Traditions stand as important foundational elements in any society or culture. Traditions serve many purposes; to celebrate, to mourn, to mark important events, and more. Yet, even the most sacred and hallowed of traditions have an origin, a genesis that gives them their significance and sets them in the minds of those who honor them periodically.

At Pacifica, our tradition has begun its humble origins this year and will hopefully continue for many years to come. That tradition is a celebration of natural stone as well as a jubilant appreciation for our customers, both new and established alike. We simply refer to this event as Petrinalia. The name, for the curious, is loosely derived from Latin to mean “a celebration of stone.” We at Pacifica work with beautiful natural stone products all day every day and firmly believe that it is something worth celebrating with dear friends.

This year, we are going to go bold and usher an event focused on something a bit macabre to most: the Mayan prediction of Armageddon 2012. If such predictions hold any grain of truth to them, we figure why not welcome it with a celebration? Great food, great drinks, and great company seems like better accompaniment than evangelists and doomsayers.

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Natural stone products are prized not only for their authenticity and beauty but also for their versatility. Many think natural stone has limited applications mostly relegated to bathroom decorations, kitchen accents, floors, etc. However, many people do not realize that natural stone can be just as useful not only in other areas of the home but outside the home itself.

It is for this reason Pacifica offers a complete line of natural stone landscaping materials. These landscaping materials are available in a wide variety of colors and sizes that ensure they can enhance any outdoor living space with their beauty.

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Granite is a natural stone material that is born from within the very hearts of mountains themselves. Granite is an igneous stone that forms when liquid magma and lava cool following a volcanic eruption or other major geological event. The term igneous, which is derived from the Latin word for fire, is not a misnomer in this case as this stone is literally born from fiery liquid rock.

Granite has been quarried and used in various ways since ancient times, primarily prized for its incredible density, rich color variations, and a multitude of applications. Today it is still used by many peoples and cultures for various building applications as well as decorative purposes.

Marble is a metamorphic type of natural stone that has been transformed into a crystalline structure. This transformation, or metamorphosis (hence the name), occurs when stone material is subjected to tremendous heat and pressure. In such an environment, the structures within stone begin to reshape and reform until they become marble.

The word marble is thought to be derived from a Greek word which meant “shining stone.” From early in human history, various cultures admired the lustrous beauty of marble and made use of it wherever they could. Statues depicting everything from great warriors and heroes to the very gods of the Pantheon itself were often carved from marble and greatly prized not only for their exquisite and meticulous construction but for the luster of their constituent material.

Today, marbles are still used in a wide variety of applications to evoke a sense of classical sophistication and design savvy.

Limestone, like travertine, is a sedimentary type of natural stone that is formed over millions of years as minerals and materials settled and hardened in the earth. As an inherent display of their antiquity, many limestones possess small remnants of fossils within their structure. The organisms and detritus that served to create those fossils have all long since faded into oblivion, but their prints remain in the surface of various limestones as an eternal reminder of its lineage.

Perhaps it is because of the beauty in limestone, or perhaps that many cave formations and natural structures are constituted by limestones, that mankind began at an early point in history using it for various purposes, chief amongst them buildings. An extremely well-known monument of limestone buildings is the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the most iconic and enduring structures in the world. In fact, it is the only remaining building that was among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Travertine is a sedimentary type of natural stone that often forms as materials shift and settle over periods ranging millions of years.  Essentially, travertine is a type of limestone that has been subjected to geothermal conditions involving numerous gases that penetrate and sift through the stone, often leaving it more porous than most limestones.

Many countries around the world export travertine from numerous quarries in such diverse places as Peru, China, Turkey, Italy, and many others.  In addition, travertine has been utilized in a dizzying number of human structures and settlements since ancient times.  The grand and gargantuan Coliseum of Rome, where once stalwart and fearsome gladiators engaged in visceral bloodsport, was primarily built of travertine and still stands as a testament of natural stones endurance and versatility.