photo relics

So much has changed in the editorial photo industry recently. On a photo shoot for a story, one of the things I miss the most is seeing the polaroid of the shot in progress. I even miss waiting for the polaroid to develop, tucked under the photo assistant's arm. During those few minutes of waiting, great conversations happened. Today, with digital photography, the shot appears on the computer screen, instantly. And though many will argue with me, I feel that digital photography is missing a little bit of soul.

I love the slow 4x5 camera process, from the adjusting of bellows to loading the film to pressing the shutter release. After so much hands-on adjusting, one could feel a connection between the camera and the photographer. That humanness came through on the final film. At the end of the shoot, it was wonderful to have a set of large format polaroids, my personal collection of photo moments. Each one, like a souvenir, brings back the people, the conversations, and the feeling of that day. Here is my collection.



photography by: Anna Williams, Lisa Hubbard, Kate Sears,
Gentl and Hyers, Rick Lew, Sang An
styling by: Dawn Sinkowski, Allison Liebman, Ayesha Patel

cup of joe

If in New York City you are trying to find an alternative to Starbucks, I highly recommend Joe, where they consider coffee an art form (and a responsibility). Even decaf, my bean of choice, is delicious.

If you would like to improve your own coffee technique, Joe offers classes on subjects like Espresso Fundamentals and Milk Steaming. Locations at Waverly Place, E. 13th Street, W. 23rd, and Grand Central Terminal.

PLUS Joe has a compost and recycling program at all the locations. Every bit of coffee and organic material is composted and all of the containers are recycled. Bring your own to-go mug and get 10 cents off every drink!

a breakfast gem

This morning I met Leslie for breakfast at Gemma, the restaurant at the Bowery Hotel in New York City. Gemma is surprisingly styled with mismatched antique velvet chairs, copper pots and pans, Renaissance oil paintings, Baroque light fixtures, and huge brass candelabras. It is a trip in time to duck into this cozy interior. Worn wood tables are set with inviting linen napkins and vintage mugs. The city was gray with winter rain, but we were warmly tucked away enjoying eggs and cornmeal pancakes in a Parisian-inspired setting. Excellent service combined with good coffee and tea, and we were two very happy ladies. What a treat.

thé adoré

On my recent visit to New York City, I met a dear friend, Adriana, at a lovely little café, Thé Adoré, on the north side of 13th St, between University Avenue and 5th Avenue. It is Japanese, with French pastries. I cannot think of a better cultural combination. This serene spot is a tiny oasis in a neighborhood teaming with New School and Parsons students. The leak-potato soup and a mixed greens salad I had for lunch were just right. On our way out, Adriana and I drooled over the sweets dispalyed in an antique glass case. It's a wonderful spot to duck into after a day of shopping at the farmer's market which takes over Union Square on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

artist in her home: no. 2

Petz Scholtus, an industrial designer, recently bought an apartment in the historic part of Barcelona. Not only did she get her mortgage from a green, or ethical, bank, she also paid close attention to how her move and her new home impact the environment. Petz hired a local bicycle mover to transport her belongings, which did not include furniture at the time of the move. For the renovation, she wanted to find products that were made close to home, were produced without a huge environmental impact, and which could be dismantled after her tenancy (following the cradle-to-cradle recycling model) and did not use too much energy. After a few initial bumps, she created an eco-friendly, creative, and cozy home. Read the full article from The New York Times here. I am a big fan of her Bidon Lamp, an open source design that anyone can make at home. Here are directions on how to do it.

snowy retreat

Ten minutes drive from my house, Lincoln Woods, in Lincoln, RI, is a welcome snowy retreat. My walk around the frozen lake reminds me of long Russian winters from my childhood, when afternoons were spent ice skating until I could no longer feel my toes. The air is crisp, tinted with pine which solemnly guard the edge of the lake. Some days, when the ice is very strong, groups huddle around openings, ice fishing. There is no better place to contemplate the serenity and majesty of winter.

