Pit stop: Cos

Much to our dismay, the ferry to Turkey from Rhodes was full on the day we were ready to leave and the next ferry didn’t  leave for another 5 days. Since we had already spent a week in Rhodes, we decided to hop over to another island instead of waiting. And thus we arrived in Cos, a small island on the way to Turkey. We had no idea where we were staying or headed, but as we got off the ferry, an old woman on a scooter approached us almost immediately. She offered a cheap room and we followed her scooter, her cape flapping in the wind. It was hilarious. We were so close to Turkey that we could see the Turkish coast, and there were some Turkish influences around us (we had a coffee break in a Turkish café). Being our 3^rd Greek island, we didn’t really see anything new and stayed in a dumpy hotel. We stayed just one night (thus the short post) and got on a ferry out to Bodrum, Turkey the next day. It always works out in the end. Goodbye cat-loving nation.

* Julia

Turkey posts start tomorrow! 

Yes this nice man is feeding a herd of street cats. 

 "Filter coffee"-- The filter sits on top of your cup and you pour water in, cover with lid, and wait. 

Haute Spot: Ceiba del Mar

Secretly tucked away near the small Puerto Morelos fishing village along the Gulf of Mexico is the charming resort, Ceiba del Mar, housed in the heart of the Mayan Riviera.
 On a recent trip to Mexico, I made my way to this secret paradise that’s quiet and unassuming and known only to insiders seeking a path to wellness. Set against a backdrop of the tranquil blue waters of the sea and the lush tropical jungle is a beautiful Holistic and Aromatherapy Spa that offers a refuge for those like me who seek to restore balance in their lives.

A short meditative walk with
flowing ponds along the path to the sea was the perfect complement to a beautiful spa retreat. The powdery white sands and warm waters from the sea offered a sort of “meeting of the minds” making way to a space that creates harmony, encourages creativity and self-improvement through ancient Mayan rituals… just think of a wellness-inspired cultural exchange.

A 90 minute massage was just the beginning in efforts to restore my mind and body to a pure and natural state free of toxins and impurities that invade our bodies over many years. My therapist used ten different essential oils customized specifically for me in preparation for the Balsamic Mayan Massage. The oils were slowly dropped long the vertebrae of my back like “tiny rain drops” before hot stones were used to help the oils penetrate the skin. The benefits of this relaxing massage were immediate—no stress or negative thoughts to invade my consciousness. When my session was over, my therapist signaled with a soft ringing of a bell to awaken my soul.

Upon returning to the spa, my path was filled with birds singing and gentle breezes with the warmth of the sun kissing my skin. Now that my mind was relaxed, it was time for a full-body detox like nothing you’ve ever heard of before. My therapist hooked me up to a machine that discovered things about my body and mind that I never knew. It found impurities and possible diseases waiting to strike. Little did I know that pesticides can live in the body for many as 30 years, I’m told. Once my therapist reviewed my report, I was asked to return for a footbath detox. The moment that my feet were immersed in the water my body began to eliminate fat from my liver and impurities from other organs. It was mind-blowing!

During this journey to relax, rejuvenate and repair my mind, body and soul, I felt cared for at Ceiba del Mar, which allowed me to surrender to the process. The rest of my stay included yoga on the beach and dining at the resorts amazing restaurants while the sun began to set. If you crave exclusivity and seclusion… this is the spot for you.

To learn more visit http://ceibadelmar.com/english/spa01.htm

Are you inspired by my story to plot your own path to wellness?

Doubting the screenplay

Chris and I have decided to do the reading a week from tomorrow (Dec 10th) with the actors for Casualties of Love after a lot of stalling on my part mostly.

And that stalling comes with the fact that I will have to spend some money for the theater and for 5 actors who will each get what we call "gas money", but is really a sort of payment that barely could be a tankful. Also getting gas money is a production assistant who will probably operate the video camera and another assistant. I might also have a friend or two, directors, to watch and offer ideas afterwards. And I buy  lunch too.

The other reason for stalling is that I don't quite like the script. 

Yes, it's my script, and I want to do it, but I realize that something is missing in it and I don't know what it is.  Some people have read it and thought it was okay, but when I say something is missing, they offer a pile of suggestions. Unfortunately none of the suggestions led to a solution.

Is this a writer's block? I always answered the issue of writer's block by saying I couldn't afford to have writer's block. Certainly when a screenplay assignment is due, it has to be ready. 

But when it's my script for my film, I begin to have doubts. And not only for Casualties of Love, but for all my scripts. All 34 unproduced scripts and even some ideas.  One script that always inspires me is my favorite, Emperor of Mars, but yet, even that one has me uncertain some times.

