Monday Motivation

Rain, rain go away....

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Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? The rain has officially arrived in Seattle so I'm hunkering down and lighting the first fire in the fireplace. Most of our friends are headed to Texas for our dear friend Chelsea's wedding. I'm so sad to be missing it -- Congrats Chelsea and Jordan!!

Fun cover of the most popular song in the country right now.

Gorgeous, colorful "design wedding."

Louie CK's insightful and funny reflections on cell phones.

Very cool graphic interpretation of Robert Frost's most famous poem.

This new way of shopping looks interesting, have any of you tried it yet?

These pumpkin muffins look amazing (and GF!)

Awesome family turns canceled wedding into dinner for homeless.

Amazing video of the real "eagle eye view."

Loving these shoes for fall.

The fascinating story behind the Seattle troll.


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Harry Potter & Myers Briggs

Jenny sent me this awesome chart that details what Harry Potter character you are based on your Myers Briggs test results. I am on the fence as far as extroversion vs introversion so I'm either Draco Malfoy (eek!) or James Potter (that's more like it, ha). Jenny is Hagrid which I think is awesome. How about you? 

Seattle Spotlight: Local 360

Local 360 has quickly become one of my favorite spots to recommend in Seattle. The vast majority of the food you'll be served there has been sourced from producers within 360 miles of Seattle, hence the name. When I first heard of it's concept, I was excited to try and thankfully the food doesn't disappoint. I find it really fun to see the wide variety of things that can be grown around here! Sugar and other foods that can't be grown locally, are purchased fair trade, which is something I love as well.

#wednesdaylaugh # ilovejustintimberlake

Here is your Wednesday laugh, Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake are at it again. This time they are making fun of all the ridiculous hashtags that have taken over social media sites. Enjoy!

Wedding Traditions (#2)

The "something new" part of the old wedding rhyme represents the new beginning of your life together. 

I realize of all the pieces, this one is by far the easiest. Even with the most simple of weddings, you're bound to have something new. I'd recommend maybe thinking a little harder about this one and coming up with a "something new" that isn't just your wedding dress. 

Stay with me here, I promise I'm not going to go all crazy superstitious on you. Don't get something special for the sake of this old poem alone. Here are my reasons:

1. An everyday reminder...Get something special for your big day that you'll wear/have/use again often. Get a new perfume, or pearls, amazing lingerie or splurge on the heels you've always wanted. 

2. Start your own tradition...For everyone who read last week's post and thought, "I wish my great grandmother had left me an amazing parasol to use at my wedding!" You, my friend, have the chance right now to be that classy great grandmother who has fantastic style. Start a new tradition of your own! You're starting a new family, instantly create it's first heirloom. 

Next week, "something borrowed..."

Myles: Two Months Old!

 Myles turned two months old on Saturday! He is finally packing on the ounces -- which we are thrilled about because he was having trouble absorbing fats. He is almost 12 lbs now and over two feet long! He is smiling and laughing a little and loves to play and look at things. The older he gets the more fun we are having being parents. He is very active and loves to move around and observe his environment. He is also discovering his hands, which is highly entertaining for Patrick and me. It's hard to believe that two months have already flown by, he is changing so much every day.

Monday Motivation

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Last night I went down an internet rabbit hole of googling Aldous Huxley. I really can't remember how or why it began. Anyhow, I now know: 

1.  Aldous Huxley, C.S. Lewis and J.F.K. all died on the same day.

2. Aldous Huxley, though more commonly known for his books, essays in Esquire and experimentation with psychedelic drugs, also wrote the screenplay for the 1940 movie adaption of Pride and Prejudice and was a cat person.

3. Aldous Huxley was an intellectual who wrote/said a lot of smart things. Which is why you get more than one quote today. 

Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! Jason's out of town having meetings in Hollywood, which sounds much more glamourous than it is. I'll be spending the weekend with the cats and a long "to do" list, thankfully "catch up on sleep" is something I decided to put at the top of the to do list as I feel like everyone around me is starting to come down with the first round of autumn colds. Hope you have a great, sniffle free, weekend!

