amanda nicole photography

Cheater Cheater Pizza Eater

2013-08-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

I am cheating on myself. Which sounds really bizarre I know. The thing is with the Littledude and Ladybug in my life I have used my camera a lot less.....although recently I went crazy shooting them for a few days....but instead I have been cooking a LOT more.

I have been posting on Facebook about some of my culinary adventures, the hits and the spectacular misses as I go.... and family members, as well as a few friends kept asking for recipes....so I did the inevitable.

I started yet ANOTHER BLOG!

Heirlooms at a farm stand in New Jersey

Zia's Kitchen is all about Gluten Free and "Kid Friendly" cooking. I am trying to cook super healthy for them, but sometimes in order to get veggies in the little dude I have to resort to trickery - covered in a lot of cheese!

All the photography is of course be mine, of course while in the midst of cooking and getting dinner to the table I don't get much time to whip out the Canon. So the iPhone and my sub par kitchen lighting has to do. Thank god for the apps Camera Awesome (same people who I built my websites with) and Instagram.

My kitchen the other night

So check out Zia's Kitchen at www.ziaskidkitchen.com The address ziaskitchen.com was already taken by a restaurant somewhere. Booo and I thought I was being original!

I will work on upgrading the photography to my normal level, as a family friend said upon seeing my photography for the first time last night at Sunday dinner..."wow, you take good pictures of food"

Awwww thanks. Combining my 2 of my favorite hobbies in the world...Food & Photography. Now if I could just get more travel in there somewhere!

Organic Farm in New Jersey

Farmers Market in North Yorkshire, England

Royal Tantrums

2013-07-23T12:52:00.001-07:00

July 22nd, 2013. A few newsworthy events

We had another Super Moon. It was national Rat catchers day, and that is a career choice that gets very few accolades I am sure. Here in Florida we had an entire day without rain.

Of course all the news of the day was eclipsed by the "Big One". The world's most famous baby was born in London. If you have no idea what I am talking about the only plausible explanation could be that your DSL, Cable AND cell phone service was down. Or you are in a jungle somewhere, although you probably could still log onto Facebook. I never turned on my computer but I heard about it. It was hard not to. Prince (he who shall not be named in public yet) welcome to a world of privilege and infamy very few people on the planet will ever know, oh and SMILE you will be growing up on TV, the internet and in every magazine imaginable. In short a fishbowl. A royal one, but a fishbowl none-the less. Poor kid.

Personally I am waiting for the little tykes official (buckingham palace moderated of course) Twitter account to start rolling out. God forbid we miss an announcement about what color his poo is. I wonder if his nappies will be royal issued, or from Tesco. I'm going to split the difference and say Mark and Spencers or Harrods at the very least. If Harrod's doesn't carry nappies yet sure as shite they will carry them now!

I jest, because this is actually NOT a post about hating on the wee royal lass, not at all. The contrary in fact! A baby is a baby. They are a blessing, a joy and an occasional anxiety inducing nightmare all rolled into one! And when they giggle, if your heart doesn't melt you don't have one. The Prince and the Duchess have a long incredible journey in front of them and no matter how many nannies they have, they will be sleep deprived, exhausted, scared and deliriously happy as many new parents are You can't help where and to who you are born to to little prince, but Prince William and Duchess Kate seem to be very level headed genuine and down to earth people, for royalty. They are the modern day monarchs and I am sure will raise a very solid, grounded little person and future leader. I truly wish them well. I have never had the "magical joy" of giving birth but I am blessed that I am able to help raise my niece and nephew. Who knows? I may have more nieces and nephews in the future - and being a Zia is pretty amazing.

Here in this household of everyday average poopy diapers from Publix, the LittleDude and LadyBug are doing everything a 21 and 9 month old should be doing. Acting like children all over the world. This is my sincere hope.

You see these angels?

Well recently Prince LittleDude has been going from Angel to Devil's spawn in the blink of an eye. I mean serious knock down, thrashing on the floor, hitting, kicking, slapping screaming until red in the face tantrums that half the time we can find zero rhyme or reason to. Oh and the cherry on top? He no longer wants to go to sleep. Or stay asleep. Period.

Goodbye child modeling career. Oh and Money see Monkey do. Princess LadyBug is become one tough ass little miss. Good news, she isn't letting ANYONE, including a big temperamental brother push her around. She is happy, determined and loves to smile and giggle, but takes shit from NO ONE. This could be very good or very bad for us as she hits toddlerhood, but only time will tell.

Sis found a hilarious article about 46 reasons a 3 year old might be having a meltdown. Check it out here.

Funny, facetious and terribly terribly true. After laughing we have both been looking for answers on the internet and have read a lot about why this is happening, his stage of development and frustration, being overwhelmed and unable to express himself in any other way then throwing something across the room. On one hand I feel better, his behaviors and entry into the "Terrible Two's" is completely normal. On the other hand by the end of a day with 2 dozen tantrums behind us and 30 mins (on a good night) of screaming instead of going to bed ahead of us - Zia generally pours herself a big glass of "today is almost over, I can make it through the rest"...otherwise known as wine.

It's sis I feel sorry for, the only way to get him to sleep is for her to bring him into her bed, a habit she (and I ) are scared to create - but the alternative is having the condo board kick us out for excessive noise violations. So she gets more sleep deprivation minus the wine. She has it rough, but in fairness I do cook incredible meals for them daily (more on that in another post), and we are all in this together as a household.

If you can believe it LadyBug sleeps right through it in the crib right next to him.

For now.

Someday not in the very far future the royal baby who is 3rd in line to the monarchy of the United Kingdom, will most likely throw a royal tantrum - or 12 - at a royal family event. It could be in front of dignitaries from around the world, or just the Queen mum, but it will happen, because royal, or not every kid goes through it, can't be trained not to and thats a fact.

It's only fair right?

I just hope they Tweet about it.

Eye Spy

2013-07-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Well truth be told I don't spy very much with my little eye these days and I am getting increasingly frustrated.

I am a writer. I am a photographer. Ok so I am clearly not a professional at either and lord knows I haven't been paid all that much in my life to do either...yet, but I worry about my ability to do either one anymore.

If. I. Can't. SEE!

Ok - so there are a few things going on here. First off, I have been wearing glasses since I was in the 2nd grade - and yes let me tell you how much fun THAT was. Little kids are mean therefore awkward, slightly pudgy girls wearing hot pink clear Lucite glasses in the 2nd grade (at least I was fashion forward) get teased a lot. It sucked, but I only had to wear them for reading the chalkboard not on the playground, I got taller, I got thinner and more of my friends had to start wearing them so it all evened out in the end.

Highschool, ahhh it was the late 80's. The era of BIG! Shoulder pads; I have naturally strong wide shoulders - the mother will relay the epic story of her trying to birth them if you like. Big Hair; at the time I had a LOT of curly hair and my Guido ( I can use that term as I am one as well) hairdresser convinced me to get a perm - good lord you could see my hair coming from down the street, and BIG accessories, including glasses. The 80's fashion was NOT a good look for me.

Sometimes I wish I had saved the frames from that era - but I trashed them in a fit sometime in the 90's after looking at photos from high school.

In high school I played sports so glasses were difficult, particularly when the coaches realized I had one very badly nearsighted eye and one slightly far sighted eye. As it turns out that can really effect your depth perception, therefore effecting my ability to see lacrosse balls being thrown at my head, which is how I tended to "catch" them. A disastrous fitting for hard contact lenses - the only kind available at the time for people with astigmatism - yeah because I needed that additional issue - meant no Varsity sports for me. I actually spent HS and College labeling myself as un-athletic, until I moved to LA and tried different sports and found that I am indeed a very athletic person, I was just playing and participating in the wrong kinds, and then once I discovered Yoga, my balance issues worked themselves out as well. I am still pretty athletic, just no sports with balls flying to my head that I need to catch. Still a problem.

In my 20's and 30's I kinda got into my glasses, as the right frames were chic. So, I became a frame whore. I have always had a thing for designer eyewear. I actually just dug through my box of glasses that I could find and came up with the photo below.

Yup. Burberry, Gucci, Coach, Kate Spade, Versace, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Ted Baker etc..and these are just the ones I can find! I know I have glasses floating around boxes in storage and purses. It's terrible, but in my defense I came by it genetically. When my Gram passed a little over a year ago we found a ridiculous amount of frames from all different era;'s! Vintage! There are worse addictions to have. I think I have more glasses and sunglasses then shoes! But I take care of them and someday will have amassed a grand collection of what will then be vintage frames for my niece to play with.

Ok so what is the point now you may be asking, if you have read this far. Well, age and my wonky eye are getting the better of me. And it sucks

A few weeks ago I started having these incidences where while trying to read my iPhone, or a magazine etc my vision would blur out, badly. I started wearing my glasses more, even though after wearing them all day at work I would have a monster headache by 4pm daily. The blurring problem, kept happening, then it started happening when I was looking at - well life. Anything around me. I had gotten used to having a slightly softened, blurry around the edges view of the world, not that bad really. Listen some things, you just don't WANT to see all that clearly. I could totally relate to a recent rerun of Will and Grace the other morning, when Karen puts on glasses can see for the first time and freaks out screaming about the "devil lenses" Jack made her put on after looking in the mirror. Who needs that? Soft and fuzzy but able to see was working out great, well except for the headaches.

