Moab, UT

On a whim, a few friends and I decided to spend a short 36 hours in Moab, UT. We drove late at night to a campsite and we woke up to the beautiful view you see above. It was an extremely hot weekend (all 105 degrees of it), so we spent a great deal of our time at an awesome watering hole. Afterwards, we ate delicious burgers and peach milkshakes at Milt's Stop & Eat and went rock climbing on Wall Street. It was a great introduction to Moab and I can't wait to explore the area more once the weather cools down. 

taking stock / 02

eating / kettle corn from the farmers market
drinking / tons of water - with the occasional mexican logger from ska brewery
practicing / better posture
enjoying / how the sun sets so late
learning / to speak with more integrity
playing / lots of records 
finishing / writing a summer to do list 
reading / the goldfinch...finally
walking / well really hiking beautiful summer trails
wearing / jean shorts and ankle boots
cooking / sweet potatoes to put on fresh salads
working / on social media and marketing for the toggery 
traveling / mentally to all the places my dear friends live 
wanting / a popsicle from la michoacana in memphis

41st Annual Bluegrass Festival

Telluride Bluegrass Festival was flipping awesome. I got to hear fantastic music, visit with old friends, and ring in my 23rd birthday! I celebrated by boogieing down with some girlfriends and an unexpected skunk (see below). It was a birthday to remember!

^^My favorite photo of Luke and I cheesin' and our secret spot to listen to the music^^

I can't help but add a little style pic in front of an old hippie van...

Telluride Balloon Festival

 

Yes, this is real. It's called Telluride Balloon Fest and it happens annually. This year the balloons launched early in the morning from Town Park and flew down Main Street. I was lucky enough to have an amazing view right from our apartment - aka I could stay in my pajamas and watch the whole show. Later in the evening, the balloons formed a line on Main Street and lit the town up. A few friends and I climbed up on the rooftop of an apartment, had a cocktail, and enjoyed the glow (and even heat) from the balloons.

^^ Night glow on Main St. ^^

New York City

To tell you the truth, New York has always intimidated me. I thought the city would be too big and that I would feel completely overwhelmed by concrete. But man oh man, that city warmed my heart and I never wanted to leave. I fell hard, fast, and could not have been more impressed. Luke and I were able to spend a full week there exploring, catching up with old friends, and enjoying our vacation time together. The highlight of the trip for me was the perfect weather and an amazingly romantic dinner at L'Atrusi.  I can definitely feel a reunion with New York in the near future.

trying out the secret of Grand Central

spring at MoMa

my cousin's beautiful apartment

                  ^^ That bridge is spectacular ^^

Full moon in the valley

Well folks, this winter season got the best of me. It went a lot like this: work, sleep, party, ski. And there wasn't enough time for much else! That is why these pictures of a full moon, which happened in February, are just now getting posted.  These were taken right outside my apartment around midnight. The f-stop was at f22 and the shutter was on Bulb for right around 5 minutes. The light off of the moon was so magnificent. Also, if you look hard enough, you can see a little bit of star and cloud movement.

Touching Strangers

Yesterday I stumbled upon a very unique photography series in which the photographer, Richard Renaldi, asks strangers to pose intimately for a portrait. The outcome is stunning. As the series website describes, "the resulting photographs...raise profound questions about the possibilities for positive human connection in a diverse society."