taizo kuroda

photographs courtesy of Taizo Kuroda

"Taizo Kuroda's white porcelain is always a masterpiece of balance. Retaining the freshness of the spur of a moment for all time, it has all the fragile beauty and wondrous vitality of a living thing just born"
~ Nobuhiro Yamaguchi, from Taizo Style

the nuance of touch

photographs courtesy of Marie Hermann

"Often we think we know how an object feels by letting our eyes examine it. Does it look firm, squashy, rough, etc. We have a fixed database that tells us how things should feel so most of the time we 'touch' through our visual senses. But the tactile sense is as refined as every other sense. There are a million different ways an object can be rough or soft, as there are differences in the tastes of apples or visual difference within the color blue."
~ from the artist statement of Marie Hermann

christine rudolph

Always in search of beautiful imagery that will spark an idea, I came across the work of Christine Rudolph, a stylist. Christines's work is almost Victorian in its texture, mixing old and new with subtle monochromatic colors. She brings a touch of magic and transports you to a place in between time, where only dreams have any substance.

processing and looking

photography by David Meredith

I've had ceramist's block lately. It's been difficult to get myself to the studio, and impossible to bring myself to make something. I read in my horoscope once that my life will alternate periods of intense activity with long periods of rest, and processing. I believe I am in my processing time, during which I have been just looking. Above are images by David Meredith, a New York-based photographer. The ceramics used by the stylist make me want to get my hands dirty, to make something beautiful. I want to start throwing on the wheel again, to get back to making shapes like these.

artist in her home: no. 1

I am always inspired by the homes of artists. To be in an artist's home is to get a rare glimpse into their rich inner world. I saw this story on Nina Sapiejewska, a concert pianist, in The New York Times, and it gave me an idea to feature artists I know for future postings in my "artist in her home" series. Perhaps I will start with my own home...

c is for cupcake

Click on the above periodic table to access a whimsical assortment of cupcake recipes. What better way to celebrate the last day of February?

french guiana

For the next month I will be traveling in French Guiana, a tiny country with the population of 200,000. French Guiana is an overseas department of France, located on the northern coast of South America. It is part of the European Union, and the currency is the Euro. The climate is 80 degrees consistently throughout the year, with the rainy season raising the humidity to 100% during 6-9 months out of the year.

The country is mostly an impassable rain forest, and that is exactly where I will be spending most of my time. More specifically, I will be helping Alec disassemble a walking bridge suspended between two trees at one of the CNRS science stations. Here is a link describing this organization and the two stations I will be visiting, Inselberg and Pararé. Inselberg is armed with a satellite internet connection, and I will try to send updates from there.

Alec has been at the stations since October, and I am pretty fortunate to join him there. Only scientist are allowed. Click here for an entry from Alec's blog describing some of the environment. Being an Earth Monkey under the Chinese Zodiac, this is the perfect place for me.

chartreuse, not just a color

For my B-day, my friend Lauren gave me a gorgeous bottle of Green Chartreuse. The bottle is stamped and sealed with wax, very Medieval. We discovered this liqueur together while hanging at the bar of Thee Fez, one of the few places in Providence that carries this extraordinary drink. Green Chartreuse, 110 proof or 55% alcohol, is a naturally green liqueur which is flavored with extracts from 130 herbal plants. Its color comes from chlorophyll. It is named after the Grande Chartreuse monastery in France, where it was formerly produced by monks. It is now produced, under the supervision of those same monks, in a factory in the nearby town of Voiron. You can read up on its full history, which is quite fascinating, on Wikipedia.

If you Google "what does Chartreuse taste like?" one answer you will get is, "Nyquil". And that is because it was originally developed as medicine. A medicine for long life. As I sip some of it now, and trust me, you only need a sip of it, its herbal essence radiates its way through my body. I feel warmer already, which is helpful since its 12 degrees outside. The green glowy color is truely stunning. For freezing winter days, it's a cozy companion.

Here is the official website, you must be of legal drinking age to enter it.