over 45 years, about spirituality. Lastly, it is my intent to do something really different, and be open to it all! Surrounding these main points is experiencing the priceless friendship of one dear friend and opening the door to new ones. I know as we walk, and I write and draw, there will be surprises for me. Like an unopened package, I do not know how to name them right now.”

Click here to read more and see Karen’s work.

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