I had not been home to see my parents in forever and a half, so I took some time and came home to Washington to stay with them for a week. I have definitely been needing some time to recharge, reassess, and relax, so I am enjoying my time here with them.

Mom and I had been planning on spending some time to ourselves for a while, so we decided to come and stay in Ocean Shores for the weekend. Our hotel, the Grey Gull, is right on the beach, has a fantastic view, and is quite nicely appointed.

The two of us wandered down to the beach before sunset, and caught a glimpse of the tide starting to come in. I can’t wait to go to the jetty tomorrow and see what washes ashore in the morning. I like going the morning after a storm and being first on the beach to find treasure.

Between the gulls and the grey skies we had a great time walking along the beach. Hearing the ocean roar is an amazing reminder of the power of nature and the infinite detail in the world that we live in.

The goal tomorrow is to find some cool shells on the beach, investigate any cool animals or treasure that washes up, and check out a little house for mom to retire in that is not too far from the beach.

More to come soon!

Currently, it is 22 degrees in New York. Brrrrrrr! I don’t even want to get into how chilly it is factoring in the wind. I will refrain from complaining too much though, because at this time last year, we were covered in snaux. My feelings on the white stuff are as follows: it looks nice when it is fresh, and is fun up until you actually have to trudge through it. In short, I was pleased we did not have a white Christmas this year.

All in all, we have had a pretty mild winter so far (knocks on wood). I have been able to wander about more than I normally would given the temperature, so I have been grateful for the extra rays the sun has been throwing our way (whether or not I made the sun shine lately).

Today I was set on taking photos for Gizmodo’s weekly shooting challenge. I am always amazed at the entries and winners each week, but have never participated myself. Something stirred in me today, so I set off for my old garden, and the High Line, to take some fabulous winter photos that used the compositional rule of thirds for the challenge.

My first stop at the community garden on 48th between 9th and 10th was relatively brief, but I did see a few interesting things and captured a couple good shots. I missed the explosion of color from the tulip tree and the constant buzzing of bees the garden is full of during the summer months. Some kids followed in after me and tossed a football back and forth, and I didn’t want to get in the middle of their game, so I headed back to the train at 50th street.

From 50th, I took a downtown C train. It was a tiny stroke of luck that I noticed my crush on the train and he said wassup. I tried to compose myself, after remembering that I bumped into him at brunch last week randomly too.  I managed a smile and a nod and stayed cool and exited at the next stop. Since when am I shy? I turned my headphones up a little and continued on.

At 23rd and 10th, I made my way up the tinted elevator and onto the High Line. I had not been there in some months so it was a solemn winter homecoming. I remember taking photos of Anthony there last year and drawing a huge crowd. Summer bliss.

Once atop my perch on the High Line, I noticed that there were stunning, crimson berries growing on small bushes on the east side of the walkway. I took a few shots of them and then noticed I had made a tiny friend.

I am no birdwatcher, but this bird was quite interesting in that it was so handsomely patterned even in the winter. Perhaps some kind of finch? I remembered how the goldfinches played along the river bank of my old home in Tukwila, and then I got excited about seeing my family later this month.

I ended up giving this little bird quite the photo shoot, and it provided me with the perfect shot to use for the Gizmodo competition. No cropping was necessary, because the bird remained still throughout shooting, like it waited for me to compose the perfect shot. Kismet. A decisive moment from Cartier-Bresson himself.

I continued along the High Line, looking up into fantastic condos and co-ops as I wandered the wooden path. I couldn’t feel anything but crystalline pain in the tips of my fingers, so I quickened my pace and stole a few more shots from the winter cityscape, and the window displays of DVF and Alexander McQueen as I made my way back home.

Once home, I realized that while I set out to accomplish my  goal of capturing a single, perfect moment trapped in the thirds of my camera frame, I saw that nearly almost all of my photos adhere to this most golden rule without even trying. As with phi, the golden ratio, there is something pleasing about the rule of thirds and how it draws your attention to a subject and simultaneously gives it enough space to breathe life into the image.

***UPDATE***

Though my entry in the shooting contest did not win this week, it was still featured in the gallery on Gizmodo today! I was supremely happy to see my little bird perched there amongst some amazing shots. Go ahead and check it out here.

