Orzo Salad

Oh yum. Jon and I were at Whole Foods a month or so ago and I was shoveling a ton of food from their supremely marvelous buffet into my $7.99/lb To Go box. Pricey but sooo good, fresh, and tasty. Among the variety of curried tofu I scooped into the box, there was this wonderfully light orzo with veggies and feta. I don't recall ever having orzo before but I'm happy I tried it 'cause it was LIP-SMACKIN' GOOD! UM!

Since then I've made it twice. The first batch was just as good as Whole Foods' and the second batch turned out kinda dry and tasteless. Definitely needed more salt and lemon juice. But hey, as long as it looks good in the picture, no one will ever know...

Oh. And for all you eco-lovin', green, organic types who tend to give me a hard time for being from Texas (full of shotgun toting, red-neck, planet-littering, red-meat-only types, of course...)

Off the top of your head:
Where do you think Whole Foods was started?
And where is it headquartered today?

Check your Whole Foods 365 Everyday Brand labels.

Uh huh. That's what I thought.

Chives!

This past Saturday I saw the prettiest, most healthy herb garden I've ever seen at a beautiful home in the woods of Yacolt, WA. The garden thrived with basil, lemon oregano, parsley, rosemary, and the chives pictured above. Aren't those pink flowers beautiful? Plus, I'm sure I missed a bunch of other herbs growing in the same vicinity that I simply didn't recognize. So wonderful to see such a mighty collection of herbs.

Group Shot from Derek & Angie's Wedding

Okay, I had to add some more pics from Oahu. Derek & Angie's photographer, Susanne Pridoehl did such a fabulous job. She did an incredible job exposing in full-on sunlight from 9am and on. I'm just amazed at the color and clarity, especially since she was shooting into the sun for most of the ceremony. Amazing. I'm in awe at her skills.

Friends Let Friends Shoot Friends

Josh gettin' his mug on.

Many thanks to my buddy, Josh, for being my guinea pig and partner in crime as we waded through manuals and the fabulous Strobist.
I'm just starting to put my toe in the water when it comes to balancing flash with ambient so there's plenty of improvement to be had, but I'm glad I finally jumped in--with Josh's discerning help, of course.

Here's a test shot from our impromtu session on my back deck.

The Groomsman & Bridesmaid

Another pic from Derek & Angie's Wedding this past April in Oahu. What a cute groomsman & bridesmaid. I dunno...something tells me there's more to this couple than just opposite sides of a wedding party. Must be the eye contact and "come hither" smile they're giving each other...

Completely gorgeous wedding! We were so blessed and fortunate to be a part of it!

Here are some pics from their photographer:

Derek & Angie are GORGEOUS.

Derek looks sweet in his faux hawk. No really. I mean that.

Super Hot Angie!!!

I love this pic of the guys!!!

Luscious Lemon...

I admit it. I made these lemon bars over a month ago, managed to eat half the 8x8 pan, left the rest in the fridge, and decided I couldn't & shouldn't eat the rest of the pan by myself. Since it was so old I definitely didn't want to give it out to friends or bring it to a church potluck. So I finally hauled out the rest a few days ago in order to take its portrait.

After taking several shots, off they went into the trashcan under the sink, never to be seen again.

And me? I didn't feel so bad about their sad demise since I'd gotten some shots out of it...

Byodo-In Temple, Oahu, Hawaii

In our latest trip to Hawaii, we visited the stunning Byodo-In Temple nestled among trees and a mist-enshrouded mountain. We arrived with the grounds to ourselves and were truly delighted by the beauty of the surrounding scenery.

There are so many things to see and love in Hawaii. I keep telling everybody that one day I'm going to live there!

Jamie Livingston's Photo of the Day

Above image courtesy of Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

I came across this haunting & intriguing piece of work in which a man named Jamie Livingston took a Polaroid every day, for 18 years, chronicling his life until his death in 1997. I first discovered this story on PDN's blog, which led me on a trail to Mental Floss's blog, which led me to Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn.

There is a comment reprinted on OTBKB by a person with a screen name of "krippledkonscious" that best describes why the reaction is so strong to Jamie Livingston's work:

"I had to think a little bit about why this is so stirring. This is not a technical achievement, nor an endeavor that requires an inaccessible skill set. This is one thing, done once a day. Something so spare and ordinary, just taken to extraordinary lengths. A simple thing: whatever struck his fancy on a given day - just capture one thing on film. Simple.

"I know a lot of people try to do this on Flickr, but this is strikingly different in many respects. This isn't a collection of forced poses or composed shots or juxtapositions, he isn't looking for something funny, weird, or ironic. I find myself thinking I should try this, but give up within days because I'd try to wait until something interesting happened. That's me not appreciating the ordinary, or trying to force it, and not having the discipline to just do something on principle. These photos are as simple as memories. They don't always make sense, they don't always fit into some grand theme or design. Here is a memory. Here is another. All you need to know is: this was then, on this date. This happened, I was there. Do you remember?

"Nothing seems framed here. You don't feel as if he is trying to sell you anything about himself. I like to think that the people in his life probably questioned this hobby or wondered what purpose it could ever serve - especially in those days before such a scheme could bring you internet glory. There was no market for this kind of thing. Who would care? Why keep at it? No one will see it. That camera isn't even portable. The resolution is terrible. Why bother?

"I think we react to this because it is so rare. A refreshingly simple thing, devoid of polish or fanfare, suddenly set in front of us by chance. It doesn't ask anything of you. You take what you will."

Derek & Angie's Wedding - April 27, 2008

Derek & Angie enjoying the awesome VW Surf Bus given to them by friends and family. The bus was signed, decorated, and filled with wacky stuff in remembrance of their special day.

Our friends, Derek & Angie, got married in a GORGEOUS ceremony on Kailua Beach on Oahu. I must say it was more beautiful than our beach wedding. I don't have any pictures from the ceremony since I was a bridesmaid, but I did find time to snap a few pics & some video during the reception at the awesome beach house where we all stayed.

It was really edifying to watch the wedding photographer and her assistant throughout the day as they captured every moment. The technique of wedding photographers varies across the board and I'm highly interested in seeing how well they blend into the ceremony and interact with the couple to get the best shot. I've seen some pretty bad wedding technique, but on this occasion the photographer was quite good. She was laid-back & out of the way, but always working and offering guidance when needed.

Friends and family watching Derek & Angie open their "wedding night gifts."

Magical Fireworks on Magic Island

Jon & I were in Oahu all last week for a wedding. Jon was a groomsman and I was a bridesmaid. For some odd reason, the powers that be paired us up to walk down the aisle together. I dunno why... I'll post pics when the photographer completes all the post processing.

The above photo was taken at Magic Island in Honolulu, Hawaii, during a cookout at the park with the engaged couple, wedding party, family, and friends. I didn't lug the tripod along on this particular outing so I shot sitting on the grass with my elbows on my knees, trying to keep as steady as possible, while shooting at 1/3 sec @ 5.6.

As far as our time in Hawaii goes...the week itself was pretty awesome: 20 friends in a gigantic house--complete with a pool and hot tub--two blocks from the beach.

Good times.

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.