on being seen.

I'm going through vacation photos and editing not really editing, mostly just deleting. sometimes I get a little freaky going through photos. especially when [as is the case with these vacation photos] I have not been shooting very often recently. and though part of photography is knowing which pictures not to keep, it can be rough trashing 80% of what you jut loaded. sure, they're only vacation snapshots, but how easy it is to slip back into self-criticism and doubt. delete, delete, delete. that's not very interesting. no one wants to see these. delete, delete, delete. should I even bother to post these to facebook? delete, delete, delete. I wish someone would have told me my hair was messed up. delete, delete, delete.

but then I stumble across the above.

not so much that this is some genius work of art. but Husband, he sees me. the potential that's waiting there under the surface, just waiting for me to figure myself out enough to let it thrive. he sees me, better than I see myself.

and though I might not see what he sees, I know that he sees it. this incredible, extraordinary person that I only catch glimpses of. and when you see someone seeing you like that, it's damn hard not to try and be that person they know you are.

maybe that doesn't make any sense. at the very least you can agree that when you're going through and see a shot that Husband so very obviously took, you'll burst out laughing:

more vacation shots and awkward photos of me in my mint green pants to come.

vacation, briefly.

 

historic (and photogenic) downtown Wilmington. salt water taffy. flowers in bloom. sunshine peeking through palm trees. morning coffee in bottomless mugs. and the ocean, even if it's cloudy...

things to love

just a few things to love about this week...

1. we finally went to see the Hunger Games. I was a little put off when I finished reading the series [I didn't really like the last book] but the movie was great! they did a good job of portraying all the violence without it being too bloody. the parts they cut or changed didn't hurt the storyline. I also enjoyed having an outside perspective, instead of just Katniss' point of view.

2. wearing my mint jeans. I paired them with my chambray shirt + a skinny belt. and it made me feel like I had just stepped out of a JCrew catalog. [minus the effortlessly tousled hair... mine refuses to cooperate and just looks overworked. we can't all be perfect.]

3. new iPhone apps for editing photos. Katie always texts me when she finds something cool, and I've been loving CameraBag ever since I loaded it. they have a ton of filters and that's where all my recent polaroid-esque photos are from. I also discovered Phonto and SketchBook from this blog post. [I've recently been obsessed with this blog, if you can't tell from my pinterest boards.] Phonto is an easy to use app for adding text, and they have a TON of fonts and you can customize your colors. I used it in the first photo of my mint pants. Sketchbook is a little more complicated, but it lets you draw on photos! you have to go into layers and import a photo, then you use your finger to doodle. it takes some practice on the iPhone, but I bet it would be awesome with the iPad.

4. making steps to launching the Taiwan blog. I've been playing around with headers and finally settled on this one. I still haven't officially decided when to start blogging... does 4 months before we actually move sound ridiculous? maybe I'll wait until I'm unemployed. that would be 2.5 months before. part of me says I should stop debating and just start it already. but part of me is scared that people will get bored with me posting about home and whatnot and stop reading before I even get to Taiwan. that's something I've thought about a lot. I know I should focus on just writing. the main point of this blog is to keep people updated and to record what's happening in our lives, but I'm overly ambitious. I shouldn't be concerned with growing a large readership, but I'm vain enough to want one. I think my success with the baking blog spoiled me. since I'm giving up my food blogger niche along with my oven, I've been considering what else is out there. "lifestyle" seems to be the genre I'm falling into [which is basically what I do here, unless "iPhone nail photos, irrelevant rambles, and lengthy lists" is a genre] I suppose one way to look at it is: I'm a complicated person, with varied interests and hobbies. why should my blog be limited to one thing? and that is exactly why I've always felt weird having both this and the baking blog. I'm one person, not two. time to merge!

 5. and finally, I'm only a few hours away from officially being on vacation. Husband and I are heading down to NC to meet up with my parents and sister and brother-in-law. hopefully I'll be getting in lots of relaxing + beach time. after this I'll be swamped through my last month of work, and then packing + moving will take over my life. I also decided I'm going to reactivate facebook. [this decision was met by several cheers] hopefully I can keep the obsession to a minimum, and since I cleaned out a lot of "friends" before I left the annoyance can be [mostly] avoided. so yes, reactivating. after vacation.

anthropologists anonymous

I have a problem. [admitting it is the first step right?]

