Dream Destinations

Just a few of the incredible places that I dream of experiencing someday...

1. Patagonia, Chile:  I would love to one day traverse the Andean peaks of Patagonia with people I love. Sometimes untouched nature has this way of making you feel really small and insignificant, and it's that type of modesty and appreciation that makes you realize how lucky you are to exist on this planet.
2. Santorini, Greece:  Santorini is one of those places that you think must not be real because it looks like a dream.  I just imagine myself sitting nestled above the ocean, watching the sunset reflect off the small white buildings and pretending like life is perfect in a place like this.
3. Bokod, Hungary:  Bokod is an extremely small village in Northern Hungary that is almost impossible to get to unless you have a car.  There are only 2,000 people who live there and one main road that runs through the town.  If I wanted to escape, I would come here.
4. Cinque Terre, Italy:  I wouldn't complain about waking up in the Italian Riviera every morning.  It's almost unfair that a place like this exists on the opposite the world from myself.
5. Cote d'Azur, France:  Surrounded by the Alps & the warm breezes of the Mediterranean lies the French Riviera.  I often look through photos from this stunning Provence and find myself daydreaming about drinking mimosas under the trees overlooking the bright blue beach.
6. Istanbul, Turkey:  When I was in Europe last, everyone I met along my travels kept gushing about how incredible Istanbul was.  I recently watched a short documentary about the culture of Istanbul, and I am now obsessed with the stunning architecture, colorful textiles, and especially the food (!!!) of this city.
7. Fjord, Norway:  Geirangerfjord located in Norway is the world's most untouched Fjord.  I imagine how quiet it must be to glide along the water in this pristine Fjord, and how amazingly beautiful that would be.
8. Jerusalem, Israel:  I have actually been to Jerusalem once, but I was very young and barely remember what it looks like in person.  I do, however, remember how powerful it felt to be standing in a place with such deep history.  I am going back to Israel in September and I can't wait to experience it again now that I am older.
9. Kinvara, Ireland:  Kinvara is a small, picturesque seaside village in South County Galway, Ireland.  You can enjoy an Irish feast inside the tiny Dunguaire Castle, built in 1520 while listening to traditional Irish music after a day of fishing.

Mother

Yesterday I was enjoying my day hanging out in the Ace Hotel pool in Palm Springs with great friends, so I wasn't able to do a Mother's Day post until now.
My Mom is one of the most incredible women I know.  Both of her parents were Holocaust survivors, and she was born in a displacement camp in Germany after the war was over.  When she was 3, her family immigrated to the United States, and settled into the Bronx (onto a very dangerous street, no less).  Her parents had no money and were still dealing with the trauma of living in Concentration Camps.  My Mom needed an escape, and so her survival instincts forced her to excel in school and she eventually got accepted with a full scholarship to UCLA medical school in the late 60's and got her degree in Medicine.  She has been practicing Medicine for over 35 years (and has been very successful at it), and has now forayed into Eastern Medicine including Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs & Ayurvedic Therapy.  She is also an amazing metal sculptor, painter, gardener, macrobiotic cook, life-advice giver, and is such a great support system for my brother and I.  She is an incredibly strong Woman, while being peaceful and mellow at the same time.  I feel like a stronger, more self-aware person because she is my Mom.
She doesn't usually like gifts that aren't hand-made by my brother or myself, so this year for Mother's Day, I made a donation in her name to the Edna Adan Hospital in Somaliland, East Africa.  The health in Somaliland, which has pretty much been left in total destruction after the Civil War, is amongst the worst in the world.  Most Women in Somaliland will either be victims of Female Genital Mutilation, or will die during childbirth because of the extremely poor healthcare.  The Infant mortality rate is even higher.  Edna Adan Hospital was started to support these Women and to provide them with the healthcare that they deserve as human beings.  The Hospital is non-profit and is held-together by the support of different organizations and donors.
Spending money on flowers or chocolates is nice, but donating that money to a good cause is even better.  If you cut back on a few drinks at a bar, or a few nights of eating out for dinner, you can spend that money on seriously helping people in need.  It is a gift that truly keeps on giving, and I think it's really important to lend yourself where you can in life.
My Mom loved the gift, and is even thinking about traveling to Somaliland to volunteer and lend her Medical training to helping these Women in need.
I hope to travel with her, and I truly hope that more places like the Edna Adan Hospital find the funds to succeed in helping people live long, healthy, and fruitful lives.

