Apr 30, 2012

At the bryant park hotel

I've been so drawn to interiors lately. Saturday's wedding had a little pitstop at the Bryant Park Hotel, and the room was beautiful. I would've loved to just move right in...

Apr 27, 2012

Domesticity

As I look forward to an upcoming (work) trip to the tropics, I couldn't help but revisit a few photos from my January 2010 trip to China. At the time I was shooting with my Canon Rebel XTi and sadly, everything was in JPEGs, which really limits how much I can process them now. I may not have the best photos from the time, but these are definitely a few of my favorites, taken in a few relatives' kitchens. With these, I always can't help but think "Damn, if I had known then what I know about photography now...".


That door and that steam - I only dream of what it could have looked like through the eyes of my Contax.

In other news, yesterday I had the great privilege of doing some filming with The Daily for a video interview/feature on me + Instagram. I can't wait to share the final product. For now, check out some behind the scenes (here, here and here).

Between now and my trip (more on that to come!) next Sunday, I've got two weddings (second shooting, thank goodness) and three other shoots, and all the editing associated with them. Crazy times, but I've got to kick my ass into gear!

Apr 25, 2012

Folds upon folds

Can't stop admiring the folds of this peony.


Also, where did April go? I can't believe we're almost into May. Just insane. I need a "slow down" button.

Apr 24, 2012

Ombre smoothie

It was about time I took the plastic off my new-ish immersion blender and made sure it could get the job done. Whipped up a quick smoothie with things in my fridge and unintentionally ended up with a little ombré effect in the cup before mixing. And hooray, the stick works! Would definitely benefit from a little ginger (à la this recipe).


The geeky stuff - all shot with the +4 close-up filter in my filter pack. That thing lets you get real close.

Apr 23, 2012

Maison Premiere

Another beautiful space that tickles my fancy...

And a few of their new cocktails in this post.
P.S. Have you seen me and J over on Amanda's lovely blog? :)

Apr 19, 2012

Sara + Mike

Wohoo, I am finally getting around to sharing some images from Sara + Mike's wedding back in March. This is all film (mix of Portra 400, Portra 160 and Ilford 3200) except for five images. Enjoy!


After the ceremony, we headed to Clark's Landing in Point Pleasant Beach.

Apr 17, 2012

Blossoms

Last April, I went to the cherry blossom festival in DC (see here and here, oh and here). While I didn't get a chance to go out there this year, I get to admire a few branches at my desk. The florist insisted J take these for free (maybe she felt bad about the $12 a stem peonies :P) - can't complain about that.


Remember how I've been a bit overwhelmed with work and editing? Yeah, it's still going on. I think it's becoming the new norm and I'm still adjusting/running to catch up. I haven't been able to visit a number of your lovely blogs but I really appreciate your comments. xx

Apr 15, 2012

Weekend brunch

As a foodie, I'm supposed to hate the concept of brunch and the inanity of "brunch food." Yet every weekend, I find myself at a new or tried and true brunch spot. I suppose it's hard to avoid in this city. Even normally great and exciting restaurants churn out brunch menus, because that's just the thing to do on weekends. (And let's face it - I'm never up early enough on the weekends to consume breakfast and lunch separately.) Some places do a great job of having at least some "lunchy" foods on the brunch menu (like Back Forty and Bowery Diner). And of course, dim sum is always an alternative!

I rounded up some iPhone photos of brunch in the past month or so (well, a breakfast from Buvette snuck in there). Some places I really enjoy didn't make the cut, as the natural light in those places is bust. They are worth checking out though - Saxon & Parole and Brindle Room.


1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

There you have it - I hope this will serve as a little informal brunch guide for any of you visiting NYC. Happy brunching!

Apr 11, 2012

The library at the NoMad hotel

The new NoMad Hotel is a hot topic these days. There are some beautiful dining and lounging spaces on the ground floor. Everything feels exquisitely decorated. While over there shooting cocktails for this post, I was particularly drawn to the library lounge. It is a terribly handsome place I could easily see myself cooped up in on a stormy day, coffee and pastry by my side, good book in hand. And then a few hours later, swap out the coffee for an aperitif...


The books just glow, don't they?

Apr 10, 2012

Central park

I thought I'd be over b/w now that it's spring (well not over but just less drawn to it), but I still can't help seeing NY in it. I snapped these quickly while taking a little detour in Central Park today. Well, I snuck in a little color there.

Apr 9, 2012

Self

Self-portraits are becoming increasingly difficult for me. I can totally understand why so many people say they hate being in front of the camera or that they hate most photos of themselves. We know our flaws too well and they jump out at us in pictures. I always try to experiment with different expressions but all of them feel off. When I try to appear demure or the like, I look like I'm about to bite someone's head off. Alas, the safe thing for me is always to look away from the camera.


My hair needs some serious taming.

Apr 8, 2012

French peonies

It's always a momentous time for me when I get my first peonies of the season. Just an hour or so ago, these peonies were tiny buds at the florist. They literally bloom in front of your eyes within minutes of leaving the florist's fridge. I am eagerly awaiting the height of peony season when cheaper varieties become available - at $12 a stem, these beauties are quite the unnecessary luxury.


Apr 6, 2012

Whew (again)

It's been real busy. I have neglected the blog a bit this week and I hate that. Here's one frame to carry through the weekend - some insanely beautiful ranunculus and mischievous Avedon looking for trouble...

Apr 4, 2012

On the high line, two views

Up 10th Ave...


And down on 23rd Street...

Apr 2, 2012

Perla

I had a grand old time shooting the new restaurant Perla for Serious Eats a little while back. Beautiful dishes and simple cozy, rustic decor. I would gladly revisit.


I loved the large windows in the restaurant, the chalkboard wall, and the 19th Century architectural drawing on the wall. (Excuse my nerdiness, but I also noticed the menu set in Buttermilk and Gotham - maybe an overused combination but one that always works!)

Apr 1, 2012

No kitchen required

Our wonderful friends at NY Bite Club invited us to an event where they partnered with BBC America to show us clips from the new show "No Kitchen Required." (See a previous post about Bite Club here.) It was a real treat. Besides the fantastic menu they whipped up, Joaquin from Death and Co. made cocktails to pair.


The chicken with rice was my favorite from the night. It pretty much just fell off the bone with barely any nudging. J's favorite was the huitlacoche quesadilla. Gotta love that corn smut.

Disclaimer: I received a free meal out of this. :) Thanks to BBC America and NY Bite Club for a great event!