I was actually pretty lucky, I could see well enough to drive (for the most part), see around me, read for short periods of time, at least I could read instructions, and my iPhone etc. I got used to my eyes being tired at night and the blurring that would happen when I tried to read a magazine in the tub. Ok now that I think about it the blurring HAD in fact been happening for about a year - but at times that made sense to me. Not walking out on my porch and tripping because I could't see something on the ground in front of me. I started to get freaked and my migraines were worse so even without insurance, the mother shipped me off to her eye doctor last week. Thank. GOD!

Dr. Jason Schwartz in Fort Lauderdale is AWESOME! Understanding, sympathetic (not expensive) and was BAFFLED It had taken me so long to come in! As it turns out the human brain can supposedly only take the strain of a 2.5% (whatever they use to measure) difference in the eyes. Most people have trouble with both eyes and their prescriptions balance them out. My trouble is only in my Right eye - and he said the difference between my 2 eyes?

3.75%

Yeah I'm not a Dr. but mother has married enough of them for me to know to say "um, thats bad right?" His response, "yes, that's pretty bad". Oh and bonus, my right eye has now progressed so badly, new glasses could sorta maybe help my vision, but most likely won't help my headaches, blurriness and other things that could start happening as my brain says "ENOUGH girl! Can't do it anymore! Do we need to have you start walking into walls and doors you can't see for you to get it?" It was getting there and fast.

Good news is - magical Lasik can fix it! Bad news, did I mention the no insurance thing? Ok, next step - he thought contacts may be able to offer me some help in the meantime. I said "Great, lets pop those babies in!" His response 'Oh no with your eye issue we need to special order, we don't keep them in stock, we don't see your particular problem very often". This being the retirement capital of the world and they don't see my eye problem often? Spectacular.

So today was the day! All excited I went in to try my new lenses. Cut to 2 hours, 5 different types and prescriptions, (he went to stock when the "special" ones were driving me batshit) and my eyes feeling like I was in a fight or have been crying for 4 days, and guess what?

I still can't see.

In fact its worse, sorta. I just stood up and looked across the room at the mirror I could normally see myself perfectly (softly) well in. Nope. Just a blurry mess.

It appears I have 2 options. Contacts that will allow me to read easier (iPhone, iPad, Computer etc) or ones where i can see distance. I chose reading and have discovered the following:

1. I can't see very well when I drive anymore - which makes me fit right into a certain demographic of shitty drivers in Florida.
2. I can't see very well just walking around. My vision needs to "focus" for a micro second - enough time to make me slightly dizzy.
3. I can't read small print, like for example the writing on my new contacts solution bottle which gives the directions for use. Yeah - helpful. I can read it WITHOUT my new contacts - but not with them in because THAT makes sense.
4. I am actually having trouble reading this as I type it.

So far this experiment is not working and I keep reaching for my glasses only to remember the blinding almost seizure result from when I put them on while wearing these lenses. I tried to go back to proofread this blog my eyes hurt so much it's not worth it, so it is what it is.

Next week we try the ones where I can see in life but not so well to read.

I can't wait.

:-(

Is the year REALLY half over already?

2013-06-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

June. The halfway mark for the year. How is it possible? Wasn't it January just a few weeks ago? Time is brutal.

Just ask the crows feet around my eyes and the grey hairs on my head.

I wanted to post about this right after the trip like a normal person but today will work. Especially when I SHOULD be packing for the big move tomorrow.

Procrastination is a very misunderstood and undervalued talent.

6 months ago while recovering from a very mellow New Years Eve....so mellow in fact I have no memory of what I actually did. Probably just went to bed after watching the fireworks from mom's balcony - that sounds about right.

What I do remember is excitedly getting ready to travel outside of the country, for the first time in several years. People who know me understand why this was such a huge deal. It had been over 3 years since I had left the country, something I used to do multiple times a year. I was jones-ing in a bad way for a stamp in my brand new and pathetically empty passport. Yes turning 40 meant a brand new passport and it looked far to shiny, new and lonely without stamps and visa's from other countries. My old one was 2/3 full and I am optimistic in the next 10 years I can do the same or more to this one.

Meanwhile this virgin passport was headed to Nicaragua.

I was thrilled to be invited on this incredible trip. My roommate from college Betsy decided to organize a trip there for HER 40th birthday, 1 month after mine and I was flying to meet her, the 2 Heathers (the other half of the "fearsome foursome" (don't ask) and about 24 of Betsy's closest friends and family.

I could write and write and write about the trip, but I think it is better shown photographically with a brief summary.

Great food & drinks, old friends, new friends, sun, heat, pool time, exploring, lakes, mountains, buses, horse drawn carriages, boats, roofs of busses, monkey's, bats, mean ducks, volcanos, tunnels, adventure, hiking, volcano surfing, dancing and more drinking.

Almost there!

Here are just a few of my favorites, in no particular order - actually completely and ridiculously out of order. You can check out more on an album on my Facebook Photography Page if you are so inclined.

Just hoping I get to go on another adventure during the second half of 2013!

Choices Choices

The Fearsome Foursome still going at 40 and Fabulous!

This is just a given

Thanks to our hosts this was home for the week

Private Island - oh ok.

Splash

Perfection

Hike to the top and then surf down? Ummmm Ok.

Close to the top now as the sun starts to set

Yup. Volcano Surfing. We did that.

Sunset Post Surf

Our lodgings were an oasis

My new friend

Sunset on Lake Granada

Volcano Gasses

Happy Birthday Girl!

My Favorite spot

Mean Ducks

Seeing the photos makes me want to go back! I miss everything!

Well except the mean ducks.

Social Media Meltdown

2013-05-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know that experts say anyone can be found via social media in 12 hours?

Frightening maybe - but for me I don't think it's true. You would be more likely to find me before you finish typing my name in the Goggle search bar.

And it's all my own fault.

I don't know what's scarier. This image, the fact that 2 more on page 2 are also me, or that there are SO MANY Amanda Dugan's out there in the world.

(in case you were wondering 4 of these are me plus 2 more on the bottom I couldn't fit in the screen shot)

I have mixed feelings about this.

On one hand this is the way of the world now. Then of course there is the fact that I am guilty of putting myself out there and I mean REALLY out there into the social media stratosphere which in and of itself is a strange place. It's like a weird popularity contest in the middle of a never ending massive networking event where the cheese is stale and the wine is cheap and served in small plastic tumblers. But don't forget to "check in"!

On the other hand the more visible I get as I gain coveted followers, fans and likes makes me feel victorious..... which is unsettling when I think about it.

It also means if I ever committed a crime I would have to go hide in a jungle in Nicaragua.

Of course they have the internet there. They live in houses with mud floors and corrugated tin sheet walls but they have satellite dishes.

So currently I have the following accounts: (Facebook proper is a given)

This little owl? Well he represents my newest one - Hootsuite which is a tool that helps me organize all of these accounts - which was getting increasingly difficult.

AND - lest we forget my job requires me to Tweet, update our company Facebook monitor our LinkedIn page and Group and of course stay in touch with journalists and be in the know for what's #trending.

Between my work world and my personal life I feel I am on one social media network or another - and thanks to Hootsuite multiple ones at one time - for probably a significant portion of my waking hours.

Oh - and I am a "member" on The Huffington Post, make comments, have followers etc.

The thing is I spend so much of my time writing in 140 to 225 characters complete with the ever present #hashtag that I realize I never take the time to actually WRITE anymore. Like a journal entry, a blog, a story. Although the length regulations has helped me get my point across in a more expedient manor instead of rambling on and on and getting side tracked in what I am trying to say on paper....wait where was I going with this?

So now I write in soundbites with hashtags.

My love of photography is strong which is probably why half of my social networks are visually based (my website, Tumblr, Pinterest, my FB page), but only eclipses my love of writing by a small margin.

I studied communications. I am a Public Relations Director and Social Media Marketer. I was always the "chatty" one in grade school and high school. I was very vocal in college. Maybe it's something that is just inherently a part of me...to communicate.

I just need to get back into practice of writing more then 140 characters.

So my goal is to write more, tell more stories, share more experiences both visually and with the pen, or keyboard as it were. Of course I realize that the more I share, well the more impossible it will be for me to #flyundertheradar or "go off the grid".

Oh well it's obviously to late to turn back now. I mean even when I was in Nicaragua I posted pictures to my Facebook. It's a hard habit to break, and of course everyone else was doing it too.

So more real writing. More photography. More internet visibility. Maybe when I Google my name in the future the whole first page - or at least first 5 hits will be about me. I just hope it's not for anything bad......

In the meantime I wish the '#' symbol didn't take 3 clicks to get to on the iPhone keyboard it makes it more difficult to tweet. #FirstWorldProblems

Hey #Apple could you do something about that?

