Pheww... what another adventure...  from 5 days in Chicago (with no internet mind you) to what was supposed to be 4 days in Ibiza Spain... to an unexpected detour through Madrid for two days, two canceled flights, rerouting through Paris and over Greenland (thank you ash cloud)  ... but now  I sit in New York after playing with my niece and nephew for a few days ... getting ready to fly home tomorrow afternoon.

Where to begin... I'll make this short and sweet... well at least for my standards!  Chicago was awesome. I've been wanting to make it to this sweet windy city for years, I have a ton of clients that live in the area old... (Faith & Mark... it was AWESOME to see you two... always makes me laugh and brought back such great memories from your wedding last summer)...  and new.  I did a super fun engagement shoot with Erika and Brad with a backdrop of the city and the beauty of the Field Museum (pictures to come...).  but I wasn't only I there for business ... I also met up with friends I hadn't seen in YEARS... we're talking ten years.  man I love how friendships can transcend time.  It was so fun to see different parts of the city and to have such gorgeous views from the rooftop bar.  I love it when time can pass yet you can still sit and chat with friends as if it were yesterday.  Thanks Rachel, Annie, Josh, and John...  can't wait to be back in Chicago and have a few more reunions...

My first slide show of 2010 ... remember that beautiful and sweet wedding last month in Kona... take a look.

One quick shout out to Kathleen Akaka... she was their AMAZING wedding coordinator. so wonderful to work with.  If you or anyone you know is getting married in Kona.. this is the woman you want coordinating your beautiful event... Divine Goods Hawaii

Rachel & Elie...  doing this slide show took me right back to Hawaii... thank you again for asking me to be a part of your intimate and touching wedding.  Enjoy!

Love,
A

Click HERE for the slide show...

Brit's official birthday began with a cocktail at the George V... then off to Chanel... every girl deserves a little indulgence on her birthday... especially on her 30th!!

We then left Paris headed over the waters to London...  Paris was amazing... beautiful...  but LONDON... is officially my new love.  I was not expecting to fall so hard for this city.  the streets... the people... the cabs... and the food.. YES the food... I was always under the impression that the English were "not known for their food" (to put it nicely) ...but  WOW... we have had some of the best food yet...  I had the most amazin Falafel I have had in 11 years... no joke (my friends keep laughing because its been over a day or two now and I am STILL talking about the falafel). 

I also have to send out a thank you to "the boys"...  Guy, George, and Charlie (Britainy's close English friends from college) were such good sports for putting up with our ridiculous Americaness...  thank you thank you! 

Now... one more day left in London... then off to Italia...  ahhh mi Firenze... 

I hope you all had a beautiful Easter holiday!

Love
A

BTW... we were SUCH tourists... the dark night city shots were done during the Jack the Ripper tour.... SOOOO creepy!!

WHAT I LEARNED ON THE WAY TO PARIS...

I left for Paris on Sunday.. on my way I learned three things...  I know this may be random...  but it's what I learned...

1)...  Wearing all white to a wedding doesn't have to be a faux pas...  I sat next to a lovely lady from Amsterdam who was recently married.. (I only wish I would have grabbed a couple of her pics)... she had the most beautiful Ibiza wedding.  She asked all of her 50 guests to wear all white... and it gave the whole event not only an incredibly beautiful aesthetic but also such a sense of softness, love, and tenderness...  it is hard to explain ... but if you are looking to do something different... think about it.   I was especially interested in seeing her pictures because I will be flying back across the Atlantic in May to photograph my own Ibiza wedding...

2)...   Pictures truly are memory keepers.. obviously I believe this and knew this... but it wasn't until I experience it first hand (yet again) that I remember how amazing the feeling can be.  I was in a taxi heading to my hotel in Paris when we drove through a plaza... I instantly remembered it... not only did I remember it.. I remembered the EXACT photo I had taken of this plaza 12 years ago... and not only did I remember the photo... but I remembered what I thinking, what I was doing.. and where I was in life (ironically enough photography was the farthest thing from  a career  for me... funny what 12 years can do)... I wish I had the photograph to show you.

3)...  Rescue Remedy Sleep, Calms Forte, A Glass of Wine, and Airborne Sleep .DOES NOT equal sleeping on the plane

So, that was my trip there... day 1... 4 of us girls converge upon Paris from four different flights all leaving LAX and Arriving Charles De Galle... don't ask why we didn;t fly together... we haven't quite figured that out yet.

After trying to sleep off the jetlag.. it was off to Muse D'Orsay...  (to see my favortie Toulous Latrec)...  and dinner with a French friend... 

Day 2.. TODAY...  we awoke had a lovely lunch ... checked out Pere Lachaise.. where I saw Oscar Wilde's tomb... this cemetary was amazing and Oscar is ALWAYS inspiring. And then... I was soo happy to meet up with my dear dear dear Parisian friend Diana...  (you look amazing... and always make my day... so happy to have had the time with you my sweet).

AND TONIGHT... the BIG EVENT... watching the Sparkling Eiffel Tower at exactly midnight as my amazing, inspiring and beautiful friend Britainy turned 30.. (I truly feel honored to be a part of your celebration and to be a part of your life)

SO...  One more day in Paris... till its off to London... tomorrow's agenda  a portrait shoot of an opera singer at the Bastille Opera house... then off to the George V to cheers Brits official birthday.

Here are a few pics... enjoy...  drop me a note...

May you all have adventures and find a few friends along the way... it sure does make the world small.

Love,
A

Oh and along the way... TONS of croissants, pain au chocolates, and cappuccinos!!



 

Okay... this is going to seem like a random post... but.. such is my life sometimes. I've been a little behind with blogging and I completely skipped chatting about my trip to the island back in February...  and then last week I was in Hawaiii...  so hence the title within one month I went from snow covered below zero weather of Mackinac Island... to 85 degree palm tree covered island of Hawaii.... (obviously I have an island thing.. I love them whether hot or cold) .. there is just something about the island life... 

So... My Presidents Day-Valentines Day-Chili Cookoff weekend on Mackinac....  It was an island first for me... flying into the island in the dead of winter... granted I was hoping to experience the infamous ice-bridge...  but to no luck ...this winter the lake never froze... needless to say even without the usual freedom TRUE islanders look forward to year round...  most were still in high spirits  ... and ready for the annual Chili Cookoff  (granted the three bars (Sinclairs, Mustang, & Village Inn)  open helped with the dispersion of such "spirits")...   but all was not lost, beautiful sunsets, great friends, and awesome chili was still to be found in abundance.  As always, Mackinac never ceases to amaze and surprise me... even after ten years I constantly discover new joys on the is Magical place.

(You'll notice the last pic is a collage of people.. these are just a few islanders that always make me smile and keep the island going year round when the rest of us are scared of the winter  ... a few are missing (you, for example Mary... how were you not in any of my pics :-)... but I just wanted to pay props to these awesome people who always welcome me anytime of year. also...  Heather & Chris...  you'll be soooo missed!!!)