Ice Cream Man and the Elephant

sources unknown

I'm a bit of a black and white kick this week.

How great are these photographs?

They're vintage, nostalgic, endearing, hilarious, and intriguing all at once.

They make me want to spend the whole day daydreaming about a black and white world where people have, not pets, but animal friends.

I think I'd like to spend the day paling around with an Otter.

Things That Are Awesome Thursday: Being an Internet Superstar

So today, something weird kind of happened...

I became an internet superstar.

While superstar might be a bit of an exaggeration; I thought I was just posting another picture on my tumblr... but somehow the Tumblr Radar gang got a hold of it, and I ended up on the dashboard.

Not only was I on the dashboard, but as part of the "Tumblr Radar," I (my blog of inspirational images) was in the same company as NPR Music, The Daily, and Kickstarter.

Anyhow, I went from 36 followers to 1,127 followers in less than a couple hours.

Talk about "things that are awesome."

check it out and join the masses....

Feathery Pink

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Isn't it interesting how both a photograph of a model in an evening dress and a western landscape can both contain the same fluffy pink texture?

In one it's the focal point, and in the second, it's the color that ties the photograph together.

Amazing how well it works in both.

Magenta Residents

Photographs Taken By Me

Magenta isn't exactly the most natural of colors. It's borderline neon.

Both these flowers and this mouse reside in Lisbon, where they bask in the sun against faded white backgrounds and bold blue skies.

Things That Are Awesome Thursday: City Geometries

Photos by Me

Cities are really amazing places. There are so many people, so many things; all in all, a whole lot of energy confined to the same space at once.

I always find it awe inspiring to find a moment of serenity in cities.

Lately, I've been really inspired by the geometric lines in these quiet city moments.

The top picture is of TV antennas in Lisbon and the second picture is on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. They're totally different places and very different cities, but they both have these wonderful serene moments. I think between the stark blue of the Portuguese sky and the hazy grey of New York, these pictures also embody my anticipation of the coming season change into fall.

While you'll never hear me complain about a summer day in Portugal (or anywhere for that matter), I'm definitely ready and looking forward to a heathered New York fall.

Ancient Adventures

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There's something about these photographs that so eloquently captures the thrill of adventure for the "modern man."

 Though both were taken in the late 19th century, they still seem relevant.

These photographs show impeccably dressed men on bike tours, in some of the most beautiful places on earth.

I'm 90% sure the second photograph was taken in Norway. I think I've been there.  It is slightly embarassing to not be entirely sure, but I do believe that life in color, over a century later, looks quite a bit different. But, if I do remember correctly, this lookout point is  much more awe inspiring than this photograph would lead you to believe, and that's saying a lot.

However, having been there, I can also confirm (in case you couldn't tell) that to bike all the way up to that look out point would be a challenge I would not be excited about.

These men must have been quite fit to make it to the top on those antique bikes and in suits!

Fabric From The Mountains

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I'm positively addicted to jackets. Unlike cardigans, they offer a bit of structure and come in a much wider variety of silhouettes and fabrics.

When I saw the street-style snap by Tommy Ton, I was immediately captivated by this jacket. The vibrant colors and perfect biker-jacket silhouette had me swooning.

Lo and Behold, I then happened to stumble upon the designer of this stunning Jacket.

Thu Thu is a Vietnamese designer who grew up and lives in Europe. She sources all of her fabrics from the highlands of Vietnam and then juxtaposes these traditional fabrics with silhouettes and contemporary trends of Europe.

And the mix is pitch-perfect!

Night Light

These spacetastic landscape photos by Nydia Lilian have blown me away.

They have this futuristic, other-worldly quality, despite being in black and white, and of an already existing Earth.

The way she has captured the essence of light, even in its absence is enviable, inspiring, and awesome.

The Orient Express

In an ingenius collaborative editorial project, Louis Vuitton has enlisted The Selby to embark on a Pan-Asian train journey from Paris to Shanghai.

The trip recalls the glamourous and fabled Orient Express of years-gone-by, but with a refreshing twist and an air of American nostalgia. 

It's a surprising collaboration, as Louis Vuitton is such an iconic legacy brand, and The Selby is much more of a grassroots documentarian, but the combination of the two in this project feels really fresh and exciting.

It's a 12 day journey documented through photographs, videos, and The Selby's signature scribbled watercolors and sketches. There's something so sweet and inviting about the whole adventure.