Oh, and of course....don't forget to follow me! :-)

My Newsfeed went RED, did yours?

2013-03-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hotbed subject of the week. The supreme court and marriage equality.

Even Yoda and Grumpy Cat are making their opinions known.

In the past 24 hours I have watched friend after friend (myself included) change their profile photo to one that depicts their support of marriage equality, regardless of the individuals sexual orientation. I think over 100 of my friends and counting have done it. Yes I went through my friend list a little while ago and counted - I am keeping an eye on you!

Some of them are so creative I had to share.

This one is just nice

Awesome

Even Grumpy Cat got into the action (media slut - ha ha)

Everyone believes in bacon

My personal favorite and my profile picture which comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me!

The original one that started it all

I posted this article from Mashable about big Brands that are giving a shout out for Marriage Equality on their Social Media channels in my LinkedIn Group asking people if they think that its a true show of support or if they are capitalizing on the publicity. You can join the commentary by joining TV Brand Integration on LinkedIn if you are so inclined.

Finally, my daily MuckRack newsletter came in and posed a question that really made me pause and think about the way our media has and continues to change. I decided to answer it publicly (sent it to MuckRack as well)

In answer to: What do you think of journalists changing their profile photos in support of a cause? Should they refrain to remain objective? Or does Social Media level the playing field on opinions?

Journalists reporting the news are supposed to be objective, unbiased and temper their own opinion; but the reality is that is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Even without expressing their opinion on a subject matter, there are so many instances where it is apparent which way the writer (or the publication) leans on an issue. It is easy to report objective facts selectively that give a hint to the authors true feelings without out and out saying it.

“It was every day implied but never declared” – Jane Austen

However journalists are people. Humans. Individuals who can be and very often are directly affected in one way or another by a political hotbed issue such as Health Care or Marriage Equality. Everyone has a right to their opinions, Freedom of the Press / Media ensures that for Journalists. Social Media may have changed the way we receive our news, but not the basic rights of the people reporting it.

In the end it is the journalists right to make the decision as to whether or not they want to take a stand publicly on an issue or not. Regardless if they do or don’t they have their opinion and more than likely we will read about it...

