Pretty Bird

2009-11-05T22:12:45-08:00

Inspiration overload day. New ideas for all my vintage cameras, film, music...shoots, compositions...projects. I gotta slow this down!! Focus! So much excitement! Sourced film for the baby brownie and ansco panda (the more I get into vintage photography...I'm on cloud 9). Learning much about the super 8....hoping the audio/visual thing may not be too far off! Dreams do begin to emerge with persistence. Today - leaves beneath my feet and fresh, crisp air in my lungs....nothing better then running outdoors in the fall...nothing I don't love about this season. I've been taken with the colors...the leaves and the way the sun seems to penetrate deep within them. I'm in heaven. And speaking (remotely) of running. Only a few weeks away from my final test!!! It's been a long haul, to say the least. Hours of burning midnight oil and weekends of books and videos....a summer in my favorite city, yet somehow brutal and intense at the same time (wink)....the trial and error of starting something new. But, I'm ready! And, with new experiences, there is always something fresh to create.

New for me:

I found: This simple, beautiful idea via this lovely lady via....thanks, Jen

I watched: The Brother's Bloome. Loved it.And, Scoop (EH...okay...but speaking of Hugh...he's live!)

I am craving: Burrata and a very particular red wine (nothing quite like Syrah Le Pousseur)

I read: something that always makes me cry

I listened to: This today

I want: Book City Jackets

I discovered: (very beautiful) and revisited: one of my favorites

I *heart* all sorts of art: Loving this and A. Kawasaki's 'my dishonest heart' painting

I would LOVE to shop: Thank you, Anthropologie (speaking of, their new magazine is beyond breathtaking)

Lastly, the kids and I are gearing up for our yearly box packing event. I love to watch what they choose and see their little hand scrawled letters....and imagine a very tender, tiny impact made for a few little lives...for at least a few happy hours somewhere else in the world.

I will leave you with a favorite group....Ciao...Anna

2009-10-23T12:39:05-07:00

McNulty's in Greenwich. The aroma in this shop is not something I can describe. If you love coffee or tea, you know. (I was riding my bike while taking this picture, so...its a might fuzzy. Enjoy.

I adore fall. This is my season...I was overwhelmed driving through the canopy of yellow, dusty brown, vibrant orange and red today on my way through the park. Wow. Talk about inspiration. It's all I can do to resist the urge to stop and collect all the delicate leaves I can find. I had to remind myself that it was wet, rainy and freezing cold. Then again, I've never been one to deny an adventure.

I'm going out of town for the weekend with two of my best friends. In dire need of some refreshing down time....it will be so good. In the meantime, enjoy my most recent discoveries and have a lovely weekend. Ciao...Anna

Really love her blog

Loving these photos of a favorite band

Yes, I would rock this

Breathtaking

Love, love, love

Yes, please.

I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. (as always.)

2009-10-17T21:41:15-07:00

Sucking hot cider through cinnamon sticks with giggling boys. Watching raindrops run down the windows and tracing their path with our fingers. Welcoming the freshest, most intricate new life to the family. First words read aloud. Savoring red wine after days so busy it leaves my head spinning.Apartment hunting and new adventures unfolding. And all the while, on inspiration overload. Welcome my autumn.

I'll unravel a few bits of what has been rattling in my head lately -

Two things discovered this week that made me swoon. I now own a super 8. And, a super8 was used to film this work of breathtaking beauty(by the always talented Jenny Zarins..and I can't ever forget to mention the music behind anything...because it breathes the life, right?) I can now score my own films. (Oh, the imagination has not stopped)

Five books. You need to own these because:

she unlocks the heart and soul of this place in film - sheer beauty

whether you have or have not been to Paris, you will discover hidden gems

what can be acheived with emulsion imagery is stunning

need I explain?

...the light.

Two favorites: Jenny and Bonnie (And check out her Oct 1 on NYC - took my breath away)

Baroque me, please

Am in love

Piano has been my soul mate since I was a very young child.....and I recently heard 1972 by Moccio on pandora....a nice quiet for this season....

Devics, Emilia Romagna on a 1920's piano, Stranger than fiction soundtrack and L'Amore Probabilmente = Dustin O'Halloran (loving 0pus 20)

(stay warm) Ciao.....

