Looking Back

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With every new year comes the feeling of a fresh start and limitless possibilities.  While I always take advantage of this time to reevaluate my priorities and goals, it's equally important to look back and celebrate the triumphs and learn from the challenges of the past.  This past year has been the most pivotal of my life thus far, filled with new experiences, endings, and beginnings.  In 2012 I...

Traveled to more new places within 12 months than I had in my entire life {Rome, Montreal, the Amalfi Coast, Paris twice, Switzerland, Austria, London, and the French Rivera},

relocated to be with my boyfriend {the first time in our five and a half year relationship},

ate amazing food,

saw my best friend get engaged {and was asked to be her maid of honor},

and ultimately learned more about myself than I ever have before.  I made some decisions which absolutely terrified me {traveled to Europe alone, took time off from my career to re-examine what I really want with my life} however I am a firm believer that the biggest mistake we can ever make is being too afraid to make one.  2012 was a year I will truly never forget, and I am so excited for what this new year may bring!

Flying Houses

I recently stumbled upon the portfolio of the Parisian photographer Laurent Chehere, and I have to tell you that I am absolutely obsessed.  I love how his photography combines a sense of architecture with wanderlust plus a dose of "The Wizard of Oz" for good measure.  How amazing would one of these look blown up above a couch?  More photos plus learn about the photographers inspiration for his "Flying Houses" collection below.

"Movies have a tendency to shape our imaginations. Films like “Up” and, going back much further, “Mary Poppins”gave us the dream to float above the ground and into the sky with magical ease (and a prop or too). French photographer Laurent Chehere‘s latest photo project draws from the whimsical images and ideas of these, creating a series of “Flying Houses” that bring this dream to life (sort of).  In his latest exhibition, a collection of Parisian houses, caravans, and even a runaway circus tent float along the clouds like giant, architectural kites, creating a new narrative for the typical home. 

Chehere collected images of historic homes in Menilmontant and Belleville, the popular districts of Paris. He wanted these seemingly anonymous houses to be part of a new story, metaphorical, symbolic, or just subjective. Some houses look quite typical, one even with a laundry clothesline strung with the day’s wash, while others have fanciful giant windows or strange walls, adding to the dream-like quality of the picture.

A caravan, like those seen on the outskirts of Paris, soars through the sky with an open door, offering a glimpse of the family inside. A flock of birds dodge a family home aimlessly cast aloft in a stormy sky. Another is on fire, leading the viewer to believe that Chehere’s images can be dark, too, despite the childlike wonder they inspire." - Architizer Blog

Holiday Snapshots

There's nothing like coming home for the holidays.  My two weeks at home were filled with Christmas cheer - including decking the halls, seeing the Broadway version of "White Christmas", baking five different types of Christmas cookies, our annual trip to Clifton Mill to see the Christmas lights, continuing the tradition of seeing the Nutcracker with my mom, Christmas parties, and enjoying the bountiful snowfall we received!

 

Surreal

How amazing are these photos of Elle Fanning for Bullet Magazine?  The perfect combination of dreamy and surreal. 

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