even if it’s hidden between the lines.

~~~~~

It's something to think about. Are you making your opinions known publicly or keeping them to yourself? Feel free to tweet me with a response @PRShutterbug

Obvious my opinion is.

Update 3/28/2013

MuckRack Daily chose and published my (edited) response.
Which is cool with me - I've always needed a good editor.....

Go West My Girl, Go West

2013-03-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

2 years, 296 days and 2 1/2 hours ago I pulled my highlander away from the curb in front of my house in Venice Ca to head east on the 10. But who's counting?

Yesterday afternoon, my plane skimmed over Sepulveda right before it hit the tarmac at LAX with the big blue pacific in view ahead of me and my eyes filled up with tears.....of joy. I was born and raised in Philly and Jersey, spent 4 amazing years in New England, and half of my family and loved ones live with me in Florida - so those places should be home. And they are, in a sense. There are many things I love and miss about all of those places. However, on an early morning walk down the hill to the pier this morning, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf coffee in hand, the pacific ahead of me, the sun shining on me face while I was bundled up against the crisp cold morning I can't deny the truth that tugged at my very soul.

I. Am. Home.

Mountains. How I have missed them!

My host Nick. Missed him so!

Just a beautiful Southern California Morning

Waves! Surf-able Waves!

This is how to start a morning. Hello Surfer boys!

This is just the beginning. I have days of reconnecting with friends, my old home and if I can get ahold of a wet suit and a long board - the Pacific.

I'm back where I belong.

Eat, Drink, Play, Repeat

2013-02-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

While working on one of our shows, All Mixed Up I have gotten to know our celebrity host Chef Ralph Pagano quite well over the months. I have observed him through the planning stages to the opening of his newest venture - Alba Seaside Italian at Sole on the Ocean in Sunny Isles FL.

So, I have been spending a lot of time there the past weeks, literally every weekend and then some, doing photography, tasting drinks and food....I know its a rough job being friends with a chef....bringing family and friends to dine, and really the same word that escapes everyones lips upon their first taste of either a signature cocktail like the Ginny Rogers, or their first bite of, well anything is the only word I can choose to sum up the entire experience.

Wow.

Not my literary best I concur, and will not win me any food journalism accolades. I should be using others such as, divine, exquisit, epicurean mastery....but lets be honest people, this isn't food and wine magazine, its just little old me and I am going off of the real life reactions of every person I have brought in there to try it for the first time including myself, just WOW.

The view is one of a kind, nothing but aquamarine crystal blue seas during daylight hours. Poolside and beachside dining by day, upscale casual elegance with a bit of gangster whimsy and homage to the great Sophia Loren (a personal idol of yours truly, to look like her at ANY age would be a dream) by night.

Then again a place can be as beautiful as they come but it's the food that makes it or breaks it baby, and Alba does more then deliver the goods. They own the goods.

Comfort Food is an over used phrase for sure, and completely relative to most people, but Chef Ralph Pagano takes comfort food to a level I have never seen here in Florida. I know I sound biased but I am a Northern East coast Italian food snob who has been disappointed with the food options in Florida for years now.

I have brought friends from Los Angeles, my family (the mother is the toughest critic of them all) a columbian couple who have seen and tried every single restaurant in south Florida and most recently our celebrity host from LA Julie Moran, and every single one of them starts by uttering...."Wow". See its back to that word - in encompasses all there is to say about Alba Seaside.

You have NEVER had mussels cooked to perfection like this I am willing to put money on it.

Yes I work for Oysters, not a bad gig

The biggest compliment is that every single person I have brought there, immediately starts planning when and how they can return. It could be Chef Pagano's dynamic personality and infectious enthusiasm as he brings the bingo wheel over at the end of each meal to explain the game of chance, "The Vinny D Split". You have to go and find out, I can't give away everything all at once, what fun is that?

It could be the special attention from the staff and manager that we always receive, although even though I am a friend I have noticed that kind of personal attention and service is lavished on all clientele - which probably accounts for the repeat business. It could be the food, every dish hitting the mark of perfectly cooked and executed. Have you ever had Lobster cooked the correct way? I have now, twice...at Alba.

My guess is it is combination of all of the above and more. There is always something new to discover and it keeps bringing people back again, and again.

Personally its just fun for me to walk into a place and have everybody know your name ....yes you get the reference, I mean come on...who doesn't love being treated as one of the insiders? Shooting photos for Alba means I am constantly being fed oysters, mussels, stone crabs and being sent home with top shelf wine. Membership has it's privileges.

Alba. Check it out. Once you are in, you can't leave. You won't want to.

Check out Alba Seaside Italian on Facebook for events, and specials such as WTF -something I can't wait to attend!

And if you have any problems getting in - let me know.

I know a guy. ;-)

Very Important Ducks

2013-02-17T09:14:00.004-08:00

Just a few rubber duckies

One of the perks of my job is getting to meet and work with great organizations in the area. Last summer Designing Spaces did a makeover for Kids In Distress so I got to know and become friends with some of the girls who work there. Well after they jumped into our project last week where we made over Joy Stewarts home....you can see that story in....
The Huffington Post (she says all casual like it wasn't one of the bigger hits of my career)....I got to hang out with them again.

Thats a lot of ducks

So yesterday they had their annual fundraising event the Duck Derby, and luckily for me it happens on the New River right in front of my building! Just the view alone would have been cool, but the girls at KID put me and my family and a few friends down on the list for their V.I.D. tent.....making us Very Important Ducks!

It was a blast. Food, drink (the alcoholic kind of course), music, a petting zoo, games and a couple thousand rubber duckies released into the water. Now while the monkey and the lady bug are still a tad young to appreciate it, its just fun to get outside around other families and enjoy the beautiful South Florida winter day.

The monkey man is pretty mobile these days and climbing stairs is his new favorite thing. Lucky for us there are several levels of stairs in front of The Broward Center of Performing Arts that he could climb again, and again.....and again.

A few of my snaps from the day.

Follow me Zia - for the 5th time

Well come on.....

Ms. Prim just chilling by the river

Next up today - the Kite Festival at Haulover beach in Miami! I do like South Florida in the winter.

and then there were 2

2013-02-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

In recognition of the fact that I can't start every blog post admonishing myself for neglecting my blog and all of the events in my life for 2012 this will be the last time.....probably.....well we shall see.

Aside from not following the growth and magical moments of my little monkey's life in the past year, honestly I am not sure there is a more photographed child, but I also completely disregarded announcing the arrival of his sister.

Bad Zia

Yes we had a new arrival last year, exactly 1 year and 1 week after Chase Kalman was born, on October 31st 2012 we were graced with the arrival of Alexandra Primrose - who hence forward will be referred to by the name she has been called since she was an hour old. Primrose. Or Prim, or my lady bug.

Sadly Ms. Prim and I didn't get the immediate boding experience as my monkey and I did After yet ANOTHER long, grueling and dare I admit far worse labor for my sister - I swear I don't know how she did it, it was determined - far to late in my opinion, that the big girls shoulders were turned wrong and she was trapped - so in the blink of an eye we were cleared out and sis was whisked into surgery for the emergency C-Section, without me. The result of that was that I could only view her through the glass of the nursery and was unable to hold her until much later in the day. Then, as I now live in my own apartment and have a job, unlike when Chase arrived and we all lived together so he actually slept in my room for the first week, my visits with Ms. prim were few and brief her first few weeks.

Well none of that matters, because now I am in love all over again.

Alexandra Primrose 1 week old

Ms. Prim and her Zia on Zia's 40th birthday. She is already a pro at dining out 6 weeks old.

My Beautiful sister and her family

So now we have what they call "Irish Twins" in the family. 1 year and 1 week apart. It's not easy I will tell you that and I am amazed at my sisters strength in the face of sleep deprivation, she is 7 years younger then me - but still. Currently we have 2 teething children, one running all over and beginning to talk, and one who will be soon trying to crawl. Chaos is a tame word for it at times, but the joy they bring far outweighs anything else. Easy for Zia to say as she gets to go home to her bed, bubble bath and bottle of wine but I try not to rub that in.

The best part is that they will grow up together, so close in age that they will be each others companions, playmates and friends. I am sure we have a lot of fighting and crying ahead of us as well, but for now- Chase loves to hug and kiss his little sister and watching him, which she does constantly, makes Prim smile.

and then there were 2

And so a lifelong adventure begins......

A Story of Joy

2013-02-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

OVER A YEAR! I have been so busy writing and being a publicist (and photographer) again that I have negelected my own blog in favor of others for work.

Bad Amanda.

So I decided to get back in the groove by sharing my blog post from my company blog. Its a back story of an incredible makeover Designing Spaces just completed.

A Story of Joy

It’s a sad story with a happy ending in the making, for Joy Stewart and her grandchildren. One day in December, Broward County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Edward Ragauskas went to Detective Lisa Sokol for help. He had found Joy Stewart living in a home with no heat, running water, electricity or food with her four grandchildren. Grandchildren who had health issues due to being born to a crack addicted mother who had abandoned them in New York.

Detective Sokol and Deputy Ragauskas put out a call for help to their fellow Broward County Sherriff’s Deputies and the word quickly spread. Food, clothes and toys were donated; money was collected to turn utilities back on. Huge name national stores such as Wal-Mart, Brand Smart and Home Depot donated things like a water heater, refrigerator, food, clothes and toys. A very Merry Christmas for sure; however the state of the home the family was living in was not fit for habitation and as the holiday spirit of charity started to dwindle, the good deputies of the BSO were at a loss what to do next.

At that time the local branch of the national non-for-profit Rebuilding Together® stepped in and with them they brought the producers of the locally produced national hit home improvement show Designing Spaces™, airing on Lifetime. After taking one look at the state of Stewart’s family dwelling, the Dream Team at Designing Spaces decided to tackle the single largest makeover they have to date. With the help of Rebuilding Together, the Broward County Sherriff’s Office and the local emergency shelter Kids In Distress, where Joy’s grandchildren had been housed until she was able to bring them home, Designing Spaces is redoing and furnishing the entire house room by room.

It’s a story that is not over yet; but one that shows the magic that can happen when a community comes together and helps create Joy.

# # #

While I can't take any credit for the photo - which is fine - I can take credit for the press that attended and covered it!!

Check out the following link to see the heartwarming reveal coverage live.
And I promise to start posting more of my work, thoughts and photos once more - for those of you who are interested!

CBS 4 Miami Piece
Sun-Sentinel Florida

Oh yeah I am now a tweeter so TWEET with ME!

Follow @PRShutterbug

39 things I am thankful for

