All my bags are packed… I’m ready to go. 2.5 weeks of travel ahead, with stops in Bruges, Brussels, Oslo, Bergen, and Amsterdam. The daily itinerary is light, while the list of food to eat is long. Le voyage parfait!  In addition to a handful of comfy clothing, I’ve gone simple and packed one of each:

-Passport to be stamped

-Adorable husband to hug and meander with

-Book to read lazily in the park

-iPod for the lengthy train rides

-Squeal for the moment I get to see my oldest friend, her awesome husband, and… their new baby!

-35mm camera to keep my overshooting under control

-kiss to place on each cheek of the beautiful people I meet

Enjoy the rest of your Spring! I’ll be back in full force as the summer begins.

Cheers,

Briana

Kelly Sweet | We Are One | Dream On

Dream On

Yesterday, I had the immense pleasure of attending a dance recital for one of the little girls that I used to work with. In addition to the adorable wee ones prancing around in fluffy outfits, there were performances by the company, including a few select senior solos. This gorgeous cover by Kelly Sweet (who, like Aerosmith, also hails from the Boston area) was the haunting soundtrack to a particularly poignant contemporary piece. Moments like that, I’m extremely thankful for my Shazam app!  I’m also reminded how much I LOVE dance, especially contemporary. Time to start planning a trip to NYC to see the little dancers I used to work with, all grown up and living their dreams.  And in the meantime, queue up So You Think You Can Dance on Hulu.

Cheers,

Briana

The past 2 weeks were a blur of working, packing, and moving. The next 10 days will be one photo session after another. Vacation can’t come soon enough!

Color is Returning 107-365

Davio’s 108-365

Yelling from the Rooftops 109-365

Delicate 110-365

Bloom 111-365

Photobooth 112-365

Caution: Hot 113-365

Pivot! 114-365

Proof of Spring 115-365

Morning papers 116-365

Bah Ram Ewe 117-365

Bond Girl 118-365

Goodbye, Office 119-365

Final Exit 120-365

Cheers,

Briana

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis | The Heist | Wing$

11 Wing$

When I think of moving, I will think of this album. Today we are finally in our last hours of packing, then tomorrow we clean, and these beats have been the perfect backdrop. Thankfully, come next week, I’ll just be using this album to strut around and celebrate freedom from cardboard boxes.

Cheers,

Briana

Hold onto your hats, m’dears… partly because you are about to see some serious cuteness, courtesy of my nephew, but also because he probably would snag your hat if you are not careful. Today, I am excited to share a portrait session that is near and dear to my heart… right down to the blood pumping through my veins. When I was in California a few weeks ago, I had the immense pleasure of spending time with my sister (Beth), my brother in-law (Michael), and a face that has been seen before (here, here, and here) my nephew, Gavin. I’m especially excited that I got Beth & Michael in front of the camera this time! Warning, I’m feeling gushy, so skip ahead to the photos if you aren’t feeling it. I’ll only judge you a little.

Watching Gavin grow is something that I cherish, and I wish I could experience this in person more often. I love the glimpses of each of his parents traits that come out more with each visit. His cuddly bear hugs and tenderness remind me of Michael, and how excited I am to have a brother in the family. Gavin’s mischievous grin takes me back to childhood, as I vividly remember that same expression on Beth’s face before she made some questionable but wildly hilarious choice. My funniest stories from those younger day tend to begin with “So this one time, my little sister ____”.  Lord, have mercy on our parents…we knew not what we did.  Currently, I like to call Gavin my hipster nephew. He requests his fedoras, rocks unkempt curls, and likes to spend his time on a single-speed bike. I’m thinking of getting him into a baby band and naming it “Mumford & Grandsons”.

Observing my sister as she learns the ins and outs of motherhood is a joy, and I am so proud of her. Admittedly, it is also completely entertaining. One day, I will learning about this age first hand, and she can be the one to giggle. Oi.   Here’s hoping that “cool aunt Bri” can pop in more frequently in the future. Somedays, it is hard having 3,000 miles between us. Time flies by so quickly… it can’t be much longer that throwing a pillow at Gavin repeatedly constitutes a wild time. Next time: lessons on how to prank your parents. Muwahaha.

I can’t wait to spend a few days with these 3 up in Yosemite this October. Until then, here is a peek at our afternoon playing in Old Town North Fork.

I love you all so much!

Cheers,

Briana

Web design by Ctrl.Alt.Design.