I'm just finishing up a lovely novel, Beautiful Ruins, I definitely recommend it. Part of the story takes place around the filming of Cleopatra in Rome in 1962, which inspired my photo choice this week. 

Is this the reason for Generation Y's unhappiness?

Hot Toddy Recipes in preparation for colder weather and sore throats to come!

36 Hours in Reykjavik...definitely somewhere I want to see. 

I just whipped out my favorite beanie for fall.

Vintage Trailers

Jared Leto (and 30 Seconds to Mars) cover Rihanna's "Stay" and it is awesome. 

Some fall scents have health benefits...Which is why I just bought this cinnamon candle for the office!

I want to try this soup recipe.

One of Teresa's favorites, Idris Elba

Menswear is in, even for Disney Princesses

Failure to Launch

Yesterday, I had what  I like to call a "Failure to Launch" day. Yes, the title I've given to difficult days  was inspired by a Sarah Jessica Parker/Matthew McConaughey movie. 

My issue is not a failure to launch into life in general,  but every once in awhile I seem to fail at getting out of bed. 

My day started at noon yesterday, when I finally made it out of bed after a couple of hours of pursuing blogs in an effort to avoid my email inbox, a long to do list and a very messy house. All the while feeling a bit guilty that all these other people with blogs seemed to make it out of bed at reasonable hours and  not only clean their houses and go to jobs but also do craft projects and organize their closets. 

And then there is me, my entire house is in different stages of needing to be cleaned and organized:

-I have no clean underwear. 

-There is a broom in my living room, leaning on the wall next to the dust I swept into a pile TWO DAYS AGO. Somehow I never made it back with a dustpan. 

My new goal in life, to let myself have those mornings without feeling guilty about it because sometimes, I just need a few hours of guiltless nothing and then I'm energized to tackle life. 

I keep saying, "we have a lot going on right now" or "when things slow down I'll..." At this point, the next few months are only going to get crazier.  I guess, I'm realizing that life isn't going to slow down anytime soon and I need to evolve to accommodate that. 

The 4th Trimester

I'm excited to say that today a post of mine is being featured on one of our favorites blogs, Lovely Little Things. Michelle just had a baby girl two weeks ago and asked me to write a little something while she is resting with baby Riley. I decided to write her a little letter from one new mom to another about the "4th Trimester." Have you heard this term? I hadn't until I was pregnant with Mylo. Basically it is meant to convey that the first three months of a newborns life are in some ways an extension of the pregnancy itself. The baby is still getting used to be in the world and mom is healing from labor and delivery.

I stumbled up on this amazing website called the "4th Trimester Bodies Project" that seeks to embrace the beauty of the changes in the female body from pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding through photography.

Wedding Traditions

The tradition of "something old" is meant to represent continuity, a connection to family and a way to honor the past. 

In all the weddings I've shot, I'd easily say that jewelry is the most common "something old". A necklace, ring or bracelet that's been passed down, perhaps something that's been worn in another wedding. I wore my nana's ring which my mom wears regularly, so I felt like it was something belonging to both of them.

Sometimes, to incorporate special things it takes a little more creativity. After all, some heirlooms, no matter how meaningful, might not work with your dress. Try to include it in more creative ways. You can pin that heirloom broach on your bouquet or wrap your grandmother's embroidered hanky around it. Even consider pinning something on your garter.

Here are a few more unique options...

In the top photo, Evangeline is wearing her grandmother's veil, her sisters had also worn it in their weddings. Next, Kari's "something old" was the 100 year old parasol that had belonged to her great grandmother. Below, Anna's holding a clutch made from pieces of her mom's wedding dress.

 What's your "something old"?

Next week, "Something New"...

PS. My nana & grandpa's wedding photos... 

Fall Favorites: Oscar Season!

Although it's sad to see summer come to an end, Jenny and I are trying to see the bright side of the fall season that is upon us. One thing I love about September - January is that most of the Oscar nominated films are released into theaters. It sounds like the film getting the most buzz so far is 12 Years a Slave staring a talented cast of newcomers alongside seasoned vets like Brad Pitt. The preview looks great, check it out.