P.S. Isn't my mom gorgeous?

Zerkalo

Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky's 'The Mirror' is one of my favorite films.  It is one of the most visually & thematically stunning movies I have ever seen, and continues to take my breath away each time I watch it.
This semi-autobiographical film doesn't follow a specific plot, and instead blends memories, dreams, newsreel footage and poetry to create a stream-of-consciousness.  Much of the film was shot in the gorgeous woods surrounding Moscow.  Here are a few film stills.

Existing

In the 60's & 70's, the Yugoslavian president (at the time) commissioned different sculptors and architects to build structures to commemorate sites where WWII battles took place or where Concentration Camps had been located.  When the Republic dissolved in the early 90's, these amazing man-made structures were abandoned and completely forgotten about.  Their symbolic, decaying beauty has been captured by photographer Jan Kempenaers.  I find these monuments to be absolutely stunning, surreal, futuristic, and even eerie.

All photos via Jan Kampenaers.

Birthday Wishlist

My Birthday is coming up in a few weeks, so I thought I would post my wishlist so people can plan accordingly (just kidding...kind of).

1.  Super 8 Camera - I have about a million ideas for short/experimental films floating around, and a Super 8 would be the perfect camera to capture the the nostalgic dreaminess I have in my head.
2. Turkish Peshtamel - These traditional Turkish bath towels are thin & light, and perfect for Summer.
3. William Eggleston's Guide - I need this book so I can stare at William Eggleston's gorgeous, inspiring photography every day.
4. Moleskin Notebook - I realize time and time again that I need a small notebook to jot down ideas while I'm on the bus or wandering around town.  I seem to have amazing revelations on the bus and then forget them when I return home.  I need to remember to write things down!
5. Neest Cara Mug - This lovely wooden mug, hand-crafted in Japan, would be perfect for my morning tea.
6. Leather Purse - I love the triangle/zig zag pattern on this purse.  Funny thing is, in between the time I made this wishlist and posting this, I had already bought it for myself!  Oops.
7. Topshop Bralet - I can't imagine myself not wearing this (not on it's own!) everywhere during summer.
8. Josie Maran Argan Oil - I absolutely love Josie Maran's eco-friendly cosmetics line.  All of her products are designed to revitalize and properly care for your skin, rather than cover up existing problems.  I keep hearing amazing things about the wonders of Argan Oil, and I would like to try it myself.
9. Full Moon Necklace - I love this hand-made necklace that is accented with authentic porcupine quills.
10. Fresh Products - I just recently started using Fresh products (the soy facial cleanser), and I can personally attest to their greatness.  If I could have all of their products, my skin would be eternally grateful.
11. Black Loafers - These shoes look incredibly comfortable...maybe because they look like they could double as slippers?  I don't think I would ever take them off.
12. Judy Kaufmann Woody Allen Print - Judy Kaufmann's whimsical prints (made in Barcelona) are fantastic.  This Woody Allen print wouldn't look so out-of-place on my wall.
13. Pastel Set - I want to spend more time outside with pastels.  I think this needs to happen this summer.
14. A Massage - All I really want for my birthday is to relax.  I feel like I am always on-the-move, and a back massage would seriously be the perfect gift.

Withdrawals...