Writing the year 2012 still feels crazy, but here we are in a year where all newborns will never know what a CD is, how to work a VCR, or that there were even bound copies of encyclopedias. However, those same children will have cool parents like myself to show them how we celebrated in the year that everyone was excited/nervous/anxious about someday.

Michael wanted to start off the new year right, so he sent out invitations for a very special brunch for the “Girls & Gays” at the Yotel off of 42nd and 10th avenue. I had heard the place was staffed by robots or something, and that Swizz Beats had DJed there before with Alicia Keys at a party once. I was sold at robots, but then Michael sent the menu with the invite and I was DOWN.

We are all about a cheap brunch with unlimited drinks, but this one took the cake, because they kept different plates coming throughout our time there. Everything from crispy shrimp to fried rice to french toast was served alongside the endless carafes of delicious drinks. Definitely try the Bourbon Peach Tea.

The music was definitely period, but with the majority of the clientele there being from outside America, we understood the constant flow of 80′s euro/dance/trance music — and yearned for at least 1 top 40 single. Despite not knowing the words to anything, the music kept me in great spirits the whole time. What I would have done for some Ke$ha though!

The wait staff and ambiance of the place were fantastic. We were well taken care of, and one waiter even had on the Concord Jordan XI’s I was almost trampled over for last month. So fresh! There were strange Yak-like statues at the entrances that I kind of wanted for my own because they were so odd. They made me smile.

I made some new friends who were of course more stylish than I, so naturally they had to be photographed. It was great seeing Alexis, Dimia, Kirk, and the gang because I have not seen them in FOREVER.

Towards the end of brunch, I spotted someone I had been crushing on for a long time in the distance, and you already know I made a slight fool of myself because I was saucy/nervous/anxious. It made my day to see him though.

Before we left, someone decided that one side of the restaurant was a runway, and challenged several people at our table to an impromptu walk-off. Naturally, the girls from our table shut them down in style. The guy above gave it his best though.

We had such a great time at the Yotel that we will definitely come back soon for more fun. I give them A’s across the board for outstanding service, great food and drinks, and for accommodating our crazy crew. 2012 is shaping up to be quite festive, so I am working on new reasons to celebrate.

Emeri and I spent New Year’s Eve together, and brought in the class and sass for the new year. Neither of us really felt like being jam packed into the parties we had been invited to, although the rooftop party in Herald Square sounded tempting. The intimate bar at Mother Burger called our names instead ( and later Empanada Mama ).

We took naps throughout the day and took our time going into The City. We collided with some obnoxious revelers on the way to Midtown, but paid them little mind once we got past the brouhaha. The police were out in full force, but you already know we spotted the cute ones and kept it moving.

In true New York style, Emeri and I went out in a color palette that was mostly black and form fitting ( because we can). She rocked some stylish stockings and I kept it cute with my favorite woven tie. Juan had hooked me up with an unnaturally fresh line a couple days before, and Em and I got our nails did the night before to look our best.

Upon arrival at MB, there was a combination of squeals of delight from our favorite bartender, Jess, Emeri, and I. We were so hyped to ring in the new year together at our favorite spot. Denise made sure that the appropriate jams were played, and the spot was abuzz with laughter.

Jess introduced us to the new bartender there, Tim, and he got acquainted with us and our favorite drink: The Blue Happy Trail.

Once we had our fill, we said goodbye to our friends and welcomed the new year, and several empanadas at Empanada Mama. Somehow we made it back home with all our belongings and shambled into bed safely, to wake up much, much later and greet the first light of 2012.

Bless us friends and this new year!

2011. So much can be said about this year, but not enough can be said about how much I am looking forward to 2012. What I can say though, is that my friends and family were my everything, day in and day out.

This is my final post for the year, and it has some sweet shots of Shyori and Quinnton singing a a showcase they performed in together not too long ago.

I arrived slightly late (as per usual) and got a chance to sit and be serenaded by the two of them, and several other very talented artists that are based out of New York.

I have not one musical bone in my body, aside from making pianos that can be played by thought alone, so I greatly appreciate the aural talents of my friends who are so gifted.

