Snapshots from Amsterdam

A weekend in Amsterdam on black and white film

I have fallen in love with Amsterdam. I don’t know how it is that this stunning city has been off my radar for this long. It’s a photographer’s dream with the never-ending canals wrapping around brick lane roads and arched bridges. Everything here is wonderful: The Dutch architecture! The flowers! The stroopwafel cookie! The Van Gogh MuseumVondelpark! Bike rides! Boat rides! Shopping! and of course, amazing food. It’s a perfect place to escape to for a weekend away, charming and walkable and full of anything your heart may desire. 


10 Favorite finds in Amsterdam

Van Stapele Koekmakerij – Just imagine the best warm chocolate cookie in the world. This is that. 

Screaming Beans  – Amsterdam hands down makes the best cappuccinos and this little espresso spot is heavenly. 

Marc O’ Polo – Cool, comfy, casual clothing 

The Dylan – Gorgeous hotel, amazing afternoon “high wine” experience. 

Ron GastrobarTOPS. Some of the best modern food I’ve ever had. Get the “Surprise Egg” for dessert. 

Rijksmuseum

Boat touryou have to experience the city on the water. We did it at night with a bottle of champagne. 

Brasserie Harkema – French restaurant in an old cigar factory 

Lyppens Antique Jewelry Store – I bought an antique gold ring with dancing baby diamonds I call my champagne ring with my friend Laurel who met us in Amsterdam for all the “off the record” memories. 

Biking through Vondelpark

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Lake Como, Italy

Snapshots on black and white from from Lake Como, Italy

I have always known about the beauty of Lake Como. The way people talk about it is as if it’s this magical emerald place from a fairytale story book. Well, that’s pretty much how it looked. Taking the frequent and quick 1 hour train from Milan we made our way crursing the waters in no time. My imagination went wild looking at all the beautiful villas that climb up the mountain in an array of colors. Each turn of the boat reveals another small, cobblestone town shinning proudly, white sailboats bobbing at the mouth in a friendly wave hello. There is a calm to Lake Como. A retreat feel. Where hours are spent in a garden or at lunch with friends, the memory softened by the damp misty light. A long walk or a quiet boat ride from one little town to the next on the lake’s shore is the day’s biggest activity leaving you alone in your thoughts to imagine what it would be like to retire here and wake up everyday to sheer beauty.

 

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Milan, Italy

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After attending the MICAM trade show we had a day to explore around Milan which was my first time visiting this city. Fueled with Instagram recommendations we started out in the morning at the Duomo (how can you not) which was exceptionally beautiful. We wandered the beautiful halls of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and Via Della Spiga. We ate gelato, dinned at Taglio, looked at old books, watched people play bocce ball, and had the most charming dinner at Al Fresco. It was an amuse-bouche of Milan, drowned in Pasta and Aperol spritz and a lost in a sea of Italian suits in the most beautiful men’s street fashion I’ve ever seen.

Here are some snapshots from our moments lost in the hallways of Milan… 

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Hostellerie La Briqueterie

A stay in Champange's Hostellerie La Briqueterie in France.

It was that perfect time of year, early fall, when the air is crisp and damp and the light makes everything glow. We slept not unlike how we sleep in New York in the fall, with the windows open, our soft white curtains billowing in, reminding me the day has begun. It is easy to sleep well in the heart of France’s Champagne region at the Hostellerie La Briqueterie under the bouquet of garden roses. There was a not a sound as I lay there in the early morning light thinking about the adventure that day. Not a sound but the dreams that fill my head and have taken me down a road paved in memories.

A stay in Champange's Hostellerie La Briqueterie in France.  A stay in Champange's Hostellerie La Briqueterie in France. A stay in Champange's Hostellerie La Briqueterie in France. A stay in Champange's Hostellerie La Briqueterie in France. Continue reading “Hostellerie La Briqueterie”

Dom Pérignon

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We first began our journey to “Decode Dom Pérignon” in Barcelona, questioning the idea of champagne and trying to understand it beyond the simple pleasures of drinking. The second part of our discovery took us to the birthplace of champagne, a sacred abbey high atop a hill in Hautvillers where a monk named Dom Pérignon lived in from 1668 until his death in 1715. It was here Dom Pérignon gave birth to champagne as we know it. 

As we walked the grounds of the cloisters it was easier to understand the philosophy of today’s champagne makers of Dom Pérignon. They come here, to this tranquil place that is the spirit and soul of Dom, to reflect on the past and think about the future. It was one of those perfect days. Crisp, damp and cool in the morning opening like a pathway to a glorious sun filled afternoon. I stood on the grounds of the abbey where the first champagne was created and closed my eyes to the smell of old stone, chalk, and earth while the wind whipped the trees around me making a sparkling symphony of the leaves while the golden sunlight danced between the shadows. If a place could sparkle like a glass of champagne, this was the place and in the spirit of inspiration, like with Dom Pérignon, could leave your thoughts amongst the stars. 

Following the benedictine rule set by the Sun King Louis IX which transformed France into a country of luxury and craftsmanship, he cared for the vineyards in great detail and through years of contemplation and study transformed the wine making process in three important ways. First, in place of manually stomping grapes with your feet he used a large machine to separate the juice of the grapes from the skin. Second was the blend. He had the idea to blend a variety of grapes from the Champagne villages. Lastly, which lead to the revaluation of champagne, he started the aging process in bottles as opposed to wooden casks which were used in the 17th century. It was through this process he discovered the creation of bubbles in the 2nd fermentation. 

