ast night JD dreamt I shaved my head. He later recounted it was largely due to needing something to blog. Note to self: Don't talk to JD about needing stuff to blog about before bed. However, I should probably talk to him about foot rubs and new shoes before bed in hopes of his dreams becoming my reality. Now I'm off for a Friday Randomness post...
Easter is one of my favorite holidays. I hate the pressure of Christmas (I wonder if my sister will like the Pajama Jeans I bought her?), Thanksgiving (Okay, I'll make a side dish on the condition that your mother won't taste it!), or New Years (counting backwards just isn't fun). I love going to church early in the morning, spending the day with our families, and the excitement of opening an Easter basket. Oh, yes. I still get one.
I made dinner on Sunday. I was so proud of myself, acting all wifey and stuff. It was a dinner I dreamed of eating as a kid, so sitting at the table in front of grilled chicken (well, Quorn soy chicken for me), broccoli, corn, and mashed potatoes, I beamed with pride. No, really, JD made fun of me for smiling in between each bite.
JD and I are crossing the pond this summer. I don't know why it's called The Pond, but it kinda creeps me out. I fell into a pond when I was a kid and I was eye level with hundreds of ducks on a field trip. Ever since, me and ponds don't mix.
After watching creativeLIVE, a guy emailed JD and said he worried about my posture because I sat in the swivel chair in a "Z" formation, which wasn't good for my back. This led me to thinking about my posture and how much I don't like the letter "Z" since it feels like an underachieving letter. I have since been trying to sit like my favorite letters ("J" is a lot harder than I anticipated) and have settled for sitting like an "A". I, apparently, want to be the valedictorian of alphabet sitting.
Something I just read: Forever - is composed of Nows -- Emily Dickenson
Happy Good Friday!
Petite Ermitage Engagement : Nicole+Matt
04.21.11
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t was Memorial Day weekend and the weather was warm and the patio was calling her name. On a mission to set up her friend with the cutest boy at the party, Nicole scoped the scene for eligible bachelors. She was on the patio when she noticed Matt and decided he was The One. She walked up to him and they struck a perfect conversation, so by the end of the night when Nicole asked if he wanted her friend's phone number, he replied, No, I want yours.
The following Tuesday, Matt called his friends at Dolce and planned a date that would sweep Nicole off her feet. No more than a few minutes into their date, Nicole flagged the waiter and asked for a shot of Patron...all of it was too much. The nerves, the star treatment, a date with a guy she was into way too early. Luckily the tequila did them right and the night ended well enough for Nicole to plan their second date at Chateau Marmont a couple days later.
Seated at the best table on a perfect night in Los Angeles, Nicole knew she impressed Matt. If they had feathers, they would have displayed their colorful plumage as a way to stand out from the rest. And they did. Stand out from the rest, that is. Over the course of conversation, Nicole said she's a New Yorker to the bone, but cheers for the Red Sox...Matt (and his big Boston heart) melted and he knew Nicole was a more than perfect. She was The One.
Nicole and Matt are getting married in September and I'm thrilled to be a part of their wedding. We met at Petit Ermitage in West Hollywood for their engagement session and had a blast on the rooftop...
Rooftop engagement sessions always make me extraordinarily nervous because of the shadelessness of it all, but lucky for us the sky was overcast and the sun peeked through just a bit for some gorgeous light....
Oh, Nicole, you make me wanna squeeeeeze you and all your gorgeousness...
Nicole is in the fashion industry, so I was excited to see what she'd wear for her engagement session...and this green dress? Didn't disappoint. Her friend custom made this dress for her (after she saw it at a trunk show) before it hits the market. When it does, I'm buying myself one...or one hundred.
Nicole and Matt are usually the center of the party and live life to the fullest, so when they had the chance to sip on champagne on the Petit Ermitage rooftop, they popped the cork and toasted it up...
Bubbly and Bling...what every girl loves...
Rawr.
Augh...I love you guys!
To see more of Matt and Nicole's Petit Ermitage engagement session, CLICK HERE for a slideshow with music provided by Cars and Trains found at WithEtiquette...
So THIS is what it's like?
04.20.11
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didn't sleep well the night before and he said I should take a nap. I blinked a few slow blinks and hoisted myself from a desk and collapsed for a 30-minute disco nap. Yes, disco. JD and I were going out on town. Well, if you consider a book reading wild and reckless, it was definitely a big night out. My friend Gail informed me Tina Fey was in Los Angeles promoting Bossypants and getting interviewed by Steve Martin, two of my favorite authors/actors.
When JD woke me, I didn't feel like myself. I moved slowly and quietly, and grabbed an apple before settling in the car to do my makeup along the 5 freeway. He spoke longer, louder, and more animated than usual and the car was filled with his opinions about every NPR news story. I leaned over, softly grabbed his wrist, and asked, So THIS is how it feels to be married to me?