Iguana was the perfect spot for these performances, and the mood was just right. Every since going to the Village Underground, I have come to enjoy the challenge of shooting live performances in low light. It takes patience, a steady hand, and creativity when exposing the frame.

Here’s to these sweet sounds, and to many, many beautiful images and experiences in 2012.

Happy New Year everyone!

You already know my camera will have something festive to show for the first day of the New Year! Stay tuned!

I forgot to share these Fall photos with you right after I took them. I was asked by Nandy and Nay to take more photos of them, and I chose the Cloisters as the backdrop.

I hadn’t been back there since last winter, so seeing the leaves in pale golds, browns, and reds was a completely different visual experience. I remember how beautiful the grounds there were covered under a thick blanket of snow, and how it crunched under my boots.

This time though, there were leaves beneath my feet, and the air was light and crisp. The walk through the park to the Cloisters is the best part of every visit. You have to see it yourself in person to believe it.

I took some time to wander the Cloisters before the girls arrived and was taken by the delicate palms, intricate columns, and religious iconography that filled each hall. I took in the light filtered through the stained glass windows.

Nandy looked spectacular in her metallic, scaled dress, and it was fitting considering the Cloisters resemble a medieval castle. She was royalty indeed.

Nay was dressed to the nines as well, and she glowed in the Autumn light. Her and Nandy are always hilarious together so we had to take breaks to get out giggles in between shots.

On the way out, we took the time to take more shots as the sun faded into the next season.

I love this place. I love my friends.

Years ago a promise was made that 104 stories of glass and steel would rise from  the deepest wound in modern American history, and One World Trade Center is slowly making good on that promise.

On Christmas I saw the new tower gleaming in the night and wondered just how tall it was getting. I wandered down to see just how much progress had been made. On one hand, I find it outrageous that it is still not finished after ten years. On the other, I don’t want it to dwarf my favorite ziggurat, the Empire State Building.

I hear the tower is supposed to reach a height of 1776 feet, and that a new floor is being added every week. Quite the feat indeed. I also hear Conde Nast will be its anchor tenant, complete with its fleet of limousines. 4 Times Square is another one of my favorite buildings, so I wonder what will replace the floors Conde Nast, Vogue, and GQ occupy when they move downtown.

So many hopes, wishes, and fears rest with this tower. It will change the skyline of New York and the face of Lower Manhattan for decades to come. One tower replacing two doesn’t seem like enough closure at first, but when you think about it, New York just needs one symbol to stand taller than all the rest.

One World Trade Center.

It has been a good long while since I shared with you, but there is never a better time to share than the holidays. This year my family asked me to send them photos of New York at Christmas time, particularly of the window displays that the department stores are known for here.

Bergdorf’s lavish windows put all other displays on 5th Avenue to shame, year after year. Animals are a common theme in their windows all year round, and their holiday displays really let the entire menagerie out.

Lovely ladies adorned in shimmering outfits posed up and down the windows on the block, bedecked in jewels and surrounded by animal companions of many a species.

The air was crisp and cool on Christmas eve, and though there were more people around me than I enjoyed, the mood was so light, I hardly noticed the crowd with my holiday playlist on—thanks to Spotify.

I walked over to Rockefeller Center to take photos of The Tree just in time before a crowd of people exited the ice rink. The Tree seemed a bit taller this year, than the one from last year, and as usual it smiled proudly above the statue of Prometheus. Lee Lawrie’s art deco sculptures are to Rockefeller what the sphinxes are to Egypt.

Especially Atlas, who holds up the heavenly spheres, and who faces St. Patrick’s Cathedral directly across 5th Avenue. Something makes this particular statue seem as if Atlas could walk off with the world on his shoulders at any moment.

I ventured across to St. Patrick’s just in time for a late service, and found myself in quite the crowd underneath the vaulted ceilings. As expected, the music sounded more funerary than celebratory, and clashed with the bright mood people came in with.

From there, I headed down to Herald Square to see how Macy’s windows compared to Bergdorf’s. I had passed them once about a week ago, and caught a glimpse of them, but the tourists made me think twice about stopping. On this occasion though, I stayed a while and was really taken by the intricate puppets that twirled, danced, and glowed in the lights.

