Sam Oakes

I met Sam in Laos what seems like was a way long time ago. Lauren and I met him and a buddy of his while we were traveling. He was such a genuine, quiet cool guy.

His story was that he was from England, he was a photographer, and that he was traveling to build up a portfolio and his dream was to get photos into National Geographic.

At the time it sounded like a far fetched dream, but a cool one.

Came across Sam again via email/face book and voila - he got his wishes!
I think he has some great images and he even got some into National Geographic. Rock on. Check him out if you have the time.

www.samoakes.com

Red Hook

Last week I dog sat for Carly (my rad boss) and Fritz (her rad boy/fiance) out in Red Hook. I lived their life for like 2 1/2 days and now I basically want to be them. I'll tell you why; They both run their own businesses out of their warehouse/apartment in a chill area between Carroll Gardens and Red Hook.{his business: art shipping and delivery. hers: interior design} They also have a car (I can admit it does make me jealous even though I have enjoyed not having one, it helps that it's a Mercedes SUV)

So here is the number one reason I loved living their life - Gus and Otto. This is Gus.

This is where I walked with the pups.

All weekend I walked the dogs in the morning, fed them, took them out to do their business - then did the same at night. I totally felt like a mom. I went into the city both days because I had other obligations too and I felt sooo guilty the whole time. I couldn't stop thinking about the dogs. All I wanted to do was get back to them to let them out of their crates and see if they had to go to the bathroom or they were hungry. I even left my friends birthday party early because I couldn't take it.

This is a cute little jewelry shop in Red Hook that I don't understand how it can survive because. It's so awesome, but in the middle of nowhere.

The pier in Red Hook.

Otto, the most beautiful German Shepard puppy in das world, he was not very photogenic, too busy.

So if you make it to Brooklyn you should check out Red Hook. I highly recommend it.

Not yesterday, or the day before, or the day before that, but the day before that Christy, Andrew, and I converged in NYC for a weekend of awesomeness (which I am still soar from). That's all I'm going to say. Not really though - you know I'm more long winded than that!

This excitement after a week home running mad to get Paige's wedding together. Helps explain the 8 hour nap I took after getting home from school yesterday at 4:30 p.m. A nap that was closely followed by peanut butter and honey and banana sandwich, which was followed by an episode of the Gilmore Girls (don't tell anyone, but yes I brought the 3rd season home with me from Paige's collection), which was followed by 9 more hours of sleep.

The three of us waiting for the subway. Some how is this the only pic I have of all three of us? Good thing we are looking so hot and energetic.

I'm so lucky to have friends that are willing to brave my apartment and the New York Streets for some wicked awesome riding, concerts (this will have to be another post in and of itself), movie watching, eating and more eating, and some seriously sweaty episodes out in the mugginess. Last weekend the average was 83 degrees!? Where's that beautiful fall time? Well, it's actually here now, just in time for everyone to leave unfortunately.

So as for the biking, because I was the navigator I felt like I should be the one to add up the mileage from our urban biking. I also feel like it would be the honest thing to do since while we were biking I tried to be discreet about where to go, or where we were, mainly because often I wasn't sure.
This is a map of 2 days of our longest rides. Saturday we rode to Randall's Island for a day of music. Then afterwards we rode into the city, got dinner, and hung out at Times Square for a bit. Sunday we left the house at 4 and then made up for it by riding to Central Park, hanging out, then heading down to DUMBO for the best pizza eva, then home the most direct way possible, not (ooooooops).

Note to watchers: Turn down your volumes if you are at work. The intensity of these moments are apparently louder than I would have anticipated.

Photographer What?

Last weekend Nan gave me the oh so generous job of traveling and taking photos of multiple properties that her company owns in Atlanta and South Carolina.

My first question: "you know I'm not a photographer right?"
answer: "yes"
second question: "you know I don't own a camera right?"
answer:"yes"
my final answer: "I'll do it"

and with that kind of trust, awesome camera equipment from school, and a pile of plane tickets and rental car tickets I took off to see the country.

This is what I saw of South Carolina:
Oh and this too:

These were the kinds of properties they own. They're kind of like all of those places in St. George. I don't know if you would call them condos or apartments - but they had swimming pools and tennis courts

This is what I saw of Georgia:
This is what I saw of Charlotte, NC - don't worry I didn't go in, but I did have to pull over to take a pic. Look closely.
This is the one place that I ate at that wasn't a gas station. Jerry's BBQ. All locals, oh except me.


It was all I ate since 8 that morning . . . and it took like .2 seconds to eat before getting in the car and booking it to the airport to get on a plane once more.


All in all it was pretty awesome because I got to take three flights in less than 48 hours - which made me feel like a total jet setter. I also got to catch up on some quality driving on the free way and singing to the radio - which I happen to LOOOVE (no joke).

And last but NOT least, when I arrived at the Charlotte, North Carolina International Airport Holiday Inn who do I find I am sharing my hot digs with???

Just the International Little People Convention. You got it, little people kids, teenagers, and adults with name tags rocking out all night, running up and down the halls. If only I had the energy to dance, I like to think I would be in there making little people friends - if I weren't rejected for being the most opposite of a little person, except of course when Meredith attempts to render me as a south park character, along with her and Leah. (apperantly my eye is tweeky because of the stress from school), oh and apperantly the South Park Leah isn't as hot as the Simpsonized Leah. Oh and the South Park Meredith wears a scarf on stage when she's being a rock star?????
(yeah, I know that was a pretty amazing transition. I have a gift)

Besides the rump shaking and the shimying, this is by far my favorite move.
Yep, definitely the best move.

(for full effect must watch video)

Iris Chacon en una espectacular coreografia

I hope this brightens someones day like it did mine.

The highly anticipated Utah virgins post!!!
Explination: A few of my friends from school at Parsons were talking about taking a trip together before school started again. We talked about Puerto Rico, DR, and then some how landed on Utah. Guess who won!


Yes, some how I convinced Barbara (Queens, NY native) and Karen (Stockholm, Sweden native) to spend their vacation with me, in Utah. (Dusty helped).
Dusty also had the genius idea to start our Utah itinerary off with a dip in the Great Salt Lake. Guess what, SOOOOO worth it. I hadn't done it either and it was fabulous. Go ahead, be grossed out, squirm all you want. It was not so lovely making it out to the water because you have to go through gooie muck, but once you're in . . . the water is fine.
A desolate desert sun set after a sweaty summer in muggy ny was just what i had been looking for. (and no, we're not naked. That may have made it a more exciting story though)



I love this picture, look how cool the water looks in the foreground, and the little dots that are sitting on top of the water? They may or may not be billions of little bugs.

Thank you Christy for braving the treacherous holding your camera up for 2 hours for these shots, but I love them.
(Especially the one at the very end.)

After the Great Salt Lake there was some more Utah fun.
Mountains and more mountains.

I was so proud of my visitors. They braved elevation exhaustion (Barbara was a zombie for 30 hours straight, sorry), sleeping in my parents basement, and meeting and hanging out with just about everyone I know and love in SLC in like 4 days.

Uintas

I'm wearing the birthday present they gave me. Coolest necklace, I love it. They were so sneaky.

At the end I asked them what their very favorite thing was that they did while in Utah and they said Great Salt Lake! Told ya it was awesome.
**For more Great Salt Lake coverage check it.