What are you looking forward to about fall? We'll be continuing this series for the next couple of months.

My Spot

This post on blog ideas inspired me to share with you all where I usually blog from...

Even though coffee shops are a frequent blogging spot and sometimes it's 3 am from an studio, while others around me are feverishly working on projects, and  then other times I'm in a hotel room on the other side of the world, when I'm home, my favorite place to blog is from my chaise lounge in the living room. Its perfect, complete with tea and cats. This time of year I love that I can look out and see the ripening Asian pears on the trees in our yard. 

In-between now and the next few adventures, Jason and I (hopefully) will have a quiet couple of weeks, catching up on work, maybe getting to have dinner with a friend or two and cleaning up from the tornado of crazy-business that has attacked our house multiple times over. I'm looking forward to getting to sit in my spot and breathe. 

Monday Motivation

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Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? I'm getting over a nasty cold by soaking up the last couple days of summer in Seattle. We will miss you sunshine.

Hope you have a great weekend, here are a few links to get us started:

Your favorite 90's cartoons all dressed up for fashion week.

If you haven't seen it yet, adorable video of man waking up from surgery to his wife.

Awesome map of scenic fall drives.

Interview with Zach Morris in 2013.

With the weather turning cold next week I might have to cook this yummy casserole or these whiskey cinnamon rolls.

Did you see Will and Kate all dressed up at their first post-baby outing?

This new e-reading app looks awesome - have you tried it?

Tips for DIY wedding flowers.

Six gift ideas for a new mom - Congrats Michelle!

This list of top Washington wines makes me want to take a trip to Walla Walla.

Interview with the real Piper from Orange Is The New Black.

School of Rock 10 year reunion, the kids are so grown up!

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September Resolutions

To me September always feels like the start of a new year. After more than a decade of "back to school" the falls feels like the close of one season and the beginning of a new year ahead. Like many people, I'm thinking about how to get healthy this autumn (with the added incentive of moving toward getting my body back after pregnancy). My biggest pitfall, which is pretty obvious if you read this blog, is sweets. I don't drink caffeine so sugar is my way of boosting energy throughout the day. It's an addiction for me that usually takes a few days to get through feeling very tired and irritated when I go off of it. I'm going to use these 8 tips as I detox this month.

My other fall goals are to keep up my baby journal for Myles, take a lot of photos, start jogging again, and be gentle with myself as a new mom going back to work in October.

Do you have any goals for the fall?

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City Escape: Camping in the Washington Cascades

While hiking is something I'd like to do, right now I'm having to live vicariously through the wilderness adventures of friends. My good friend Claire, and her husband Justin (remember their New Year's Eve wedding?) give us a peek at their hike in The Enchantments in Claire's words...

All the hype around The Enchantments may seem a little excessive and overstated when there are countless beautiful areas in Washington – but believe it, this place is top notch.

The Enchantments is an area outside of Leavenworth, WA within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The area is comprised of five camping zones that are part of an 18-mile loop that enters through the Snow Zone and exits through the Stuart Zone, or vice versa. All of the zones require overnight permits, which are strictly enforced by rangers. Hikers are free to pass through on a day hike without a permit, but don’t try to pull a fast one with your tent because you will either be asked to leave or you will be banned from the area for five years by a ranger monitoring the area. With that said, getting a permit is a feat in itself. The Enchantments is easily the most sought after hike in Washington and getting a permit may take years of agonizing attempts. I had been trying to snag a permit for five years. Check out these links for more information on permits and getting to the trailhead: here and here.

We headed for the Enchantments with another couple on a 5 day overnight permit for the Snow Lake Zone. We left Seattle around 8am but somehow didn’t get on the trail until 130pm. We had to make a stop at the pharmacy to get Advil, drive around the shops at Leavenworth, get slushies, etc. Although the ice cold beverages were worth it, we strapped on our packs under a 102 degree sun in the parking lot. Ouch! I would recommend starting around 7 or 8am before the heat strikes if you attempt this hike in the summer.