Right now, they're on day 2, as they're crossing Belarus and Poland into Russia. You can follow along all the way to Shanghai.

The whole adventure has me pining for a solitary train adventure across half the world and a luxury luggage set.

I didn't even know that was possible.

Things That Are Awesome Thursday: Fireworks

photographs by me

Nothing says Summer, or at least American Summer, like fireworks.

They're loud, they're bright, they're festive-- they're everything America wants to be in one explosive bang after another.

I love fireworks. 

They are awesome....clearly.

Happy 4th of July: America is Awesome Edition

All photographs taken by me

The 4th of July: my favorite holiday. Not because I'm the most patriotic person or I have an unabashed love for all things red-white-and-blue, but rather, it's the one holiday that I can fully support.

America is a really awesome place. It's truly unrivaled. There's a climate/city/place for everyone...and there are amazing people everywhere. People just do things here. They make things, they try things, they risk things.

It's a country founded on revolution. You can feel the lingering sense of revolution in art, politics, and business. 

It's a really amazing place.

Places from top to bottom: Smithsonian in Washington DC, Great Smoky Mountains, NC, 56th St in Manhattan through the window at MOMA, The Ocean at Newport,RI, and Chicago from Millenium Park.

Anaranjado

Light is the most temporal of experiences. 

One of the greatest joys of traveling is being able to experience light in different places, at different times, as it will never be again. When I leave a place, one of the most lingering effects is that of the light.

When I was in Seville, Spain, I was struck by the amazing orange glow that seemed to surround the city.

It was as if Seville is a fairytale city, straight out of a dream book from centuries ago, all covered with the warm orange haze of a Spanish Summer.

Link List: How-to-Cool-Off-When-its-1-Billion-Degrees

Blue Lagos, 2012 by me

While the ultimate escape from the heat is traveling to a distant sea-side locale, unfortunately, it is never as easy as it sounds. Here are some links for ideas to beat the heat when you're stuck in the city dreaming of icebergs and sailboats

-these photographs from by Brian Ferry

-the most beautiful and simple mojitos

-sitting in a movie theater for 2 hours

-jumping into a swimming hole

- day dreaming about a colorful hotel in Palm Springs

Midwest in the East Ventures West

Though my roots are in the Midwest, and I've been living on the East Coast for a little over a year, this past weekend I ventured to the West Coast for the first time.

LA to be specific.

I found the traffic to be more than a little annoying, the lack of personal style disappointing, and the general lack of "city"to be a true flaw. The palm trees, however, definitely reminded me that yes, this is a nice place. A very nice place.

When it's 80 degrees and sunny every single day... how could it not be?

Turns out LA is great. A little slow, but definitely great.

And the sunset above, taken in Venice, was definitely a heart stealer. 

All I can say, can't wait to go back.

Half Dozen København

Just a few snapshots from Copenhagen.

Though notorious for perpetually grey skies, Denmark put on quite a show with the most ideal spring weather. It was so nice to wander around the northern city before tourist season truly begun. While Paris and London are clear travel hubs, I would argue that Copenhagen is my favorite European city. It has the bicycles of Amsterdam, the design of Stockholm, and the cafe culture of Barcelona all melded into one spectacular city.

...and their brunch is simply on another level!

Old Postcards From Myself

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It's an amazing sunny Saturday and I'm headed off to spend the day with a new book in the park. 

Just thought I'd leave some of my favorite black and white photographs, in the meantime.

There's something about season changes that makes me nostalgic. Black and White Photos always fit the bill.

Spring Spring Spring

I just got back from the loveliest romp around Scandinavia (more on that later). As hard as it can be to come home from an journey, it makes it all the easier now that it is finally spring. Before we know it, it will be the days of sunshine, late nights, and summer daydreams. I can't wait.

What better way to say spring has sprung than with some flowers.

Far Away Gardens

I took this picture in Shanghai almost three years ago. I don't remember exactly where it was, but I remember it being somewhere touristy.

It's amazing the small pockets you can find, even when you're in the biggest of cities.

I still love this pictures. It glows with a sort of haze, kind of like the memories of my trip to China.

Midnight Amphibians

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Magical Frogs.

Kind of a strange thing to be thinking about at 2am on a rainy Wednesday night.
AM-Phib-IaNs.