2011-12-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

Another birthday has passed. 39 years on this planet and a lot of things have been going through my mind these days. Obviously the last few weeks have been filled with a lot of loss. I lost my job. My beautiful girl Asher and then finally my Auntie E. That in itself would be enough to make anyone stop to think, but then add the losses of the last 3 years. My Uncle Steve. My business. My home. My life in California, all of my money and in a sense my independence. Moving back "home" at this age was a huge pride swallowing event in my life. Add all those together and it's no wonder that I have started losing other important things. My sense of humor. My joy in life. My confidence in myself....I could go on, and honestly for the past few years I have gone on and on and on in my head, to my family to those around me who - even with my not so pleasent personality at times - have still stuck by me and love me regardless. As I lay in bed sick over the weekend, mourning my aunt, the nearing end of my 30's, missing my dog, an interesting thing happened to me. I sat up yesterday, sick and all, looked around and decided that the chapter of loss is offically OVER in my life. Done. It's time to close that book!

Now I can't control life. Bad thngs still happen, and with an alarming regularity, to all of us. The only thing in the world I have any control over is how I view things. I used to be a positive, upbeat, downright hyper-active spaz in love with life. I have been the opposite of that for to long. I have spent to much time dwelling on my mistakes, the things I don't have and the uncomfortable situations in my life, and not enough, well if I am being honest here, ANY time focusing on the things I do have.

I can't change my entire way of thinking over night, but as with anything - you can't get anywhere different without taking the very first step. So I have decided, for every year I have been blessed to continue to breathe in and out and live, I will find something to be thankful for in my life. Here we go.

1. My home. I never in a million years saw myself at 39 still single and back living at home, but reality...I am SO lucky hat I had a home to come back to and a family who took me in with no questions asked.

2. My Mother Elaine. Yes a lot of the time living with my mom is like living with a teenage sister. She borrows my things without asking, still can't figure anything computer oriented out becasue she knows I will do it for her - and we fight and call each other names. However, she is taking care of me and supporting me, and our whole family in every way possible, and she never once makes me feel bad about it. I'm so blessed that 39 years ago she had me.

3. My step-mother Vicki. I am so lucky that she married my dad, and helped raise me. My childhood and life has always been filled with chaos and she has always been the calm port in whatever storm I have found myself in.

4. My Siblings, Francesca, Kathleen and Sean. I could write pages and pages on the things they have done for me and brought to my life and how they have helped me. I am so so unbelievably blessed to have every single one of them and the relationships we have.

5. CHASE! My beautiful perfect nephew. I am so thankful that my sister and I live near each other so I can share in the experience of watching him grow.

6. Putting my dog to sleep. Yes I know that sounds bizarre, but I have been thinking about it. So many horrible things COULD have happened to her like getting hit by a car etc, but didn't. I had 12 wonderful years with her, and I was blessed to be there and hold her and give her a peaceful departure from this earth. It's something you never forget and I am thankful I was able to do it.

So While I am on the - spin a bad thing into a good thing role...

7. Living with my grandmother as she slowly slips into dementia. I won't lie - this one is a really hard one, but how many people get to say they got to spend so much time with a grandparent in their final years. Its one of the hardest things I have ever lived through, now, but I know someday I will be grateful for the time I got to spend with her. (this is something I have to tell my self daily from now on, as I try not to lose patience, a trait I am lacking in)

8. Failing at and losing my business. Another tough one, I have spent YEARS beating myself up about it but the experiences and benefits while I had it probably outweigh the bad. Most importantly Failure - means you tried for something. I would rather try and fail then live a life never trying for anything.

9. Being diagnosed allergic to Gluten. Ok not eating bread, pasta or pizza (hmmm I'm getting hunrgy now) SUCKS - however....it's better then the year plus I spent sick not knowing why. Finding out now probably saved me from a whole host of worse health problems in the future.

10. My kitty cat's. Pagoda is a little bastard, Lucy is a little fatty and at this very moment trying to climb up the Christmas tree, but they bring joy to the entire house. I guess I am a cat person now.

11. Old Friends. I mean what else can you say about people who know everything about you and love you anyway? I'm REALLY thankful I have so many people from different times in my life I stay in touch with and am able to share my life with

12. Facebook. I know I know - but how else in todays day and age of being busy and living so far from so many of your friends can you stay in touch? And Facebook on your birthday makes you feel pretty damn loved!

13. New Friends. No matter how old you get you always have the opportunity to make new friends, share experiences and the person you are and sometimes they even feel like friends you have known your whole life. I have been fortunate to make a few of them since moving to Florida.

14. Losing my life in California and moving to Florida. Another one that has taken me some time to get to a positive place about - but if I hadn't moved I wouldn't have met some of the special people who are now in my life, wouldn't have been here for the birth of my nephew, wouldn't have...well the list goes on and on.

15. Puff Dragon Boat Racing team. A sport I had never heard of with a group of people I would have never met any other way. Joining my team and the experiences we have shared have changed my life here in Florida, for the better. My teammates are a constant source of inspiration to me.

16. My big linebacker shoulders. They were hell in the 80's/90's time of shoulder pads but they make me strong. Able to do so many things.

17. On that note. My Body. While I have had a love hate relationship with the 20lbs that throughout my life I have lost and gained and lost and gained and...well you get it. I may not have the body of a supermodel, but I have all 10 fingers, toes all my limbs etc. Yes I have some achy joints and jacked up back but reality is my body serves me well, it is strong - gets stronger when I work it and gives me the ability to do and try any sport or activity I want. I need to learn to appreciate it for all the things it continues to allow me to do.

18. Living on the water. For the last 16 plus years I have lived within a bike ride or walk to the ocean. I mean how lucky am I?

19. My creativity. I may not be the best at, or can make a living at any of my hobbies, but am pretty passable at jewelry making, photography and dare I say writing? Comes in handy for giving my family Christmas presents when I am broke.

20. Being broke and in debt. Yikes - this one was hard but I realized recently that I have not been a financially responsible person most of my life. So the experience I am going through now, well lets just say it is serving to teach me better money management so when I DO make a lot of money in the future I will be able to handle it better. (Fingers crossed) Also makes me appreciate the little things so much more

Wow - only 20 so far.... I doubt anyone has read this far but this is for me so we plow on....

21. Being Single. I don't always love this one, but in reality I can do whatever I want, go wherever I like and flirt with whomever I chose without having to worry about anyone else. (I am totally willing to change that all when/if I meet the right person), but for now I will enjoy my situation instead of feel bad about it.

22. My brain. I'm no Rhodes scholar for sure, but I am more then smart enough to get by, to learn new things and learn from my mistakes (in theory). I got half of my dad's engineering brain and half of my mom's creative brain. Not to shabby. Although without spellcheck - I would be lost.

23. My parents getting a divorce. I am thankful they did for so many reasons, but mostly because it means I was lucky enough to grow up with a large extended family that just keeps growing and growing.

24. Knowing how to change a flat tire. Granted I had to teach myself on the fly on the side of 95 in my aunt and uncles car - but its a skill I'll always have. Now if I could only learn to drive stick shift.

25. Being a Godmother. My Chole and her triplet siblings Mia and Harry - not to mention their mother my oldest friend Jen are a huge blessings.

26. Sunsets. Its funny what you take for granted. 15 years on the west coast - you get them all the time, but here on the east its harder and even more special to see a glorious technicolor sky.

27. Big Puffy Clouds. You don't see them quite as often in Los Angeles, but here laying back and looking at the clouds and the shapes they make can be done almost daily.

28. Getting to witness my nephew being born. Terrifying. Messy. Exhausting. But one of the most awe inspiring moments I have ever been blessed to be a part of. Watching my sisters strength and that beautiful boy emerging from her body.

29. Cooking and Food. mmm mmmm mmm. In particular sushi, fish tacos and my new love Pumpkin cheesecake.

30. My travels. I may not have much of an opportunity to travel these days, but I sure have been to some incredible places, met amazing people seen things that take my breath away.

Last 9....so many things

31. My mothers friends here in Florida. With a few exceptions, she has met some wonderful people who have become a part of our family and are supportive of us in so many ways.

32. Flowers. I think being raised by a woman who was a florist and always has to be surrounded by fresh flowers, its another thing I have taken for granted, but they do bring beauty and joy. There really is nothing like getting a delivery of flowers.

33. The people in my life who have passed on. I miss them terribly. If there is such a thing as guardian angels - then I feel a lot better knowing they are up there on my side.

34. My education. I didn't appreciate it while I was in it but I was blessed to go to some pretty amazing schools. So many people are not as lucky as I was.

35. Yoga. When I do it, it helps my mind, my body and my soul. I guess there is a reason its been around for so long.

36. My sister Kathleen's fiance Leo - soon to be my brother in law. It feels wonderful to know your sister has found a partner who will always be there for her and take care of her no matter what. I know he will.

37. Laughter. It is natures anti-depressant and my new year resolution is to do it WAY MORE OFTEN.

38. My eyes. Because I am lucky enough to see, really see all the beauty that is around me if I use them.

And finally

39. Another year of being here. Having the ability to live, to change, to grow and experience everything, the good, the bad the really really bad and the wonderful.

Here's to my last year in my 30's.

"your 20's are for making mistakes, your 30's are for learning the lessons....."

Wearing Grief

2011-12-09T11:54:00.001-08:00

Grief may be a thing we all have in common - but it looks different on everyone. We all have our own way of wearing it. There are 5 stages of grief. Everyone handles them differently, but there are always 5.

It isn't just death we have to grieve, its the life after the death. Its the loss, it's the change it's going on living without the ones you love.

I am blessed that I was born to two parents who divorced. Yes I know that sounds weird, but if they hadn't they wouldn't have both remarried, given me my amazing siblings, incredible step-parents and a vast circle of friends, extended family and loved ones with whom I grew up secure in the knowledge that they loved me. Family isn't always determined by blood, genes or legal documents.

The flip side of the coin is when you have so many loved ones, you have so many to lose. I actually have some friends - god bless them - who have not yet been to a funeral or buried a loved one. Either they are fortunate to have not lost family or close friends or were to young when they lost grandparents or someone in their family, to young to remember.

I have not been so lucky.