It's only day 4 of my cleanse, and I woke up this morning feeling like crap.
If I could explain what my body feels like, I would say that it feels like I'm one of those crazy people who tries to reach spiritual enlightenment by standing on one leg and not moving for 90 days...except I don't feel enlightened at all.
My body feels really weak and my brain is having trouble focusing.
If you haven't seen the movie 'Super Size Me,' it's basically a documentary following Morgan Spurlock, a vegan health-nut who decides to eat only McDonald's for 30 days to see how it would change his body/mind.  On the second day, after eating a McDonald's breakfast, he says he feels like crap.  His body feels weak and sluggish, and his mind can't focus.   I feel the same way now, except it's the exact opposite (not that I eat at McDonald's, like ever.  Gross).  I went from eating what I consider is an average diet (not super unhealthy, but definitely not the healthiest.  I love food, and I can't pass up a delicious sandwich, pasta dish, burrito, or cupcake) to eating an extremely health-conscious diet that has completely eliminated everything I'm used to.
My Mom, who is a doctor, told me that my body is going through a healing reaction.  By eliminating foods that were in my every-day (or weekly) diet, (caffeine, sugar, red meat, dairy, gluten, processed foods, alcohol), my body is freaking out now that it has been shaken up with a completely new diet.
I was shocked when I woke up this morning feeling this way, because I just assumed that by eating lots of kale, broccoli, avocados, carrots, quinoa, apples, oranges, plenty of water, etc, that my body would feel amazing immediately.  I guess your body needs to go through the initial shock of cutting things that you are used to consuming out of it's system before it can allow the nutritional powers of new, healthy foods kick in.
It's very interesting to me how one's body/mind is attached to certain foods.  I wonder if I was 'addicted' to certain foods (cheese? sandwiches? pasta? steak?).
I really hope that I feel better in a few days.  There is no way that I am giving up on this experiment, but I would like to believe that eating the freshest, most nutritional foods truly does make you feel better.

Just say no.

Today is the first day of a month long cleansing experiment of saying "NO" to things.  I won't be drinking any alcohol or caffeine, and won't be eating bread or anything with added sugar (also no dairy, processed foods or red meat).   Honestly, I'm kind of just trying to test my willpower.  I want to know that I can be content without these things.  I don't think I'm as nervous about actually being able to go through with it as I am nervous about how it may affect social situations.  But that's kind of the point.  I hope to update here with my progress in a few weeks!

Home

I tend to get bouts of homesickness when spring comes around.  It makes me miss waking up to the smell of sea-salty air & getting purposely lost off HWY 1.   I've been staring at these photos I took last November, the last time I went back home.  They were all taken on film around Big Sur/Monterey/Carmel.

Flowers Are The Things We Know

Anabela & Geoff run Fieldguided from their home in Canada.  Their screen-printed tote bags are made from quality canvas & ink, and are crafted with lots of love (as if it wasn't obvious enough how much love goes into these creations, the bags are even packaged beautifully).
They also run a blog, which is filled with tons of inspiration & snapshots from around their house of plants, clothing finds & of course, cats!
I ordered one of their totes, with a dreamy quote taken from Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra's "Some Velvet Morning."  I had ordered a few boxes of Rit Dye, which I have been planning to play around with, and being inspired with Fieldguided's own dye experiment, I decided to try dip-dying the tote on my own.

I used tan Rit Dye for a more natural look.  I am really happy with how it turned out (imperfections and all), and I can't wait to use this technique again soon!  Thank you to Fieldguided.
P.S. I was pretty gentle during the dying process and I wouldn't recommend putting the tote in the washer or dryer.  All washing should be done by hand.
P.S. Here is the song that the quote on the bag is from

Tim Walker's Dream World

The first time I saw a collection of Tim Walker's photography, I fell in love.  His photographs evoke the kind of magical dream world that I sometimes fantasize about where I live in an abandoned manor in the South of France surrounded by aquamarine & purple cats, have decadent tea parties with salt-water-taffy sandwiches, take sunset boat rides in a lake full of wildflowers, and go camping under the stars with my friends.  If only such a world truly existed.  Tim Walker's photographs (which have graced the pages of Vogue for over a decade) almost make this dream into a reality.

Tim Walker Photography