There wasn’t anything especially commercial about most of the displays, which was reassuring, and there seemed to be a high level of craftsmanship that went into everything from cogs, baubles, and puppets galore.

Having shot the stuffed animals at the American Museum of Natural History before made taking pictures of the window displays simple. No flashes. Longer exposures. Steady hands. Patience.

No Christmas in New York is complete without a photo of the Empire State Building.

Happy Holidays everyone!

This summer was quite odd. It went by faster than normal, was hotter than normal, but was also much more beautiful than I remember any other summer being.

The greens seemed that much greener. Could have been all the rain we had. Then again, after reading “Gaia’s Revenge,” it could have just been a warning signal from Mother Nature. That book taught me that we are on borrowed time because our planet will parse down our population down to less than a billion to maintain equilibrium. More on that another time though. But yes, so much greener this year.

On a similar note, the weather here this summer was prone to fits of fury, Irene anyone? Though she turned out to be nothing more than a glorified tropical storm, and excuse for me to stay in bed, she made for the most brilliant skyscapes and sunsets.

When the weather was sunny, I saw couples dancing at Union Square, and I thought that was one of the most beautiful moments I had seen in a long time. Something about old people being together forever seems so foreign and endearing to my rabbit-like self. Speaking of that, I found out that I have the ability to make the sun shine by getting it in. No, seriously, ask mt friend Hjordys who also helped contribute to the good weather. She is my fellow source of the sunshine.

I met lots of new people this summer, and took obligatory photos of boys ( and girls ) all summer long.

Yes, lord.

In the end though, I am looking forward to busting out with my cardigans, coats, and boots this fall. I don’t mind the sun setting a little sooner either. That just makes me sit my ass inside and get the sleep that I need to function. I have a great feeling about this fall, and I know it will be particularly festive very soon.

Carrie did something really nice for Carlos and I last week. She gave Carlos two tickets she had for the Mets game on Friday. I was just finishing up a document I had been working on all day when Carlos called and asked if I wanted to go to the game. I am not really a fan of the Mets, but I do love to go to baseball games, so of course I sped up my workflow and finished up early in time to catch the game. Luckily, I had randomly taken my camera with me to work, thinking I’d snap a few things at lunch (which didn’t happen, as I went to Chipotle and ATE).

We met up at Court Square and then took the 7 train to Citi Field and realized just how beautiful the day was. The sun was fading into the night, there was a cool breeze, and we were at a baseball game with great seats.

Our first order of business was food, because we were both starved. Conveniently, the Pepsi Porch that we had seats in, has its own section for food. We hardly had to stray a few yards from our seats to grab a hot dogs, onion rings, and drinks. When we found our way to our seats, we were blown away by how lucky we were. We had a perfect view of the game from the Excelsior level at right field!

I can’t pretend to know anyone’s batting average, or even half the starting lineup for any team in particular, but after having my dad take me to baseball games throughout growing up, I at least understand how the game works and some of who is who. Growing up a Mariner’s fan and remembering Randy Johnson in all the Eagle Hardware ads, and remembering when Ken Griffey Jr. was a Mariner (the first time) always makes going to any game fun to watch.

Carlos is a huge Mets fan, like his father, and was decked out in full real-boy Mets fan regalia: Mets snapback, Mets Jersey, and of course, matching sneakers. Its fun to see him get excited over the team. I got excited after seeing some of them up and close on the big screen that was to our left. Clap your hands if you see Angel Pagan or David Wright!

Whenever someone Dominican was at bat, of course they had Spanish music playing to signal their entrance, so hearing “Na de Na” come on was fun. Maybe I am the only one who knows who that song is? At any rate, being at a baseball game is as much about the total experience of actively watching the game, getting hyped or angry, and paying WAY too much for food. It is pure Americana, and Citi Field presents the game in a beautiful setting that is fun any time during baseball season. Every seat is a good seat, even the nosebleeds, as I would know from having a nosebleed there earlier in the season.

Oh, before I forget, the Mets got it together and pulled a victory at the last minute with a score of 5-4. Go Mets! Never thought I would type that, but you can’t help get excited for them when they play a good game!