Last night I was snuggling with my beautiful perfect nephew, he was asleep on my chest. His parents were out for a well needed few hour break and I was getting my fill of "baby smell". You know that smell newborns have that has some sort of intoxicating quality to the ones who love them? Mom came in to kiss us goodnight, and I turned back on the TV. It was a blissful moment of peace. Moments later I heard my mom crying out my name as she came into my room sobbing with the news. Life went from serene and contented straight to anguish and pain in the time it took for me to hit pause. I realized it's always been that way. Whether it's a prolonged illness or a sudden accident, every moment of my life when I get the news it hits out of the clear blue sky - ripping apart everything in seconds. Then one of the 5 stages of grief begins and you begin to wear it in your way.

45 plus years ago at a fraternity party at Villanova my dad introduced my mom to Evelyn Porecca, a young woman dating one of his fraternity brothers whom dad thought may get along with his artistic / fraternity loathing fiance. He was right, and they became best friends from that day on. More then that - they became family. Mom was an only child and Ev was so much like a sister to her and such a part of our lives that she was my Auntie E from the get go. I honestly think I was several years old before I realized she was not in fact blood family, but it didn't matter. She was my Auntie E and I was her "baby girl". Last night mom picked up her messages to find my "Uncle Jim" letting us know that the previous afternoon at 3:45 - the precise time I was arguing with mom in Publix - rather childishly - that no I didn't want brisket for my birthday dinner on Sunday - my Auntie E had passed away, just several hours after she had been admitted to the hospital for what they thought was Pneumonia. Just like that her lungs gave out on her - and she was gone.

I just did a search on the Internet - and there is no obituary up for her yet, which doesn't surprise me as she was the writer, so really I don't know who would write it for her. She was a columnist for the Washington Post for this past decade (maybe more) with the byline "Teacher Says" and an educator most her her life, writer, published author - she also has been battling cancer for the past 25+years. Fight, Survive, Live - repeat. It was her existence for decades - so much so that it didn't dawn on me that she one day wouldn't go through the entire cycle again.

As I sit here and think back on my life, the last time I spoke with her. The last time I saw her on a trip she and uncle Jim took to Los Angeles. The first time I ever came to Florida to visit her when I was 10. Her loud crazy infectious laugh. Her wrist full of dozens and dozens of gold bangles (which I coveted since childhood) that made her jingle and sparkle when she used her hands to talk - an Italian trait we share. Her stories, her exotic smelling perfumes and her persistance my whole life that I should be writing at all times. She encouraged me as a child to write. To write in journals, to write stories to write about the feelings I had that upset me. Always a teacher, always a writer and most importantly always a fighter.

I will miss her dreadfully, and I know my mother is heartbroken. She lost one of her oldest friends, and life will never be quite the same. I feel terrible that it takes death for me to remember to appreciate life. I know Auntie E would be right pissed at me if I didn't appreciate what I have and every moment I am given. So in honor of her that's my birthday resolution. I know it won't always be easy but it's my plan. To do my best not to wear my grief, instead to take a page from her book and to wear life. She always wore it with such style.

Dedicated to Evelyn Porecca Vuko.
December 7, 2011
Rest in Peace my dearest Auntie E

The Gay Life

2011-12-04T06:51:00.001-08:00

When I was young, my upbringing was slightly different then my friends. I was raised by Gay men, which in the early 70's was akin to be raised by wolves (albeit fabulous wolves) except there was a lot of tulle and ribbons. Mom was a single working mom who was moving into the world she would occupy the rest of my life - the world of interiors, design, parties and flowers so who do you think her partners and friends were? She tells me stories of how they cooed and oohed and dressed me up in elaborate get-ups, like their very own living doll, and would prop me up and say "Isn't she divine?"
No wonder that for the rest of my life I would always seek advice and fashion counsel from gay men. Of course when it came to the messy bits, like poopy diaper or strained peas all over my cherubic little face - well they didn't like that part. Mom came home once to 2 of her besties washing me off by holding me up in the sink and just spraying down my chubby little bottom with the spray attachment on the faucet while trying to hold their nose and not gag. Gay men in the 70's who were out and proud had not yet evolved to the idea of having children themselves - as sadly it was not a situation society was ready to allow. So the unpleasant and smelly part of babies was not fun - and "darling can you take her, I would just die if anything got on my silk shirt"

As I grew up - having gay men as "brothers" or "uncles" or just close friends in the family was something that was so everyday normal to me I never felt the need to address it or explain it until I had friends over in grade school who were baffled at to who these scantily clad man were, wearing more jewelry then their provincial Lily Pulitzer wearing mothers even owned and flitting around our chic black (yes black) pool floating gardenias in it because it was elegant. When I would look at my friends alarmed big eyes I would turn to my current uncle of the moment - try and see what was so odd about them , shrug my shoulders and move on. I didn't see the problem, never did, and for a young girl who was unnaturally obsessed with angst over body image and trying to fit in, this was one area of my life that was glaringly odd yet didn't bother me in the slightest.

I got cooler presents then my friends (box full of feathers anyone), witnessed crazy fun parties unlike any of my other Main Line of Philadelphia friends parents threw ( I did wonder why NONE of my friends parents mixed socially with mine until I witnessed a party at one of their houses and was so bored I wanted to drown myself in my shasta). Parties at my house tended to be elaborate, many times costumes and inevitably ended up with drunk people in the pool, with very little clothing on. It was pretty awesome to spy on.

I learned about art, and fashion, textile and flowers. Then sadly I also learned, to young about the cruelty of people who were anti-gay, and was educated all to personally about the devastation of AIDS. I was the only person in my high school that I knew who lost a close close friend to AIDS. I still remember our last Christmas with him and gained new-found respect for my stepfather who was from an even older generation, one that didn't accept or acknowledge homosexuality. He accepted and loved Michael and as a doctor sat me down and educated me on the realities of AIDS. You will NOT catch it by hugging the person you love etc and told me not to be scared and to treat him with all the love and respect I ever had for him as he is the same person and we wouldn't shun him if he had Cancer would we?

So in my life I have always had gay men and then when I became an adult gay women as a regular everyday part of my life without ever giving it much thought. I love the fact that now a days my generation finds no reason to make someones sexual orientation an issue. Well ok maybe just the people I surround myself with, I know there is a whole country of small minded bigots still roaming around. Sad. I feel sorry for them.

So I know why I love gay men and why one of my best friends today is one, but I never understood why they loved me so much until last night.

Last night my bestie took me as his date to a very swanky fundraiser for GLAD at one of the most amazing estates (complete with yacht) in our tony neighborhood. I really should have taken pictures but I found juggling my beautiful clutch purse, a glass of wine AND trying to balance on a twisted ankle was far to much for me to handle. iPhone camera or wine? If you know me you know what I chose.

When some of my new friends were gushing over how fabulous I was and how much they loved me, I naturally assumed it was my witty and charming personality filled with funny anecdotes as well as my ability to listen to them talk about themselves and tell them how fabulous they are (note when you are a straight women surrounded by gay men - you need to do this and you will get a lot of compliments and love in return) But no, I was wrong, while they did adore my self deprecating humour, what I found made me so popular - the veritable straight girl belle of the gay ball was something I never would have expected. It was - wait for it......my breasts.

WHAT?

Seriously? My boobs, my girls, the amazing cleavage they were presenting and then when the boys found out that they were REAL?!?! WELL!!! (In South Florida finding a girl with real boobs of my size is a little like finding a pearl in an oyster...OK a slight exaggeration but you get the point). So for the rest of the night as the liquor flowed I continued my education on the dating/mating rituals of gay men - not for the shy girls, it's all in the details, and was treated to constant glowing praise of a part of my body that I was blessed with and have absolutely no hand in. Well not true - being 10 plus pounds overweight at the moment only increases their - well attributes. The best part is that they very sincerely made me feel beautiful, their compliments were not sexual in nature, from a straight guy it would be downright pervy they were an honest appreciate for a women's body part that some (not all) gay men have sincere envy over. Who knew?

That's what I love about life in general - you think you know all there is to on a subject, being surrounded by gay men my whole life I was feeling rather self-important in my knowledge and then a curve ball comes out of left field and you learn something new. Something fabulous in my mind! Oh yeah and last night I learned something else (well many things but some are not fit for a PG blog) and that is that all the best looking men in Fort Lauderdale are in fact Gay.

Sigh

"Quit waiting for Prince Charming - he's already living with Mr. Right"

"Is the viking helmet to much?"

"No darling you look fabulous"

Face the Book

2011-12-02T13:00:00.001-08:00

I remember when I was first begged to join. Yes begged. A friend I had a great time hanging out with in London - who introduced me to all kinds of people, implored and convinced me to join so I could share photos of our 2 weeks hanging out with all our new friends. I actually thought "hey kinda cool way to keep in touch with all my new London Peeps" as they were HUGELY into it even though very few of my friends back in LA were .....yet. So on my last day in London I sat in my rented flat, turned on, logged in and joined the first wave of the social media revolution.

Cut to almost 7 years later and it is such a part of daily life that I have turned my tendency of over-sharing and "living-my-life-out-loud" into a career. Well in theory as I am currently back to being unemployed.

This afternoon when I came out of the room where I just paid someone to painfully rip hair out of my body with hot wax (don't worry that will be a subject/rant for another day) the receptionist commiserated with my inability to buy a $300 package (so I could continue the pain and torture on regularly scheduled visits) As it turns out she to is a Social Media and Marketing professional, and said she was psyched to find the job as a receptionist at a waxing center chain before the holidays.

Awesome.

However - that got me to thinking about Facebook once again. Yes I know we had MySpace and other forms of social networking around before Zuckerberg took our lives and showed us how great it was to broadcast them for the world to see... but reality is that Facebook IS the real start of the Social Media Revolution. Now social media is growing and spiraling into areas some of us may have never seen coming and I know there is more on the horizon (talking to live holograms of your friends and families from a wrist band perhaps?) but Facebook is - I guess the University headmaster of the different classes and levels of platforms we use. The Mac-Grandaddy of the social media universe so to speak.

WHY then, is the number one largest social media platform in the entire world not using the considerable resources at its disposal to help the massive amounts of unemployed / job seeking members? I mean employers use Facebook to check us out - why can't they use it to find us for employment and vice vs.

Look guys I know you are up there in Palo Alto busy with making more money then is even fathomable, and making Mark Zuckerberg about to become wealthier then the combined worth of 27% of our nation (I'm sorry I think I just threw up in my mouth a little) but how about helping the rest of - oh I don't know - the WORLD but particularly your own countries economy by setting up a resource for job seekers that doesn't - pardon me - SUCK!

