I Model Armani

What good is life if you can't have a little fun? This photo cracks me up! Props to my friend, Jayme, for taking this stellar photo of my short modeling career at the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii last week. The look on my face could've been better but I was about to bust out laughing. You should've seen the shoppers cracking up as they walked past the window. Ah... So great.

Spinach & Goat Cheese Phyllo Triangles

Good grief. With all the recipes I've been trying lately my beach bod is fast disappearing. The lemon ricotta muffins I made were quite scrumptious, but not something I'd make all the time. These spinach triangles, however, are absolutely a winner. Most recipes call for feta cheese but I used plain goat cheese from the fabulous Costco (such a fantastic price for goat cheese!)

I've made them 3 or 4 times in the last month (that's a lot for me). I even got a "Those are really good" from my fantastic & hardworking husband. Which I don't hear often, though not because I'm a horrendous cook, it's just that I'm not the healthiest cook around...(wink!)

These keep in the fridge and re-heat really well. With that said, I give these ultra-savory spinach & goat cheese phyllo triangles Two Forks Up.

Tazo Passion Tea

I love this tea! I've loved it for years. I love it hot, I love it cold. I absolutely love it with sugar and I definitely don't like it with honey. Yum Yum Getcha Sum.

Giada's Lemon Ricotta Muffins

I made these muffins yesterday with a recipe off the Food Network from the fabulously engaging Giada De Laurentiis. These are her lemon ricotta muffins with--you guessed it--fresh lemon and ricotta cheese. The dough was so thick and gooey I thought the end result would be closer to a scone, but they turned out super moist and absolutely fluffy. Amazing. Everyone loved them! Giada not only has a winning smile, she has winning recipes as well.

And check out that gorgeous blue plate. Aren't they fabulous?! My sweet husband bought a set of four square salad plates. He knew I'd like them. He has great taste and a great eye for color.
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And then a shot of some moody muffins before they got all pretty and colorful on the set.

Photographer Andy Batt

Andy Batt, Therese Gietler, Melinda Holland (Good to see you again. Those were sweet outfits, by the way.)

From opening night of photographer Andy Batt's Portraits of the World Famous March Fourth Marching Band. The exhibit includes 70 black & white, 17" x 22" prints of the March Fourth Marching Band of whom some of the portraits can be seen behind us in the photo above.

In the same way that I love people watching, I love looking at a series of portraits. Photography creates a portal into human life and it was a privilege to see how each individual chose to interact with the camera and photographer. The lighting and dark background added unity to the show yet each portrait was extremely engaging and unique.

The exhibit is up at Nemo Design in Portland, OR until April 28, 2008. Go see it. The work is truly captivating. If you like Richard Avedon's portraits, you'll like this exhibit.

Oh. And buy some of Andy Batt's work. For a slideshow of the exhibit and to buy 2 or 3 or 70 of the prints, go here.

For the rest of his portfolio, go to his website: www.andybatt.com

Sweet stuff. All hail the Battster.

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Oh, and here's a video from the folks at Nemo Design detailing Andy's show. Thanks to Therese for hooking me up with the link.

Lifeguard Stand on the Oregon Coast

A blustery day on the Oregon Coast. Lots of wind and sideways rain. This shot reminds me of my photo hero's work, Joel Meyerowitz. Fantastic photographer. I'd say he's legendary. His work on Cape Cod stopped me in my tracks. His entire portfolio is incredible but it was his work on Cape Cod that first caught my eye. Meyerowitz's stunning seascapes and documentation of life in all its idyllic quietness gave me a better understanding of what it's like to just live. To just experience. His images are simple yet complex and they arrest me with such a compelling strength.

Oh...I am at a loss to describe the power of his images. I can only strive to see and create as he does. I think I got lost somewhere along the way and started photographing lightly and without thought, forgetting how much Meyerowitz's work inspired me.