We arrived for dinner at Bottega Louie and ordered the most amazing meal. For those who doubted a Downtown culinary revival, this restaurant alone can act as Joan of Arc. Seriously. We ate in scattered silence, enjoying each others' company and reading our minds instead of using words. After our meal and libations, I leaned over, softly grabbed his wrist, and asked, So THIS is how it feels to be married to me?
In both instances, JD smiled a big smile--the kind that shows his bottom teeth--and said yes.
Tina Fey spoke at the Nokia Theater as part of LA Live Talks and she was phenomenal. Truly. I expected her to be "on" and proffer jokes and her usual quick wittedness, but she allowed herself to be interviewed by Steve Martin. She was humble, gracious, and self-deprecating, quickly dismissing her successes to bad haircuts as a kid or really pushing for a Kotex skit on SNL. And the thing I found most striking about Tina (we're clearly on a first-name basis) is her work ethic. Where other female stars can fade with age or growing waistlines (Tina's pregnant), she writes her own work...essentially creating her own career and predicting her success. She's my newest girl crush.
We waited in line for a book signing and though I wanted to say something AWESOME! and WITTY! and COOL! I managed to squeak out a thank you as she signed my book. Pictures weren't allowed, but I took one in my mind. In this photo, Tina's arms are wrapped around me and she's wearing a t-shirt with an arrow pointed at me that reads: ---> BEST FRIEND.
Duh.
Shooting Star : creativeLIVE follow up questions
04.19.11
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know it's about time for a Shooting Star or a FAQ post, but ever since the last creativeLIVE course, I feel like I've done run out of things to say. No, really, my brain can't even think of another question that could possibly be answered because I talked for 14 hours over two days about photography...DID WE MISS ANYTHING AT ALL?! Ummm, no, didn't think so either.
In light of this, here's the closing section to my last creativeLIVE course...and I answered a few questions that might act as a nice substitute for now! And, yes, I realize this is either completely lazy or completely brilliant. Let's just call it LAZILLIANT!!
*If I'm not shooting a First Look, how much time is scheduled for bridal party photos and does JD photograph the groomsmen?
*How can a photographer encourage a bride for a First Look?
*When does a photographer eat dinner at the wedding and is it placed in an official timeline?
*Is there anything about the industry I'd like to change?
*What do you do on days when you're not "on" and you have to deliver?
Oh, and, yes, I cried. I should probably warn those who haven't seen this clip. It was at the end of two very long days and I was overcome with emotion and grateful for the abundance of support. I'm still embarrassed to rewatch it, but--ehhh--I'll survive.
Happy Tuesday!
Laguna Beach Engagement : Christina+Chris
04.18.11
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hristina met Chris and was immediately struck by his handsomeness and charm. They chatted as friends since they both were in relationships and saw each other around school. High school, to be precise. It was fine to be his acquaintance, but when Chris befriended Christina's brother and her mother invited Chris to join them for family vacation, Christina was annoyed. She stayed at a comfortable distance and so it remained for a while. Vacation after vacation.
What Christina didn't know was Chris knew he was going to marry her. He had no doubt and it believed it was merely a matter of time before she realized it. Unbeknownst to Christina, her mother knew they were destined to be together as well...call it mother's intuition, but she felt it in her heart. The family continued vacationing, Chris tagging along with her brother, and Christina continued rolling her eyes. Then one day.
One day Christina felt something change. A distinct detour in the path she traveled. She loved Chris and after years of being the family tagalong, she wanted him to become part of the family. On a family vacation, her mother cleared out the living room of their vacation home so the two of them could be alone and Christina confessed her undying devotion. Three weeks later, Chris asked for her hand in marriage.
I'm incredibly excited to work with Christina and Chris at their Pelican Hill wedding this August and if their engagement session was any indication of how their day will feel, I know great things are in store. Born and raised in South Orange County, a Laguna Beach engagement session was just their style, so we spent the afternoon in Downtown finding crevices to shoot in, pockets of light, and displaying their love.
Christina suggested meeting in Laguna Beach for their engagement session, but left precise locations entirely to my discretion. I was excited to stay away from the Downtown scene for a bit and simply pulled to the side of the road when we saw pretty light...I'm so thankful for my clients' trust.
One thing I love about Chris is his unabashed love for life. He dances in public and makes Christina laugh instantly...much to my delight, he brings out the best in his future wife...
Christina....oooooh, Christina...you are so incredibly beautiful I can't even find the right adjective. Let's settle for GORGE!!!
Go ahead y'all...bring on the fierceness...
Love.
At the end of the session, we stopped by a bus depot and asked if they'd be okay laying on the ground. I usually get nervous making such a request, but Christina quickly agreed and I love her a little bit more because of it! ;)