"Bosnia. They don't have roads but they have Facebook" - quote from the movie

Facebook - #FAIL!

And yes - I will still use it both personally and professionally - but doesn't mean I am still not irritated.

And now for something POSITIVE!

2011-12-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

So while I lost my job AND my best four-legged-fury friend this month I have been a total asshole of an auntie and NOT posted the BIGGEST news of the past 35 days - the arrival of my pwerfect litrle man - my nephew Chase Kalman! Below is the moment I fell madly in love after watching my sister go through 25 hrs of hell to get him here (by the way I think single women who still want children should not be allowed to watch the birthing process from start to finish!) But 10 mins later he was in my arms and I was in mad crazy love.

October 25th 2011

I am sure there will be MANY posts about him in the future as I have a BAZILLION photos on my phone and we plan to do his first photo shoot in the next few days! But today when his mom - who shared a life with Asher girl almost as long as I did - read my post and texted me simply... "Snif..." :-( She then did the best.

She sent this picture of what appears to be his first real (non-gas-related) SMILE

I LOVE my little man!

RIP my girl Asher November 14th 2011

2011-12-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

I was to upset to post about this when it first happened - but it's high time now. You deserve a tribute my loving Asher boo boo - for being my faithful friend and companion for over 12 years.

I am forever grateful for that morning 12 years ago where, hung - over I did not end up calling in sick to my 6:30AM spin class I taught at the Marina Fitness Center. When I saw the fitness director walk in with you, all 6-weeks-old with floppy-to-big-for-your-body silky, glossy ears you, I couldn't wait to wrap up the class and come see you. When I asked whose you were, she put you in my arms and said "yours if you want her. If not we are on our way to the pound" oh that was the moment.

When you looked up at me with those huge chocolate brown liquid love eyes of yours and kissed my face I knew that was it. You chose me for your human, life as I knew it was over, and a new chapter was about to begin.

The ensuing years were chaos and love enter-twined daily. You were sweet and playful and damaged enough property for a whole litter-full of puppies. Shoes, socks, down comforters, car headrests, every single toy labeled "indestructible" we could find, and then the piece-d-resistance....an oriental rug worth more then my car. You ate anything that was not nailed down (and sometimes things that were nailed down) A dirti martini, countless loaves of bread, trays of freshly made mancotti - of course Ben and Pagoda helped you with that one - a pot roast for 10 and famously a bag of pot when you were a year old. That one scared us a little - but you had a tummy of steel and just moved on to the next thing.

You had energy abounds, could catch a bounced ball 3 - 4 ft in the air and your obsessions/joys in life were the ball and torturing Ben. Later in years you tolerated and mothered a kitty I put on you and mourned the loss of Ben with me for a very long time.

You moved 3 times in Venice with me, road tripped to Colorado and then we embarked on that 2,700 mile cross country trip together, just you me and the cat. You were such a trooper and a great traveling companion. You never minded me singing in the car and loved to hang your head out the window and smile.

You didn't love it when I traveled all the time. When picking me up at the airport you would be so excited you were beside yourself, until you remembered you were mad at me so you would of course have to cop a 'tude and turn away from me, with holding kisses for at least an hour. But you always forgave me in the end. I will admit it took longer for me to forgive you when you destroyed the one designer suitcase I had ever indulged to buy - but we always came back around for each other.

You kept me safe from intruders, especially that dangerous mailman dude - I mean who did he think he WAS coming up to our house every day like that? You loved the FedEx and UPS men because they knew to bring you treats and on one of our scariest days you threw yourself between me and a dog 3 times your size who was attacking , getting yourself almost killed and severely injured in the process - all to protect me.

You loved the beach but hated deep water and I am truly sorry I tried to get you to swim in the pool once we moved to Florida. You took your job of protecting gram and mom and I very seriously here in Fl and put up with yet another cat we forced on you.

You were a marvel as you were diagnosed with Cushings Disease at 7 and made it until 12 - farther then all the vets warned me. In your final days as you were going down, you were the brave one and I am sorry it took me so long to hear you trying to tell me it was time to let you go.

Putting you down was one of the most painful and dreadful days I have had, and I still find myself looking around the house for you, expecting to see you when I walk in the door wagging your tail and bringing me your ball. It's been hard to be without you.

In the end I feel truly blessed that you chose me to be your human and you showered me with unconditional love everyday we were together for the past 12 years. I will never forget you and I do hope there is a heaven for dogs and you are up there with Ben, on a beach wagging your tail and chasing a ball with that big smile on your face.

Asher August 5 1999 - November 14 2011

I will love you and miss you forever.

Job Hunt Again

2011-12-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

So this is what I get for ignoring my own blog and photography business for a few months. A blank Blog of my own and back on the job hunt again!

At least in the few months I was employed by the photography studio in Social Media and Marketing I learned a LOT - well a lot in social media. Only got my hands on a camera for a shoot of my own one time - pretty poor statistics with all of that beautiful space and equipment - but t was no readily at my disposal. Sigh

So here we are back on the Job hunt, however this time in my spare time I plan to update with my own life, as mundane and lame as it can be.

Social Media Maven!

2011-10-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

It has been way to long since I have updated my own work and life on my blog, now that I am busy being paid to do it for someone else!

My new gig at Studione1 in Fort Lauderdale is pretty amazing! Working on their Social Media - marketing and promotions, and getting to use the studio for shoots, sit in on workshops and observe owner and pro photographer Peter Langone at work! Excellant!

Did my very first studio shoot last week for a good friend who will be traveling around the world for over a year. Her blog will be interactive and her way to connect to her family and friend from anywhere in the world! I can't wait to post the photos - but as my "client" I need to let her debut them on her site first!

So my new goal is to simultaneously update my own blog with that of my work. I am having a blog built for them so that we can update the goings on here daily.

Meanwhile I set up a Tumblr Blog for them! Check it out!

Happy Shooting!

Life at the top - The Staging begins

2011-08-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a Penthouse overlooking the ocean? I have, down here in Florida - land of the high-rise you see them stretch for miles throughout the towns of Hollywood, Aventura, Miami and so forth. With the housing economy as it is - half of them are occupied by the small percentage of the still obscenely wealthy, and the other half seems to be split between vacant or occupied with people desperate to unload due to financial change of circumstance, something I can relate to wholeheartedly (The state of our world and my personal economic problems will surely be a rant for another day)

So how to capitalize on this bad real estate market and economic downturn? As a photographer - gigs for shooting happy pregnant people, smiling babies and loving couples are far and few between these days. Then for my Mother, a talented interior designer, people are not exactly knocking down the door in droves to pay her to re-do their homes as they once did.

So mother and her friend Paula have started a company called As You like It (more on that in the future as I help them build their website and Facebook page etc etc) They still do interior design but have branched out to start "staging" residential and commercial spaces to help them sell, as well as designing and organizing events.

The bonus for me is being her daughter - God love nepotism and mothers desire for me to make money so I may one day be able to move out of her house - is, as they get jobs, and book event plans - who do you think the go-to photographer will be? ME! That was a rather obvious answer I know - just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

I shot the before photos for a job they are pitching on yesterday, and while I am new at real estate photography - and found it trickier then anticipated - I will continue to work on it because I have discovered there is a market for it.

In the meantime while the 6,500 sq ft 2 story condo was a disaster and a lesson in the perils and bad choices in "collecting" masses of kitschy random shit, the view was astounding and I couldn't resist taking the time to fire off a few shots.

While I still love living on ground level and being able to step outside into a yard , there IS something to be said for highrise dwelling - when you have a view like THIS!

Ahhh living in South Florida - it has it's moments.

Oh how they grow

2011-08-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

I've been missing my friends in California lately. My little friends, who are not all so little anymore. I am sad that I am missing so many of them as they grow up - beacuse we all know how quickly they grow!

So I found myself going back through old photo shoots and picking out some of my tried and true faves and doing a little re-editing. (My post production skills have grown a bit since these shoots)

you lookin at me?

and THAT's my final word on the subject!

anyone who knows me knows this is my favorite! She is my business card for goodness sake!

my old next door neighbor Seven - she was SUCH a model!

She LOVED being a test subject for me - I must have shot her half a dozen times at least!

Then there were the family shoots. This family I am biased in my love for as they have been part of my close circle of friends for well over a decade - pre-marriage, pre- kids and I can't BELIEVE I am missing these monkey's as they grow! :-(

What a good big brother. Jackson and Ryan

Action Jackson - this kid was hard to shoot as I had to chase him all the time!

Mommy and Ryan

And then my favorite. The Belly shots followed by the baby a few months later. I am getting geared up for doing that with my sister in the next few weeks - if it would just stop storming here in South Florida every evening and killing our plans!

Mom and dad getting ready for the new arrival

And then comes baby Kaya!

Those little feet are going to be 2 years old soon! I can't stand it!

I guess I was in a nostalgic mood today - missing my little friends, their parents and southern california. Sigh.

Working on getting gigs to shoot little ones here!

and along comes a boy

2011-08-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

There has been something/someone that has been on my mind quite a lot these days. Its the arrival of a VERY important boy into my world. A boy who will become a major part of my life, a serious commitment ....until death do us part.

No not that kind of lifelong relationship - the girl IS still single and as I am living in Fort Lauderdale I'm not anticipating THAT status update to change anytime in the foreseeable future......

No this boy will be of the infant variety. My first Nephew.

He is due to arrive in exactly 10 weeks. 10 weeks and our lives will be forever changed in this house of estrogen horror. 3 generations of Italian women will soon be invaded by a little wee babe.....with a penis. He will show up to be cared for and adored by fun, social, loud, opinionated women galore and a bevvy of fun "fairy godfathers" - a term our neighbor has bestowed upon himself and his friends, the core group of gay men who are regular fixtures at our Sunday night dinners. Oh my....this child will be ushered into more feminine energy then should be legal under one roof. 10 weeks of remaining estrogen dominance.....the clock is ticking......