2009-09-26T00:16:19-07:00

I walked home from a rooftop films in NY one evening quite late. It was high on the Upper East side...40 blocks along Museum mile....along the park. It was after midnight and though it is the city that never sleeps....that part of the city was sleeping. Grand and stately...old New York. The area of town where the wealthy had settled....holds a different kind of classic elegance that is hard to explain. That particular walk stuck out to me because it was then I realized just how alone I had been that day (friends and family out of town or occupied) and how alone I was in that moment....and how completely okay with that feeling I was. In fact, liberated to know that I was peaceful....even found a bit of solace....in breathing deep the air around me...listening to my own footsteps on pavement....the thoughts and pictures colliding around in my head....it was almost euphoric. And just as well as those intricate moments of being alone and peaceful exist....just as well...certain moments strike the chord that makes my heart swell with longing for connection....I slowed down enough last night to actually watch a movie for a change. No books, no projects...just some empty space. The Fountain with Hugh (sigh) Jackman and Rachel Weitz (who I think is brilliant)....was a bit odd in spaces, but a lovely movie about such deep love. I was reminded of a poem by W.S. Merwin that I read when I was in highschool....a poem that inspired a song of my own and a certain longing for those intricate moments that define love....(above....And to understand.....) Ciao...Anna

Some *superficial* Love:

Some beauty in the movie....(and, of course...the music...Mansell...hard to be bad)

Am in love with this....and this....and this.

I want a few of these

Breathtaking

Totally obsessing over....White owl and Dai

Maybe I just miss it, but I could use a few of these from Nesta

Diggin Erotokritos (as usual)

At times, interesting

Loving this new album

2009-09-22T20:20:01-07:00

(Chibi's Bar NYC - check out the gallery...awesome place.)

Just a bit of love for now, then I'm off for a few days perhaps...!!!

Aside from daily life...gym, study, sweet children....I've been here today:

I'm so excited about the show taking place here tomorrow that I can barely contain myself! (Don't know the music, but just want to hear something live in this amazing space...and seeing good friends along with a big crowd awesome people always gives me a certain 'people high' that's hard to explain) ;-)

Made my day to see this (again).....(and am still totally loving their sound)

Am awaiting the arrival of this work of art (SOO excited!) I have a little journal full of NYC addresses of my most treasured places...now I'll have a much prettier one of Paris...haha) Here if there is not a stockist in your area.

Met this amazing artist downtown...doing a residency at Bemis and is from NYC. I am completely obsessed with the fungus in the pictures...the close up really makes it so much more astounding....very intricate and lovely.

Support the Impossible

Tujiko's tablet makes me sleepy (in a good way)

I really want one

Eluvium is often genius

I still like Hope

2009-09-20T09:16:31-07:00

Happy Sunday. Today is what I call a 'cathedral day'....I awoke to smiling children and breathtaking photos of one of my favorite places in the world, from one of my favorite people. :-) (I miss them dearly..not a day goes by when I don't.) I say 'cathedral' because first of all, I'm eccentric (ha) and certain places and visuals invoke very specific emotion for me. Cathedrals have always held me in this state of....awe, silence....a place that I want to reach out and touch something too big for me to understand....their insides dark and cavernous, their outsides grand and powerful, yet in humanity - an expression of reaching for the unexplained...and hoping to make a connection with God. It's all very beautiful to me. So, yes, these introspective, rather peaceful days...which don't come along often - my "cathedral days."

Today - long bike ride to find a perfect study spot. Possibly here with good friends. And as always, new music discoveries (and some old) but still....I can't escape the grandeur of these sounds and the hold they have on my heart. I only hope to achieve this in my own musical journey someday.

I hope intricate, peaceful moments and intoxicating fresh air finds you all on this beautiful day. Ciao...Anna

Can't get enough of riceboy (and they have made me swoon - completely..this will be my newest library addition)

Rediscovering Walthall after some great time

Loving Bosques simplicity today

Stafraenn's softer side

Broderick's instrumental is really capturing me (love the fact that this piano is so old)

Is God an Astronaut?

Just found Laura....I'm thinking...yes.

And returning here again, and again and again.