We walked along a flat trail for about 100m from the parking lot and then we started going up –and up. In fact, we walked uphill for hours on a hefty incline along an exposed mountainside. I won’t get technical with numbers but most will say this is the most challenging hike in Washington and around 3pm we witnessed a few hikers heading back because they knew they wouldn’t make it to the first camp. Just know, this hike is not for the faint of heart and requires a few steep areas of climbing a rebar ladder on an edge without being roped in, which might be a little nerve-racking on tired legs with a backpack. This guy had the courage to take out his camera while on the rebar and take a picture of his standing (?!) friend.

After the climb to camp you reach alpine paradise, complete with a glass lake. We camped next to Upper Snow Lake for all five nights but were only two miles from the Core Zone which was perfect for day hikes. When the sun rose I would slip on my running shoes and go for a short trail run to wake up. When I returned to camp we would all sit next to the lake and sip coffee and enjoy a freeze dried breakfast scramble. Then we would spend the day hiking in the Core Zone. The Core Zone lakes are a collection of flawless blue pools that rest under staggering granite formations. The area is simply unbelievable. Being there in late July was ideal because we took intermittent dips in the lakes. I have heard that hiking in late September is also ideal because the change in colors of the Lark trees creates breathtaking scenery. Either way – you can’t go wrong!

After camping for five serene days we were all enchanted by the experience (sorry, horrible pun). Our outdoor high was stifled soon after on our way down when we all nearly crawled through the parking lot to the car on another 100 degree plus day. We were certainly spent, but the experience was well worth it. If you’re up for the challenge it is an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend putting it on a life list for hiking adventures outside of Seattle!

Smiley Baby

I feel like I've been emerging from a fog these past couple of weeks. Patrick and I had a wonderful Labor Day weekend in Eastern Washington in Cle Elum and Leavenworth. It was refreshing to get out of our house and feel like "normal people" who could eat out and travel a bit.

As you can see above, our little Myles really has the whole smiling thing down these days.  For both Patrick and I this has been one of the most exciting parts of his life so far. While we were both in love the moment he came into the world, for us it has taken time to feel really connected and bonded with him. I think we were both a bit (naively) surprised by how all-consuming having a newborn in our life would be and I can't even describe how gratifying it is to finally have him recognize us and smile up from his changing table like "I like you! Thank you for taking care of me!"

I can't believe he'll be 8 weeks old this weekend, time flies!

My New Favorite Dress Designer

This started out to be a post on my favorite dresses of the summer. I've seen LOTS of gorgeous dresses, but there were three that really stood out to me. They were all similar in that they weren't strapless- a trend I've been seeing more of and really like, so I thought I'd do a post on not-strapless dresses. I emailed the three brides asking for details on their dresses and surprise surprise, all three were Claire Pettibone dresses. Tada! Just like that, I've discovered my new favorite wedding dress designer. 

Here's Jen wearing The Sky Between Branches...which really is the perfect name for this dress and it's super distinctive lace with matte sequin detailing.

Lauren wearing Brigitte...I love the timeless feel of this one, it's classic yet unique. Lauren also told me it was super comfortable to wear, which is definitely not the case with most wedding dresses. 

Katie wearing Eloquence... It's part of the designer's Windsor Rose China collection, inspired by her grandma's 1920's dress. The scalloped lace is amazing, vintage and just the right amount of sexy.



PS. If you're in Seattle, The Dress Theory carries Claire Pettibone. Be sure to check out her beautiful lingerie too! 

Top & Bottom Images Zoe Rain.. Middle Studio JKoe. 

Lisa Frank Is Real

Did you collect Lisa Frank stuff as a kid? My sister and I didn't have tons of it but growing up in the 80's and 90's we definitely accumulated the stickers, folders, binders, etc. The above is a fascinating video that Urban Outfitters put together interviewing a shadowed Lisa Frank, who does not want anyone to know her identity. At one point she calls herself a lunatic and there is a tour of her factory's underground vault that stores one of each and every product they've ever made. Also, for added entertainment, they include a clip of Mila Kunis wearing an awesome hat in an early 90's Lisa Frank ad.