Now granted I am not the one giving birth and living with him 24 - 7, that gig goes to my sister and her boyfriend, who are both in some sort of blissful denial of how different their life is about to be and how a full night sleep is something they will not see again for quite a while, but as we live so close to each other and are the type of family who is constantly up in each others .....business, life, shit etc.. I know that life will change here as well. Already our garage is filling up with, well...STUFF. The stuff needed for babies. And I tell you - we only have maybe half of what is needed yet - and it's a LOT of stuff. It's amazing that something so small can take up so much space!

So being the good sister that I am I threw the baby shower. The party that honors the glowing mother to be, and allows everyone to get good and buzzed to be able to tolerate watching her open mounds of pastel wrapped presents for the boy. Also being the crazy gluten-free-martha-stuart-type nut job that I am able to be while still jobless and full of free time, the floral tea party themed, gluten-free desert fest that took me 2 days of baking was received with much aplomb. Thank goodness

Wanting the deserts to be Gluten Free I contacted the people at Pamela's Products - the company with the best gluten free all purpose flour and cake mixes on the market in my humble opinion) and found them to be SO incredibly accommodating! They emailed me some special recipes in advance of publication so I could make my sisters request of Red Velvet Cupcakes. If you have Celiac or ever need to bake for someone who has it, I must urge you to try Pamela's Products goods. I have raved about them before on my blog and have to say it is WORTH $16 a bag of flour. Yes being allergic to Gluten is an expensive annoyance but all things being relative - not so bad.

I did go a wee bit overboard on the amount of pastries and cupcakes I baked, but god forbid there was a lack of sugar at the event was my theory. I found that the best way to avoid answering probing questions about my own chronic single and childless status was to keep people liquored and shove pastries down their throat. (Well not literally but you know what I mean)

My one disappointment of the day was discovering that being the caterer, host and sister of the mommy-to-be leaves little time for focusing on photographing the event to the best of my ability. These will suffice, I guess..... although along with being a crazy baking perfectionist I am also hyper-critical of my work. I guess it comes with the territory.

I am however looking forward to the next few weeks of photographing sister in all her pregnant-ness, and once the little man arrives, well lets just say he will be one WELL photographed baby. My permanent guinea pig for practice. I can't wait!

Meanwhile, Lucy better enjoy the silence now - I can't wait to see how the animals react to a screaming infant. Oh joy!

Keeping up with the Jones's....

2011-07-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got a chance to play around on Lightroom by Adobe. All this time I thought Aperture - by Apple was sufficent for photo editing.

WOW!

Lightroom makes all the difference in the world! Between organization and workflow, to digital processing tools that blew my mind ....I now have Camera envy, iPad envy and now SOFTWARE envy!! What's a girl to do?

Find a way to make a lot of money fast that's what! Anyone want to donate $300 for software? Anyone...anyone....?

Current wish list:

Cannon 5D Mark II camera body

Cannon 50 mm 1:4 prime lens

Lightroom 3 Editing Software

iPad 2

Oh yeah and lets not forget the iMac computer

Being a tech geek and a photographer is not cheap!

Somewhere over the rainbow...

2011-06-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

They say everything happens for a reason. I do believe that however I get supremely frustrated at times when the "reason" does not present itself for a very very long time..

In fact I would be lying if I didn't admit to the fact that I get down right negative about it at times and forget that there is a reason behind it all, the loss of my business, having to move back east and in with my family...not being able to find employment etc.... A lot of frustration these past few years. I have a good friend in Los Angeles who is constantly reminding me to "manifest the good" that I want in my life. She is so good at it - even when things get her down - and so I am making a conscious effort these days to do that.

So one day last week I decided what I want and need more then anything is to work for a professional photographer. To find a mentor so to speak, someone to help me further my education and experience by working for them and learning from them at the same time. So I did some research and I found a local photographers website whose work I loved (wait until you see some of it) and thought to myself "you only lose when you don't try", then I sent her an email asking if she was ever in need of an assistant I would love to be considered etc etc.

Well, she told me that recently she had been manifesting her need for an assistant to help her as she is attempting to change her business and further it's growth! So while I haven't been hired yet - the first conversation went well and I am hopeful that our meeting this weekend will solidify things. I love her work, and feel I could learn so much from her. Let's hope that the fates have finally smiled on me and there is a light at the end of the long frustrating tunnel I have been traversing down professionally these past years.

My very own 'pot of gold' at the end of the rainbow so to speak.

Manifesting.....Manifesting....

Not some of my better photos - but they illustrate the point! :-)

Where does our food come from?

2011-06-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did the family food shopping. I generally tend to be a bit better at staying on budget then mom so it is a role I have assumed in the household. Although this time I did make the cardinal tri-fecta of mistakes ...being:

A. Not having breakfast
B. Working out in the hot sun on my first paddle-board lesson therefore making me...
C: Hungry at the grocery store.

Not always the best scenario - however with the heat and humidity of the day rising exponentially every 10 minutes as it does here in South Florida - I pressed on.

After wolfing down a banana to help with the leg cramps and ice coffee in hand I entered our local Publix. With it now being summer I find myself yearning for all things fruits and veggies these days so I headed to that section to go to town. One of my favorite things is photographing fresh produce in open air markets, there is just something so delicious about stacks and piles of fruits and veggies in season.

I do miss having multiple farmers markets options weekly as I was spoiled to have in California (note to my LA friends left behind - you have NO IDEA how lucky you are in terms of fresh produce options - keep those farmers markets thriving!)

Here in Fort Lauderdale, we have one tiny small farmers market down the street from our house on Sundays which mom diligently attends to pick from the limited available fresh produce, fish and homemade sauces. Mother always raised us to be conscious of what we put on our plates and in our bodies, and loves to tell the story of how she "picketed for lettuce" in the 1960's. I jest but really my sister and my love of fresh produce and support of "locally grown" stems just as much from her a-typical way of raising us in the 1980's which was fresh and home cooked meals when she came home from work every night of our lives -I never even saw a hot dog until a friends sleep over in grade school - as it does from 15 years living in the heavily eco-conscious environment of Southern California.

So back to Publix...here I am in the produce section and in the back of my mind are all the recent postings online, in blogs and on Facebook by some of my - mainly Venice, CA friends on the state of affairs in our food industry. Tips on how to shop organically and locally. The news on the big bad Monsanto/Whole Foods debacle of genetically engineered food . The terrible state of the fishing industry and contamination of our oceans, the demise of our honey bee population....the terrible list goes on and on and as the caffeine was buzzing through my nutrition depleted body I stood there in the tiny little overpriced organic section with a bunch of carrots in my hand and froze as the meaning of what I was reading sunk in.

Grown in California

CALIFORNIA!!

I mean it's no secret to my family, my friends here, hell anyone who talks to me that I miss a LOT about my adopted home state. I miss the fresh locally grown food the most - but I live in FLORIDA! Which means these scrumptious, organic carrots had to travel over 3,00o miles to be in my hand!!!
(OK for those of you who know I like to exaggerate a tad it is actually 2,715 miles by car....)
But STILL!

I then began wandering around the produce dept, past the one shelf of organic choices and seeing the signs.

Grown in Mexico, Chili, California, Costa Rica, FRANCE for god's sake! This is Florida, the sunshine state, I KNOW we have farms here, and the orange juice industry was STARTED here!! Interesting note - the ONLY orange juice in Florida that actually comes from Florida oranges is the brand Florida's Natural. Yep in the state made famous for Orange Juice there is only one locally sourced brand.

Last summer I visited my oldest and dearest friend in the New Jersey suburb of Pennington, near Princeton. She belongs to an organic farm co-op called Honey Brook Organic Farm and goes weekly to pick fresh in season produce like the beans above and the eggplants below to cook for her children and husband for dinner. How jealous am I of THAT? By the way dinner that evening was one of the best I had in a long while. There really is something to picking the food yourself that goes on your plate later in the day, and she is raising her triplets (yes 4 year old triplets) to be involved in what they eat from picking fresh produce from the farm, to planting their own vegetable garden! Yea Jen!

When they have surplus as they do with these amazing tomatoes, she makes sauces to freeze for the winter months so her family is still eating as much produce that is organically and locally sourced as possible, because even in the Garden State of New Jersey you run into the same problems in the grocery store of having to search for locally sourced, and in the winter having to make do with what they have if you want to eat a fruit or vegetable. In fact I am certain that anywhere you live - when you look at your choices for produce it is difficult to buy only locally sourced produce. Some states it is harder then others, but
Florida - for SHAME ON YOU!

So the dilemma I was faced while standing there was the following:
A. Continue to buy fruits and veggies for my family regardless of where they are grown and be a part of the problem.
or
B. Stop buying produce that isn't locally sourced and leave the department with nothing but a few large Florida Avocados (which are so strange looking and I am completely unsure how they taste or what to do with them) and Mangoes - which you can find all over Florida in backyards but are not organic as they are sprayed with pesticides. This option would obviously and severely limit my families fruit and veggie consumption.

Neither option is a win, so I chose organically while I could, and seethed with annoyance as I picked up other offerings and pondered if there is a 3rd option that benefits my families health as well as our environment. I have yet to find that option.

So with limited choices I do what I can for the health of my family and what we put into our bodies. I wait for 20 minutes at the deli for fresh sliced Boar's head meats and cheese that I can pick for its lower sodium content etc, as opposed to the quick pick pre-packaged varieties that are higher in sodium nitrates and preservatives. I choose organic produce, meat etc whenever possible - although it is a VERY expensive way to feed a family of 5 - as my sister and her boyfriend eat with us several days a week...well 6 if you count that sis is now eating for 2. We search for loally sourced fish that is healthy and not on the "bad fish" list, something that is getting increasingly difficult as the health of our ocean continues on it's downward spiral, but that's a rant for another day...
and Mother continues to go to the Farmers Market to support locally grown, even though the beautiful peaches she picked up last Sunday rotted by Monday.

Finally I continue to educate myself, even though the news out there gets scarier with every article, blog post and Facebook update you read.

Some of the best are blogs by friends of mine in California. Jason Stroh, chef, prior owner of Strohs Gourmet in Venice, CA and now Food blogger. Jason is into educating people as well as delighting them with healthful recipes with his blog FreeRangeTuna

Also my friend Elisha Reverby, owner of Elique Organics. While Elisha is an organic Skincare purveyor, she is also an advocate of the fate of the honey bee, and all things healthful and organic for our bodies inside and out. Check out her blog here.

Meanwhile - here in Florida I continue my quest of healthful and affordable goods to feed my family. All advice welcome!