Mellow Yellow

Here it is, already 2pm, and I feel like the most accomplished woman in the world. 

Never mind the fact that my challenge of the day was to sew a button back onto my sweater 

There's just so much sunshine today, it's seeping into everything I do.

A sunshine-y day is best enjoyed with a sunshine-y pastry

Adding some sunshine to a wintry staple

Recycling some Trader Joe's packaging

Hey There, Garry

 This is quite possibly the coolest retrospective I've had the pleasure to see. Add to this the fact that I got to visit SFMOMA on a FREE first Tuesday and sit in on a lecture given by Erin O'Toole, the museum's associate curator of photography, and you can understand my joy. 

Unfortunately, I am unable to share all the wonderful photographs I was able to see during that afternoon. There was a very strict NO PHOTOGRAPHY rule (I love the irony here!). But I was able to get two shots before the security guard unceremoniously caught me, camera in hand.

I first learned of Winogrand last summer in a history of photography survey course. But, as typically occurs in a course covering such an extensive time period, I only learned the basics and saw his most famous photographs such as the two below titled, New York 1961, and New York World's Fair 1964.

New York 1961

 Erin O'Toole's lecture really broadened my understanding of Winogrand's interests in photography as well as his form and technique. I particularly like Winogrand's interest in the unspeakable, or what photography cannot tell the viewer. He took a great deal of photographs that were quite unconventional in form according to photojournalistic standards, that brought these issues to the forefront of the viewer's mind. For example, in one photograph, he captured what appears to be the aftermath of an accident. The chaos of the scene is captured in the photographs fragmented, unorthodox framing, presenting the viewer with little information of what could have occurred. The back of a policeman blocks the action of the shot, while a young boy looks on in fear and disbelief. A man is severed by the framing of the composition, heightening the already surmounting anxieties concerning physical trauma and death that are embedded in the image. In providing only bits of information, Winogrand leaves the story as well as the meaning of his images open to interpretation. 

New York World's Fair 1964

Just Begin

It has been a long time.
But I do this with every blog I make.
I leave it for several months
Unsure of its aim, unsure of myself.
And I delete it.

But there was something a bit different with this blog.
This one, though left abandoned for some time, feels real,
Like an extension of my hopes, my dreams,
Myself.

I think I've made it over the hump of uncertainty;
I want to write again.
The excitement to post has returned
And I am once again ready to
Just Begin.

A New Year's Resolution

Happy New Year to all!

I just love the start of something new, especially a new year. But with the new year, I find myself desiring a new self. Who doesn't? But this typically entails a new wardrobe, new knickknacks to freshen up the appearance of my room, and so on. So in more simplified terms this means spending--and certainly the makings of a newer, richer 2013 version of myself, if only in my mind. 

But  today, ignoring this slight financial setback, I did as I do every year and commenced my New Year's online window-shopping spree.

While doing so, I rediscovered the Etsy store, Haven Vintage, and subsequently formulated my late New Year's resolution. 

An old scale with decorative pine cones would add the perfect touch of rustic to any room. I would put it in my kitchen.

Toss out the old magazine rack and use an old colander instead. It has so much more whimsy!

While you're at it, throw out the old side table or nightstand! Short ladders make a great makeshift  bookshelf.

I found this store several months ago and saved it in my favorites.
It is an amazing store filled with old, somewhat nostalgic, items that have been photographed to show their new repurposed uses. I would definitely recommend checking out Colleen's various items for inspiration or purchase!
After perusing the various items and seeing how creatively Colleen repurposed these everyday items into unique pieces, I began to really ponder my notion of the "new self."

Who says a new self is dependent on new things? 

I say a new self entails a new way of thinking, a new way of seeing; a technique that Colleen seems to understand as is demonstrated by her work.

And that, friends, is my New Year's resolution: to think with a renewed mind, to see with newly opened eyes, and to create with a fresher outlook on life. 

Cheers to 2013!

An Aztec Hot Chocolate Kind of Night

 Today has been such a productive day! In holiday speak, of course. I finished my Christmas shopping, wrapped all the gifts, finished decorating the tree, and devised a new Aztec hot chocolate recipe. Not too shabby!

I am so excited to share this recipe because it is ALMOST my own.

I used three different recipes found online, Because I don't have random vanilla beans lying around my kitchen, or guajillo chiles for that matter, I had to improvise just a teensy bit, but just enough to claim this recipe as my own.

Aztec Hot Choocolate

Makes 2 Servings

2 c. milk

1 Mexican Hot Chocolate Disk 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, plus some for dusting

PINCH of Cayenne Powder

Bring the milk to a simmer on medium high heat

Add chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne (only a pinch, seriously, this is some spicy stuff)

Reduce heat to medium low and stir about 10 minutes.

Serve, top with whipped cream, and dust with cinnamon.

~ENJOY~

 I got to enjoy my delicious cup in front of this lovely tree. So go and enjoy yours somewhere special too!

Muy Delicioso!

Little Lyon Man

It's so incredible to be home after being away for three whole months. Hellooo, five whole weeks of nothing!

But if I have to be perfectly honest, I probably will be doing nothing because San Pedro doesn't offer everything that the Bay area does. With its easily accessible public transportation, every place I wanted to go was only a bus or BART ride away.

I already miss the museums, the comfy cafes, and the quirky shops. 

Here are a few photos from my trip to the DeYoung in San Francisco to visit the Danny Lyon photography exhibit. It was amazing--even more since I was able to just get up one morning and decide to go. 

I love when I get to see pieces that I have been studying in my art history classes. It's so surreal.

Now that I'm home, I can't just get up and go. But there are definitely places I would like to visit and exhibits I really want to see. I guess this just means I will have to make an effort and explore all the places in LA I have yet to visit. And the reward is even greater with a little effort, right?

Perhaps a day trip to visit MOCA...and a trip to Half and Half...is just what this break has to offer! 

I studied Danny Lyon's technique of immersive photography this past summer. 

He would join the groups he wished to photograph to better understand his subjects. This was he biking series. 

I greatly admire documentary photographers and their ability to photograph social unrest and upheaval. This exhibit had a good amount of emotionally-driven images.

An Autumnal Bisque

I had my first grilled cheese three years ago, during my freshman year of college. COLLEGE! Meaning I went a good 18 years of life not understanding how much I was missing in the culinary world (I would definitely make the claim that grilled cheese sandwiches are gourmet).

During the same year, I discovered tomato soup, so it's pretty safe to say my taste buds were very inexperienced upon entering college. Now, every trip I make to Safeway, I stand in the canned goods aisle and drool over the various delicious sounding cans of soup: bisque, broths, chowders, you name it, they are all potential takers. But they are canned, so I cannot bring myself to buy them. 

Usually.

I finally splurged a little and bought a can of organic tomato bisque. 

While I heated up the bisque, I chopped up some fresh tomato chunks to add a little more texture.

 I fried up some bacon for more flavor.

I then added the tomato chunks, the bacon, some basil and oregano, and some parmesan cheese. I grilled up a delicious grilled cheese and called it lunch :)

ENJOY