I'm obsessed with Anthropologie. it started a while ago, but took off last year when I realized there was a store close enough to stop by on my lunch break. since then my closet has been accumulating Anthro. it's where I picked up my red pants, a blazer or two, and this killer dress. I try to buy "investment pieces" that are more classic than trendy so they'll last me a while, and watch for sales because it can get pricey. but usually the quality of the piece makes it worth it.

since I just finished a 2-day purge of my wardrobe [nothing from Anthro in the donation pile, sorry Princeton thrifters] I thought it would be fun to share 3 of my recent purchases, which I plan to wear on my upcoming vacation to North Carolina. if you follow me on Pinterest these probably look familiar. [my "dream closet" board has turned into more of a shopping list  / styling inspiration board. more on that later.]

first: this incredibly comfortable and versatile dress. I have another Puella maxi [navy + white stripes] I bought last spring which I absolutely adore. at first I didn't think the maxi trend would work for me but that dress changed my mind. the fabric has held up well, so I knew this basic black number would be a great investment piece. I'm picturing it with a jean jacket + scarf for travel, gold belt + chunky turquoise necklace for sightseeing or dinner. I'm definitely going to be wearing this one all summer.

I also picked up these bubblegum pink shorts. they are super soft and such a flattering length. I've been in a weird limbo with shorts since I graduated college... I'm old enough to realize short-shorts are not appropriate, but bermuda shorts make me look 4 feet tall. these are the perfect in-between. long enough to be appropriate- no cheeks showing- but not momish. [sorry to the moms out there but you know what I mean] I have a feeling these are going to be the summer equivalent to my red pants. stripes, solids, chambray... anything goes. they also have these in regular blue jean which I think I need to invest in as well. right?

and finally, since it is a beach vacation, this newsprint bikini. I fell in love the moment I saw it. a little bit of a splurge for swimwear but once I put it on I knew it was worth every penny. black and white is classic, the pattern makes it fun but not so trendy it will be out of style next year, and the yellow trim pop of color is just... perfect.

vacation is in 3 weeks so until then I'll be dreaming up outfits and keeping my fingers crossed for lots of sun. and trying to keep myself from any more shopping.

Boston bits.

more from Colorado

mind-bending and clock-melting

while we were in Tampa for the bowl game, we also took a trip to the Salvador Dalí museum in St. Petersburg. I didn't know much about Dalí other than he was Spanish and the guy responsible for the melting clock painting. I love museums. when I lived in New York, my favorite place to hang out was the Met (ok, second to Central Park). I've never been to a museum that was solely the works of one artist. it was interesting to see the progression through the years and to be able to totally immerse yourself in the mind of the man.

I highly recommend the guided tours that are offered. we started with the architectural tour which went all around the incredible building they built specifically for the museum. I won't spoil it- but they really put a lot of thought into designing this place. The docent tour through the gallery was also great. we stopped at most of the major works, some of the minor, and the docent gave us explanations and interpretations direct from Dalí's own notes. I would have enjoyed looking on my own, but I never would have picked up on all the little nuances and hidden meanings he pointed out.

I also have to say I really enjoyed the lunch we ate in the museum cafe. they served authentic Spanish fare instead of your typical overpriced American museum food. the tortilla española and ensalada jamón were to die for. it's been a while since my trip to Spain, but I could have been eating that lunch in Valencía overlooking the Mediterranean. I would go back for the food alone.

another unique touch I really enjoyed was the wish tree. at the end of the tour thy encourage you to write a wish on your wristband and tie it to the strings hanging from this tree. every few months when the tree is full, they take the wishes down and post them online.

visiting the Dalí museum wasn't how I planned to spend my New Year's day, but it turned out to be a mind-bending and spiritually cleansing experience.

bowled over

I was lucky enough to take a trip to the Outback Bowl this year. the stars aligned that we played in the stadium my Uncle works at, and so we were able to tour the press box and watch the Spartans warm up from the field. I saw Dantonio sit in the bleachers and call his wife. I watched Cousins warm up for the last game of his college career. and I was nearly tackled by Worthy. 

 the game didn't start off so well, but we roared back at half time and eventually claimed victory in a thrilling triple overtime finish. the sunny Florida weather turned a chilly 45 as the shade crept over our side of the stands, but not a single Spartan left their seats. we all stayed and watched the players flood the field, and cheered each one of them on as they walked off in glory.

damn, I love being a Spartan.

Colorado: from mountain to moss

friday five, holiday vacation edition

1. finally getting a chance to shoot some holiday bokeh this year

 2. waking up every morning of vacation to a fresh pot of coffee, not made by me

 3. being a kid again: Twister, leaving cookies and milk for Santa, Legos and more

 4. Larry the dinosaur, who came in a box full of photo gear goodies from Husband

5. having a chance to play with aforementioned photo gear goodies, in a house full of natural light and photogenic cats, dogs, boys, and toys

week 29: in the mountains

Colorado. a morning fresh and full of possibility.

hiking solo through the most gorgeous wildflower-covered mountains. 

Nikes on my feet and blue skies overhead.

rocks and stumps and branches and signs made makeshift tripods.

I slowly wandered down a trail unknown, breathing it all in.

stopping to see. stopping to be thankful. stopping to worship.

I discovered a stream, ice cold from melted snow.

so I plunged in my feet until they went numb.

I sat and pondered the great mysteries of the universe.

then I let the sun dry my feet, put my shoes back on and left.