Welcome to the world of the independent freelance writer. Any writer who is certain their script is perfect is rare, at least among the writers I know.

But what is the problem with Casualties?

I think it has to do with the last act. Simply put, I don't think it works. Yet. There is an ending and it's an okay ending, but somehow I know it can be better.

Fortunately that's why I'm having a reading of the screenplay; to find the holes and mistakes and bland dialog that stops the movie in it's tracks. A film has to move forward and every scene must move it a few more feet at a time.

Right now I have an ending that doesn't really offer a twist of any kind. And that's deadly as a bad ending can kill a sale. So right now, I'm waiting for the Patron Saint of Screenwriters to drop a friendly inspiration into my mind. But more than likely it will come from somewhere out of the hard drive in my brain that always comes to the rescue.

And it might happen today or tomorrow, or even at the reading where I at last get to hear the words spoken for the first time besides the hundred times I've heard them in my own mind. Writing is a lonely business and sharing can bring wonderful surprises -- or horrible realizations that what you've just written is awful.

But I'm also using the reading for a sales tool. Once completed I will take the video home and edit a promotional trailer, a 5 minute clip of the best material that I can show potential investors that I am serious. And that some money has already been spent on the project.

Investors don't like to be the first in, they would rather see someone else there first. Gives them a little more confidence that the project is real. Of course, the oldest saying in Hollywood (besides "I can put you in the movies") is "Don't invest your own money". Of course that suggests you have money in the first place.

So, today we tell the actors we chose that they are the lucky ones, they get to read the screenplay for Chris and I and my director friends. And I get to figure out the third

(Mon: Preparing for the next disappointments)

Lindos

We heard a lot of good things about a little beach town 55 km south of Rhodes Town, called Lindos. So we decided to catch a bus and spend the day there. The drive there was breathtaking in itself-- we passed lots of little towns, mandarin orchards, olives being picked (this was the harvest time for olives), and beautiful scenery of the sea. Lindos is a very popular tourist spot in the summer but when we arrived there it was practically empy, there were only 4 other people on the beach with us. Although the sun was out, the water still felt a little chilly, it took awhile before we got the courage to finally jump in. It was quite the experience to swim in a sea with views of a historic castle from the water. We didn't swim for long but we enjoyed reading on the deserted beach for a bit before heading off to explore the town.

The Acropolis of Lindos sits on top of the highest point in Lindos overlooking all of the town. We unfortunately didn't have a chance to go in because it closed much earlier then we were expecting. But we had a great time walking around it's walls and the cliffs that it sits on. A little history for you: the Acropolis was fortified successively by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Knights of St. John, and the Ottomans. The original Temple of Athena Lindia, at the top of the hill, was constructed in the 8th or 9th century BC. It was destroyed by fire 500 years later. The temple that now stands on top of the hill was built in the 4th century BC. There is also a little bay on the south side of Lindos called St. Paul's Harbor (the name comes from the legend that St. Paul's boat landed here during the Apostle's visit to Rhodes).

Most of the shops and restaurants were closed by 4 PM and hardly anyone was out but we did find a cozy restaurant where we had dinner. We also tried traditional Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts for dessert, it tasted amazing, and that's coming from a guy who doesn't really like dessert. From there we caught our bus back home to Rhodes; tired and with a little tan. It was a good trip.

-Yuriy

Restaurant highlight: Koykos

We discovered an incredible restaurant in the new town of Rhodes called Koykos. I fell in love with the indoor décor--folksy and woodsy, with old cuckoo cloths, vintage do-dads, and musical instruments like banjos and accordions on the walls. The charm even fills the restrooms, where brass handwashing sinks are laid in wooden barrels and the toilet has a drawstring flusher (and I was crazy enough to photograph it). The restaurant has a wood-fire oven where they make delicious varieties of bread and pastries, which you can buy to-go from the glass case (and smell from the street). Or you can take a seat at a table indoors or outdoors and order from the menu, which has a great selection of gourmet sandwiches and Greek meze plates (appetizers), at very reasonable prices. Outdoors there is a lounge area with cushioned benches and piles of colorful pillows that face a walking street. From our seat outdoors, we peeked through an open window into the kitchen where we had a perfect view of the cooks pulling out fresh food from the oven. We ordered toasted sandwiches and fava. As we sat outdoors for over an hour on a late Friday night, we watched nicely dressed people walking by and groups of scooters speed past with 2 youngsters on each. The restaurant was packed with Greek locals. We couldn’t help but come back another time during the day with our books so we could sample Koykos coffee and dessert. I’d have come a third time if we stayed in Rhodes long enough.

- Julia