Oh My Darlin' Clementine

 

Apologies for my absence, but I've been a bit under the weather the past few days with an ear infection.  Thank goodness for acupuncture and antibiotics because I need to hop on a plane to the East Coast tomorrow morning!  Needless to say, my advice to you for a happy and healthy holiday season is to get rest, don't stress, fill up on your fruits/veggies and think positive thoughts!

Pfeffernüsse

I enjoy eating a lot of different Christmas cookies but these are one of my favorites.  Admittedly, I did not bake these cookies but bought them from Trader Joe's.  And they're beyond delicious. 

A Second Glance

 

I took this photo this past Autumn and didn't really think much of it but as I was going through all my images, I took a second look and really started to love it.  I'm digging the cool shadows.  Sometimes all it takes is a second glance.

Flower Power

Some graphic photos I shot at The South Coast Botanical Garden....

 

O Tannenbaum

How do you plan to decorated your Christmas tree?  I bought a bunch of ornaments from IKEA because I'm a fan of Swedish designs.  They sell these beautiful crocheted stars...

Let the Sunshine In

Marigolds in Santa Barbara County, CA.

NY, NY

Here are a few more images from the streets of NY....I mean Universal Studios.

 

NY State of Mind

 

Shooting at the backlot in Universal Studios!  It was basically an all-access pass to check out all the cool sets.  We shot in the NYC section and rented a few taxis for our shot.

Party Time

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about the holiday season is getting dressed up and attending a holiday party.  Next week is our company holiday party so I've been looking for a cocktail dress and accessories.  So far I picked out the fabulous headband pictured below.  I'm not sure if it's a wise decision to plan an entire outfit around a headband but it's just so pretty.  We'll see.  If I can't wear it to next week's party, I'll just have to find another occasion!

Winter in the Desert

Wow.  Between the Thanksgiving holiday and a photo shoot I just produced, it's been quite busy so my apologies for the silence.  As mentioned, this past week I was on location around LA and Palm Springs.  My day job involves producing photo shoots for Deutsch, an advertising agency in Los Angeles.   I produce print ads that you've probably seen in billboards, magazines, posters, subway cars, brochures and the web for clients like VW, PlayStation, HTC, Fresh & Easy grocery store, California Milk, etc.  It's fun, challenging, and often gives me the opportunity to travel a bit.

Last Thursday we drove to Palm Springs and shot on a strip of roadway between the wind turbines.  They're pretty awesome and HUGE.  I didn't have time to whip out my fancy camera so I thought it would be fun to try out some of the cool apps that I have on my Android phone.

More photos of my trip to come....

Back to Reality

I'll be posting some cool images tomorrow from my travels around LA and Palm Springs!

72 and Sunny

If you live in California or have visited, you might be familiar with the saying that the weather is always "72 and sunny."  It really holds true and this Thanksgiving holiday, it didn't let us down.  The weather couldn't have been better.  I sometimes wonder why we even have folks who forecast the weather here.  Anyway, here are some photos of the rocky coastline and beach area in Palos Verdes, CA.  If you love to hike and ride your bike, this is a great place to enjoy an afternoon. 

 

 

Baltic Amber

My family is Latvian and one thing the country and culture is known for is its Baltic amber.  If you ever have a chance to visit the beautiful country like I did several years ago, you can easily purchase some Baltic jewelry in one of the hundred shops or outdoor stalls selling it.  It's quite inexpensive and I love the different shades it comes in - everything from green to honey to molasses.  Needless to say, I have a ton of it that has been handed down to me or given as a gift...and I'm not complaining.  I'll be posting more images of Latvian jewelry in the coming weeks...

How to Take the Chill Away

Today was nothing but cold and rainy and after a day full of running errands outside, all I wanted to do was enjoy a warm bowl of soup while watching a movie.  I was feeling a bit lazy but refused to buy ready-made soup so I made this recipe from scratch.  Admittedly, I did take one shortcut and bought a roasted chicken to add to the soup.

Roasted Chicken & Egg Noodle Soup

-1 roasted chicken, about 2 lbs. (meat cut up into bite-size pieces)
-1-2 T. olive oil
-2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped
-1 cup onion, diced
-3 celery stalks, chopped
-1 t. garlic, chopped
-2 cups egg noodles (I actually used German spaetzle b/c it was in my cupboard but any egg noodle will do)
-1 bag fresh spinach
-2 T. fresh dill, chopped
-8-10 cups chicken broth

Sauté onion, celery, garlic and carrots in stock pot w/ olive oil.  Once slightly tender, add chicken stock and bring to boil.  Add egg noodles and cook until cooked through.  While noodles are cooking, chop up roasted chicken meat into pieces and add to soup.  Add washed spinach and simmer until wilted.  Garnish with fresh chopped dill.  Enjoy!

 

A Study in Textures

Retro Camera Fun

Having fun with the Retro Camera Polaroid app on my HTC EVO phone at Hermosa Beach, CA.

 

 

 

 

Fragrant Bloom

LA Autumn

LA in autumn doesn't quite compare with New England but I'll take what I can get.  Here's a shot I took while rambling through the South Coast Botanical Garden.

Autumn in New York

Although I haven't lived in NYC for nearly 5 years now, I miss it every time this year.  Here's a photo from my archives of a garden of mums in Central Park. 

A Foggy Day

While the East Coast got pummeled with an early snowfall, folks near the beach in Southern California were shrouded in fog.  Here's a photo of a set of steps at Torrance Beach aka "Rat Beach."  Incidentally, it's not named Rat Beach because of vermin but because it stands for "right above Torrance."

South Coast Botanical Garden

 

 

 

TGIF

It's been a long week but I'm excited for the weekend.  I haven't been to the South Coast Botanical Garden in a while so I think that's on the top of my list.  Here are some photos from a previous visit to the Garden...

 

Roasted Butternet Squash w/ Couscous

One of my favorite things about fall is cooking with all the different kinds of squash available at the market.  Here's a simple recipe that pairs well with a roasted pork or chicken....

Roast Butternut Squash w/ Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 box of Israeli cous-cous
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• minced garlic according to your taste
• salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prepare cous-cous according to directions on package.  I usually boil the cous-cous in chicken stock instead of water for added flavor.    Peel and dice butternut squash.  Chop red onions.  Place on sheet coated with cooking spray.  Coat squash with cooking spray or use basting brush with olive oil to coat.  Dress with salt and pepper and place it in the center race of the oven for about 35 minutes (depending on your oven). 

Mix squash, red onions and cous-cous together and serve warm.  Yum.

Birds of a Feather

Pelicans off the coast of Palos Verdes, CA near Malaga Cove.