Ok, sorry I might be missing the 4 bad ass chicks part :) But, the Moulin Rouge is still here. My good friends Bobby and Ana just returned from their first trip to Paris and London, and it was ever inspiring to talk travel, food,culture, community, and life.

I am currently updating my website and in that intense process, am going through and organising my photos from 2000 to the present (let me tell you its no small feat!) Sometimes I focus so much on the "money" shots for so long, I forget about how many other hidden treasures I have in my photo archives. This was one of those hidden treasures that I have edited, but haven't added to a website or anything else, so I give you the Moulin Rouge :) ( I am sure those 4 bad ass chicks are somewhere nearby!)

Yes, that is actually the name of the town where I took this photograph! If you know me, you will already be aware that Australia is not just a country that I like, and so I won't get on my soapbox about why I feel the way I do about it :)

I met some of the most amazing, generous, humans I've ever met in my life on my last trip to Australia. In Manly, there was a weekly Couchsurfing meetup at a certain bar, and they also had a magician! :) His wallet was always on fire, and he was an extremely clever, sweet man, and entertainer (Hi Jules!) This photo is pleasing to me, and I wanted to share!

This is my twitter backdrop at the moment!!! :) (thanks to the suggestion of my darling web designer and best friend in Australia). I shot this a few years ago in Vermont at one of their glorious Farmer's Markets. Vermont is a dreamland that seems fictitious! I was trying to sort out how you could possibly fit so many trees into one place... among being crisp, progressive (nearly everyone I spoke to relies on solar power) gorgeous, and peaceful, it was also yet another haven for food.

Something about the Autumn really resonates with me- all of the senses are stimulated- the changing of the seasons, the preparation for Winter... I find it is absolutely my fav time of year. I also love anything and everything pumpkin (and corn for that matter) so, this is an especially dorky, pleases-me-down-to-my-bloodstream photo for me. :)

NY Women Run The World! :) I was shooting with my extremely talented friend Jenn Jung yesterday at her house in Jackson Heights, Queens. Jenn has worked with every famous chef in the world at this point, and she is one of my favo(u)rite people in general, but her stories are endless as are her talent and skills in the kitchen. She effortlessly prepared ... what seemed like a million dishes all the while chit-chatting with me.

This one was a particular favo(u)rite of mine (I just ate it, too!) because I have spent most of my life without the glorious taste for beets. I couldn't tell you why, I just didn't grow up eating them, and when I discovered them, they quickly became one of my most cherished foods. Something about eating a warm, gooey, sweet, cheesy tart when it is cold outside that makes you feel glad to be alive. The tart was delectable, and I loved her crumbling green table as the backdrop! This sort of looks like a painting in a way, doesn't it?

This is certifiably one of the coolest things I've ever seen, and eaten :) Having been to France, and spent a fair amount of time in Paris, I would like to venture to say that Parisian bakers are unparalleled in their creative techniques.

The painted chocolate that you see above was part of another delectable dessert from a James Beard Foundation Dinner that I shot. I actually saw these laying on a pan (circular shapes) and did not realise they were edible, I thought that they were bracelets, or some sort of parting gift, hahaha! It still sort of amazes me how the artistry of food can be so intricate and breathtaking. And this one just so happened to be delicious as well.

:)

I was recently dorking out on Meetup.com- and decided to look for dinner/supper clubs in my neighborhood, and join as many food groups as possible in NY.... after all, foodies unite, right? Some of them required that you answer questions before obtaining membership or acceptance into the group- and when I was being asked for my favo(u)rite food... I didn't think I could answer the question. I genuinely struggled because almost everything is my favo(u)rite! I am DEFINITELY a favo(u)rite kind of person- somehow what you like defines you, and speaks about your personality and lifestyle in a way. (yes, forgive me, always waxing philosophic here!)

At any rate, living in NY affords me the opportunity to have authentic pizza at any hour of the day, and it got me thinking that I might not just be a 12 yr old who never grew up, but someone who is consistent in the things that I enjoy to eat repeatedly. This shot was from yet another phenomenal James Beard Foundation Dinner. The restaurant was the Mark Hotel Restaurant, and the genius Chef Pierre Schutz was trained with, and is a part of the ever famous Jean Georges group :) Enjoy- I want pizza. All the time!

Just a quick note to share a snippet of my photoshoot with Chef Jonathan Forgash! We had a truly amazing day full of food, great music, and good conversation. I love my job!

This cookbook will be an e-cookbook, and hopefully out sometime next Spring- stay tuned :)

Happy Friday everyone! Today's entry is brought to you by the letter R for red ! My darling best friend Charlie is the most talented and intuitive make-up artist and hair stylist that I have ever met. He is going to be featured on Moxie Q as one of the tastemakers writing about beauty, and let me tell you ladies, it is so worth tuning in for! He is also the most knowledgeable person I've ever met about products, skin, and beauty in general.

One of his blogs will talk about red lipstick, and this was one of my fav outtakes. (I shot the image for the blog= fun!)

Enjoy and happy weekend !

Hello blog universe! I am falling into a nice blogging rhythm here without the pressure of needing to update everyday, it has been coming naturally to me and is quite welcomed!

I had a lovely girls night tonight- which is extremely rare for those of you who really know me- again and again I am finding Australians to be some of the most genuine and kind people on the planet, and while showing my portfolio, I decided I would add a shot from my trip to Seattle earlier this year.

Some of you may or may not know- though I lived in California a long time, I am by no means a Californian. Thank you dad for taking the job in the coolest city I could have ever hoped to be born in! Seattle is my hometown and I have a very strong connection to growing up there. Enjoy my glorious hometown, and pop over for a visit if you have never been there. If you live there- can I crash on your couch next time I visit? :)

A few years ago, my good friend Phil was in town for the CMJ Festival.The CMJ Music Festival is an annual event where selected bands and artists play at various clubs throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Phil was here for the festival, and I have to mention that he owns the coolest recording studio in Hollywood called Swinghouse. ....living in LA so long afforded me many opportunities to hang out at the studio and meet musicians from all times and walks of life; Phil is my absolute authority for new music (and he should be, yours, too!) because it is his life, and his job. I rarely seek out new artists because there are so few of them that appeal to me. After cab rides deep into Brooklyn had gone wrong to see some new bands performing, the saving grace was seeing Madi Diaz perform. He promised me, she was worth it, and she was.

Madi Diaz remains one of my absolute fav new artists today. It was amazing to have heard her a few years ago and be impressed, but, to see her last week in NYC perform with even more talent than before, I could feel and see the development and progress she has made as an artist. Madi is also incredibly sweet, humble, and fiercely talented. Her lyrics will break your heart- but they also inspire hope. She sings with the passion which reminds me why I am in love with music.