2009-09-17T13:25:55-07:00

(babycakes ny - scrumdiddlyumptious!!!! 'Healthy' cupcakes on a favorite NYC block.)

Wow. I don't wanna harp on a topic, but good grief! I'm typically the most overly inspired, ectatic about everything person I know...and what in the world!? Let me just say that there haven't been hundreds (thousands actually) of songs written about NYC for nothing. Shoot...poems, photos, books, poetry, art...you name it...people fall in love. But it's not the kind of love you feel for a favorite tree fallen in the back yard, or a stolen heirloom...oh, no...it's much worse. Its being apart from your soul mate. Don't ask me how, but it is. At least for me. I'm one of those poor souls that fell in love. Fool might be a better word? Maybe.

A little love for the day and then I'm off to study for the coming weekend! At some point, I plan to take a deep breath, open my journal and comb through my NY time...I might be inspired and able to share some more photos...and maybe something totally new here. Lovely week to you all. Ciao! Anna

For all of you creative locals, this place had me in a state of euphoria that I can not explain. The scent of pine..the glow of the candles...the lack of bass traps....I am burning to play a show here! And Shawn is awesome, too, and if he's there (in all his hawaiian shirt glory) talk to him!

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Could this be any cooler?

Ispirato!

I am in love

Is is okay to be obsessed?

All about Vive

Riceboy has my heart today

Does anything bad come out of iceland? (I'm thinking not here)

2009-09-13T22:29:04-07:00

I don't know why, but blogging...even the idea of it, has seemed a bit painful these days. I'm a bit lost in myself. I've been feeling things a bit deeper....intricacies in my surroundings...my music....rain on my cheeks....the milliseconds of things I do not want to miss with my children....even trying to define larger and more intangible concepts like love, belief.....I think going away for a bit and remembering what it feels like to explore, travel....going back 'home' to NY (or at last what really feels the closest to it I've found so far)...so many things to process and build. I've not been able to post most of my NY photos because I can hardly look through them...with all the amazing and intricate memories and those there that I love dearly. It's been a journey to say the least. I'm considering taking everything down and starting something totally new, totally fresh and totally me. I'll be sure to give some notice to you all if I do something that drastic. And I've been known to from time to time.

A few places I've been gladly lost these days:

These have all sort of been the extension of my internal landscape these days...Sylvian..Goldmund... St. Vincent....Cinematic orchestra....

These make me incredibly happy: Lens polaroid gallery and The post family

Such a gorgeous movie (this is not the end title music...max richter actually did the final)

So taken by Banier right now...especially his portraits and written photos

a beautiful work....

Not a big star gazer, but these photos are breathtaking

Totally in love with Julien Capmeil's travel pieces

Hello Again......

2009-08-24T06:34:15-07:00

I'm back. I've not been able to look through my NY photos much less write about them...they still leave a little twinge of longing in my heart that it not easy to live with on a daily basis. So! This is my very first day to unwind. Things have been so busy that I've barely had time to sit down....and I must confess that I've been considering abandoning the blog world to regroup, reorder and come back with something totally me...totally fresh...with music this time. :-) Speaking of music...I found this group in Washington Square park and was completely impressed with them live...and felt like I was stepping back into time a bit, too....okay...starting to well up. I'll be back again very soon. Ciao! Anna

Dreams

2009-06-01T08:59:13-07:00

"Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be." - Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray Love.

Friends, I have begun a process these days. One of opening new doors in so many more ways then embarking on a new career. It feels like pulling all the walls around me to the ground, wiping the sweat from my forehead, putting my hands on my hips and surveying the space. Now I'm deciding how to design the new structure. Spending the past few months exhausted, worn and over worked, I've decided to take these trips into New York - full of education, music and (hopefully) many pictures, and use them as a starting line for where I'm going.

So, as my trip comes near, I have decided to take a break from this blog. I won't have time for posting when I'm away as much as I would like, and I'm hoping after I return, this space can have a much needed face lift and new direction, too. I do, however, want to share photos when I can, so for now, please continue to visit me in my new york space. In the midst of a new career path, I'm also hoping to reconnect with myself in a city that has always felt like home. Go pursue your dreams. Ciao - Anna