(Un)welcome Summer

I can't say I'm the biggest fan of summer. And now that the summer solstice has passed, it's all downhill from here in terms of length of light per day. (Can you tell I'm such an optimist?) I could not care less about getting tan, or sitting at the beach, or drinking on some rooftop. In my dream world, I would be spending a big part of summer in Iceland enjoying the midnight sun and stunning landscapes. Anyway, no one wants to hear me complain about the humidity and overall feeling of grossness I now deal with day to day. So instead I'll talk about some products that are helping me deal.



I've been living in these cut-off shorts (which you may have seen in this post). I ended up ordering them in black too. Damn, now they are on mega sale. I paid way more than that, but have gotten lots of use out of them, so I don't feel so bad about it.

Remember when I went on and on about linen? I was pretty excited when Everlane came out with men's linen button-ups. I have no problem shopping the men's section, so I did! I was not the only one with the idea, because a few days later they released these same shirts in the women's section, styled on women. I ordered a Small, as I like things loose, especially in the summer. They seem to be sold out of most sizes for now – I guess everyone wants to live in linen for the summer.

The Goyard tote I picked up in Paris is getting a lot of wear this summer. I'm really trying with the color, you see? I also always bring a light scarf with me (this one's great), no matter how hot it is, because it's always a fridge indoors.



I've also been wanting to do a post on my S'well water bottle forever. It blows my mind how hot it keeps my hot drinks and how long it does it for. And it can keep ice-cold drinks cold for even longer. I have two 17 oz bottles and one little 9 oz guy for coffee. Having ice cold water for my walks in the heat really does make things better.

For Aesop fans and those who can't stand the smell of most sunscreens, this product is amazing. It's like rubbing peppermint oil on your body so it totally wakes you up too. And now that my hair is super short again, I'm trying to give it more of a messy look with this spray.



Instead of tanning and risking aging my skin, I'll stick to using bronzer, and who better to turn to than Tom Ford? And though I'm still using and loving my Fleur de Portofino (also by Tom Ford), I'm also enjoying this solid perfume from Catbird in "Ghost Rose". Notes of english rose, champagne and peony – you can't go wrong with that. The nice thing about a solid is you can't accidentally "over do" it like you can with a spray. And it's perfect for travel.

These sunglasses are many years old now, but I still love them all the same, despite (or maybe because of?) the Lolita vibes.

And finally, this mist spray is something I keep near my desk. I don't have AC in my office (yet), so this spray is the second best thing.

Well, happy second day of summer!

Recharge

Oh freelance life. I was totally crazed out of my mind in April and May, and then found myself with a mostly empty schedule in June. Of course, it's never truly empty and free. I had meetings, calls, discussed future projects, and tackled my inbox. It was a good time to recharge a bit, do some reading (currently reading this guilty pleasure, and this much more respectable read), etc. Thankfully I know things get a bit crazy again in July, so I suppose I should take advantage of this free time while I can (oh wait, I did – I finished Season 3 of Orange Is the New Black in 2 days, so there's that). I really wanted to churn out more blog content during this slower time, but of course it works out that the more time I have to blog, the less motivation or inspiration I have to do it. Sigh.



Other things: (above) From a meal I made earlier this week – wild king salmon with green sauce and other random things.

I got my hair drastically chopped again.

Some tips from me about taking photos with your smartphone for Real Simple's July issue. (Many of these are basic, but hopefully will still be useful to some.)

I'm traveling to Montreal next week and haven't been since I was like 11, so I'm pretty excited about it. Any recs, do leave in the comments!

Studio visit with Venamour

I had the pleasure of visiting and photographing designer Lisa Hedge's studio for the latest Kinfolk issue. When I first went to Lisa's portfolio site, my eyes basically popped out of my head and I immediately fell in love with everything she did, from the designs themselves to the way she photographed the finished product. I know from personal experience that shooting paper goods ain't easy. But her art direction is spot on. She and her business partner are launching Venamour, a wedding ephemera & stationery studio, very soon. Some of their amazing work (and outtakes from the shoot), below.

Paris Nouvelle Vague

Any assignment that brings me to Paris is a dream assignment. The beauty of that city never ceases to impress me, even after six visits now. I joke to friends that it seems impossible to find an "ugly" apartment there, because from what you see on the streets, everything is so damn beautiful! (No I'm not naive enough to actually believe this sentiment, but it's an exaggeration that gets my point across.) On this past trip, I had the honor of photographing the new Paris Nouvelle Vague collection by Cartier in the very city that inspired the collection. The three main sources of inspiration for the collection – a winding city stroll, the energy of a Parisian night, and indulging in a sweet delight – can really be felt in the craftsmanship and design of the pieces.

When I set out to interpret the three chapters, I wanted a mix of a more literal approach and one that felt more loose and open. Ultimately the goal of course was to highlight these exciting jewelry pieces against the backdrop of Paris. The first set of photos below is based off the inspiration of a city stroll. I wanted to set the tone with classic views of Paris.

The next set illustrates the charm of a Parisian night. There is something about that clock at the Museé D'Orsay that I've always found enchanting. There is a loose progression of a night here (the inclusion of rosé is a must, of course).

And finally, exquisite delights, the last chapter, is all about the temptation of Parisian sweets. You don't have to think twice about this one. Between fighting pigeons off my pastries (seriously I think the pigeons were more aggressive than NYC pigeons!) and having to resist eating everything before they got photographed, it was a damn fun time. I included flowers in this set, because to me, they're part of the exquisite delights of Paris.

As I mentioned briefly in this post, the more I come to this city, the more I want to go and spend more time. Though I still find NY inspiring, there's nothing quite like the walking and discovery in Paris. I keep thinking the novelty will wear off, but then I go again and find more things to love. I feel super fortunate for having clients who see the beauty and magic in this city and allowing me to go and capture it.

(Huge thanks to Liana for her hand-modeling and wielding my camera for the photos of me.)

Stripes and cut-offs

I found myself on Shelter Island yesterday for a quick editorial shoot. It was a beautiful day so I grabbed some casual snaps while on the island and its surrounding area. I don't get out east very much (I've literally been three times, and each was for a shoot of some sort), but it's a nice change of scenery once in a while. I couldn't be one of those people who summers out east though – I think I'd get antsy by day two.

On the way back to the city, I found a stand selling peonies and strawberries by the road. In my head, I made a dramatic slamming on breaks sound on the road and u-turned dangerously into the stand (though it of course didn't actually go down like that). But seriously, what could be better than a stand selling peonies and strawberries? AND strawberry ice cream? I could hardly contain myself.

(Outfit details below.)

J.Crew Hat (ideal for travel because super cheap and totally foldable and bendable!) // Tibi Sweater (also on sale here)// Nobody Denim Shorts // Common Projects Sneakers (20% off site-wide right now with code GET20)

Just a friday post

Just poking my head in here before another week goes by with no posts. I've recently come back from another Paris trip (though if you follow along on Instagram, I still appear to be in Paris ;)). These past few visits have made me seriously think about the possibility of living there more long term. I love the lifestyle there and want to properly learn the language. I find myself very comfortable there, but not in an unmotivated way (like LA makes me feel hah). In the meantime, I wouldn't say no to taking a few more weekend trips over there. Basically I just need an apartment there and keep my apartment here... sigh, wouldn't that be the dream.