This week was truly horrible. There is no other way to describe it. It began with frustration; returning home ill, flu paired with acid reflux (and a myriad of other health issues), too sick to send an email, too exhausted and in pain to follow through on prior commitments. I could barely think to lift my phone, let alone attempt a decent, thought out image on my camera. Sunday brought a brief ray of sunshine & reprieve, then packing & moving meant another bout of exhaustion. Then Monday came…

The day started with joy.  I was feeling healthy. The marathon was underway. People were cheering their friends in person and online. It was a day of accomplishment. I briefly stepped away from my computer, then returned to a message that bombs had been set off at the finish line. This cherished event, in this strong and beautiful city, had been ruined by evil and insanity. The waves of shock, the worry for both friends and strangers alike, the what-ifs. I should have been in the area, and I rescheduled due to illness and not wanting to maneuver the marathon. Friends were standing near the explosives, and moved thanks to random timing and circumstance. I am thankful for that. But the images… the horror… the questions. Truthfully, I can’t put together my thoughts on this well. In times of difficulty, my natural response has always been to sharpen my focus on what can be done, to problem solve, and to remain calm. My emotions shut down, they are locked away. Explaining ideas is an option, expressing feelings is not. I am great at managing crisis, but lost processing them. Watching the carnage and chaos from my living room, with nothing to do, I shut down.  Tears came 24 hours later, reading about the marathon and what it means to the city…before the bombs. I feel pride and gratefulness when I see the strength of this city. I love this community, and I feel privileged to  have been welcomed into it. I am fiercely loyal, and my heartbreak for this situation will lead to greater support in the coming years. I am rambling, I know. But I don’t know what to say. Perhaps because I have nothing new to offer with my words.  I want to hold and support my friends. I want to DO…. something.

My image for Monday is a photo I took years ago. It is of the tortoise statue in Copley square, representing the marathon. Also, the characteristics of the tortoise is adopted by Boston itself. The people here have consistently  demonstrate perseverance, patience, and determination. They are focused, they are steady, and they are strong. Despite setbacks, this city never has, and never will, give up.

Album Review 100-365

The view from a sickbed 101-365

Blerg 102-365

Packing the library 103-365

Tour photographer dreams 104-365

Marathon Monday 105-365

Hey batter batter 106-365

Briana

How to Destroy Angels | The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | Is Your Love Strong Enough?

39 Is Your Love Strong Enough_

Today’s choice was quite simple. Through a weekend of illness, I managed to accomplish 2 things:

1. Go through the 5 stages of grief over missing Coachella yet again. Perhaps next year will be my year… who wants to go with me? I caught clips of How to Destroy Angels online, along with many other great bands, and was sent into a mope spiral. I’ll probably listen to pop all day to pull me out of it.

2. Wrap up reading the Millenium Trilogy. I’ve heard complaints of their slow pace, but I loved every minute of these novels. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was definitely my favorite, but I found all three to be incredibly well written. It doesn’t hurt that I’ve seen the newest version of the film and pictured Daniel Craig as I read each book (yum). I can only wonder what other difficult situations Larsson would have kept me up til the wee hours of the night reading about, if it weren’t for his untimely death. It was an ugly and painful world, but I’m sad step out of it.

Cheers,

Briana

Every trip back home to California includes the same key elements. The drive, the faces, the food (mmm), the work. However, some days,  I wind up with unexpected treasures. A new location, new people,  the opportunity to simply play. This year, I got all of those things wrapped up into an afternoon with Claire.

Claire & I attended University together, but never really got to know one another. While our circles overlapped, our own time rarely did. Our conversations only picked up recently, when Claire had a brief stretch of work out in Boston. Even then, our time together was short. Having been on the peripherals for so long, I was delighted for a chance to spend this time with  Claire, and truly bring her into focus.

Now officially “IN her 30′s”, as she put it, Claire is living a charmed life that excites her, and leaves her feeling quite blessed. Her newest job at the LA Opera has provided the opportunity to work and live in the environment that makes her happiest. Surrounded by ample exposure to art, music, new foods, Claire is thriving. For our session, we wandered through her favorite neighborhood haunts in Silverlake, to the rooftops of Downtown Los Angeles, and I enjoyed every moment I spent in her world. Hopefully, this will become a regular stop on the yearly CA tour. Here is a peek at our time together:

Cheers,

Briana

After a week of work, I spent another week in CA soaking up time (and a little sun) with the people I love, in the places I miss. My trip was an exhausting rush of joy and nostalgia, and I’m so happy I went. Today, I woke up in my own bed, next to my best friend, and was happy to be at home… one of them.

**I shot most of my personal photos this week on film, and forgot to take additional shots on my digital camera to share here. My intentions were good, but my memory can be bad. Soooo… most of these are phone stand-ins for now.

Birthday Provisions 092-365

Benny 093-365

The Grapevine 094-365

Little Potato 095-365

Ben & Julie 096-365

Sway 097-365

Lil Sis & the Fam 098-365

Cheers,

Briana