Jason Wu for Lancôme

If you're in Seattle and want to spruce up your look for fall, come join me at Nordstrom downtown this Thursday to get your makeup done, learn new tips and tricks with the new Jason Wu for Lancôme color palate and have cocktails with Jason Wu himself. 

As much as I love being creative, makeup is not an area where I do that. I ALWAYS go for safe. So I'll take any chance I can get for a makeup artist to give me inspiration and tips on  something different to do. Especially as my tan fades, it's time for some new makeup and some color for fall! 

Wanna come? Space is limited, here's more info. 

To guarantee a spot, call the  Lancôme counter at (206) 628-1064. 

Monday Motivation

Friday Roundup

It's been a busy week, and it looks like we have a busier weekend ahead. Jason's in the final stages of post production on two different music videos, which means that he's managed to sleep in our bed, at nighttime, a grand total of once this past week. Looking forward for those to be done so I can share  them with you all and so I can get my husband back!


Also looking forward to spending time with a long lost friend, a former roommate turned Texan, who's back in town for the weekend. She gets to hang out with Teresa and I today and meet Mylo. Yay!

And now, fun things...

Crazy dancers + amazing photos= The best thing I've seen on the web all week.

Clothes your grandma wore vs. what we wear now

TV show themed parties

Alicia Silverstone was too pretty to play Angela Chase? (Basically this news story, which is on every website, is just a slap in the face to Claire Danes. Ouch. Come on people. Claire Danes is gorgeous!)

Beauty secrets from around the world

Dear Panatone, Thanks for picking a color for Spring 2014 that looks great on me! Love Jenny

There is a flower print dress in Zara's fall collection that I'm fairly certain was stolen out of my mom's circa 1989 closet. I'd totally wear it though!

Ed Sheeran does Nina Simone and it is awesome. 

Printable boxes for little treats

I just discovered that the character of Sylvia Rosen on Mad Men is played by Linda Cardellini! What? I feel like she's definitely deserving of that Emmy nod.

Happy Birthday Jane Addams

Plum Oat Upside Down Cake...perfect for almost fall.

Bettery

Yes, I realized it's odd to be obsessed with a reusable battery, but these are great and can't help but telling people. Friends in Seattle & Portland: consider this a public service announcement to better your life.

I just discovered Bettery a few weeks ago in a Redbox-like vending machine at my local Whole Foods. As photographers, we go through TONS of AA batteries for our flashes, and I'd yet to find a reusable one that packed enough kick. These last longer than regular batteries in our flashes AND I no longer have to feel like a guilty mother nature killer each time I drop batteries in the trash. 

Basically, you get them from the machine, use them and return them when they are dead. No remembering to charge things, yay!

Seriously, I could go on and on, but for all my photographer friends out there, and anyone else who uses a lot of batteries, you should give these a whirl. They're about the same cost as disposable ones. 

PS. I feel like I should mention that I really am just a huge fan of these, this is totally my own opinion and I wasn't compensated in any way for this post. I just really like these batteries. A lot. 

Brooklyn Bridge Engagement Preview

While in New York last week, Jason and I got to do an engagement shoot with my former college roommate, Rachael and her fiancé Blaise. I'll definitely be sharing more when I get a chance, because I love how they turned out! 

Stone iPhone Docks

My friend Bo carves these beautiful iPhone docks out of rocks he finds in the mountains and beaches around Western Washington.  I love how each one is unique. Check out  his shop, Valencia Sculptures on Etsy. 

This one below still has barnacles on the back. Definitely a great way to make phone charging into a piece of art and a perfect gift for anyone with an iPhone. 

"Natural Makeup"

I stumbled on the above graphic and it made me chuckle (and cringe a bit).  This is so true! I rarely leave the house without at least mascara and under eye concealer on which looks like "no makeup" but makes me feel more alive.  What about you?