The production of Dom Pérignon is far beyond technical. Having now spent many lunches and dinners with the Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy and Vincent Chaperon they speak of the wine making process in such a romantic and idyllic way it is a constant reminder that we are speaking about something which comes from the earth. It is organic, and most of all, it is a gift from nature

One of the most poingoint points by Geoffry shared over our tasting of 11 Dom Pérignon vintages was  in the way champagne lingers which leads to memory. Memory is a constant in my own work. I take photographs like memories, to see the way it felt, to remember the beautiful moments. Each time I am so fortunate to find myself with a glass of Dom Pérignon I take in the smell which brings back memories of celebration, successes, all those magical nights faded with laughter and distant sparkling lights. Of course, as a winemaker, memory to him refers to the harvest, the conditions of the year that make the DNA of the vintage. The memory of characteristics from vintage to vintage. For example, the 2002 being elegant, refined, creamy, perfectly balanced while the 2003 is robust, bright, exciting, crisp. The memory of tradition and the relationship to time to project themselves forward into the future. It’s amazing to me that you can find so much life lived in one sip of champagne. 

Welcome to the home of Dom Pérignon and the birthplace of champagne.   Visiting the Dom Pérignon, the birthplace of Champagne.    Visiting the Dom Pérignon, the birthplace of Champagne. Visiting the Dom Pérignon, the birthplace of Champagne. Visiting the Dom Pérignon, the birthplace of Champagne. Continue reading “Dom Pérignon”

Snapshots of a weekend in Paris

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It’s hard not to fall in love with Paris. Her architectural streets, her dancing light, her chalky tonality bathing  you in softness and drowned in French accents. It was a weekend away, short but everlasting in my memories, swept up in a hotel suite from a dream and made simple with long afternoon walks with nowhere in particular to go… just the way I love to see Paris.

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Le Bristol Hotel

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A child of the 90s I grew up with this fantasy of Paris I found in movies. The hotel suite that perfectly frames the Eiffel Tower in its windows, bouquets of flowers and white walled gardens where fluffy white cats come to lay in the sun before evenings in little chic black dresses and dinners where each course comes with a wine pairing. I found that glamorous Paris I so long ago dreamed about at Le Bristol Hotel.

I have been lucky enough to find myself in Paris quite often, and from time to time I can be caught in a daydream of what it would be like to live in this city that captures my soul. When I come to Paris I mostly just take my camera and walk. Walk for days. It never gets old to me, I never run out of things to photograph or be inspired by. Never, not even when I stayed in the most lovely apartment, have I desired to “stay in”… that is until I stayed at the Le Bristol. Already as I write this at Charles De Gaulle airport the memory of our suite feels more like lying half awake in a garden day dreaming all afternoon.

There is not a single detail of this hotel, which opened in 1925 in the heart of Paris’s fashion district, that isn’t wonderfully glamorous and idyllically French. From the dazzling array of chandeliers to the 18th century Toile de Jouy decor, it is unapologetically luxurious. It’s no wonder it attracts the stylish clientele to match from movie stars to entertainers and (to my pleasure) fashion photographers. It even had a place in Woody Allen’s movie Midnight in Paris.

During World War II the Hotel Le Bristol became the American Embassy and even harbored a Jewish architect who would later design the stunning glass and wrought-iron elevator I described as what it must feel like to travel inside a diamond

Of course they have a beautiful spa, wonderfully opulent bars and restaurants tucked here and there around the hotel corridors, but it was what we discovered on the 6th floor that really took our breath away. A pool designed in the likeness of a large sailboat as imagined by Professor Pinnau, who most notably designed the yachts for the Onassis family, wrapped in walls of windows with sweeping views of Paris and most beautifully, Sacre Coeur. While the pool was a popular spot in the afternoons, it was early in the morning alone with the sunrise I found it to be one of the most peaceful places in Paris.

But perhaps the most surprising feature of this incredible hotel are the two fluffy white cats that live amongst the marble and roses. There is nothing more charming than having afternoon tea in the hotel’s garden with company of a furry little friend at your feet.

90 years after her opening here she stands, a lovely as ever….

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Feria de Abril de Sevilla

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Sometimes when you travel you happen upon magical moments which is precisely where I found myself on a recent trip to Seville. Once we arrived I noticed many of the women walking around town in gorgeous traditional Spanish dress. One thing led to another and here we were, standing in the middle of Seville’s “Feria de Abril“, Seville’s April Fair.

Lasting for six days these rows of “casetas” are built on the fairgrounds in which a parade of decorated carriages and riders trot back in forth in front of. Casetas, which are elaborately decorated tents, are each individually owned by families, groups of friends, prominent businesses, or political parties where inside Spaniards enjoy live music, traditional dance, rebjuito, and tapas.

It was a magical transition stepping into a world I’d never known or experienced, so rich in tradition and culture. I was an invisible witness as I wondered through with my camera, smiling the entire way.

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Snapshots from Seville

Snapshots from Seville, Spain

We found ourselves with a few days off in Spain after our Dom Pérignon experience in Barcelona so we asked around where would be a great place to visit outside a big city. Everyone said Seville. Typically before we travel to a new place I do extensive research on the town, best places to stay, eat, activities, cultural norms but I didn’t have time in this instance, we just hopped on a plane and let discovery find us.

First thing I did was find a beautiful boutique hotel, Corral del Rey. We had breakfast every morning on the terrace overlooking Seville and it’s skyline dotted with steeples. We discovered Iberian ham, the world’s largest gothic cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried, where they filmed Star Wars, where they filmed Game of Thrones (OBSESSED), and that Spain has hands down the best food in the world… and sangria. We also learned that Spaniards don’t do mornings and love to eat dinner around 9 or 10pm. And finally, we found Spain to be very affordable which is always fun for travel.

One of the things that makes travel magical is opening yourself up to new experiences, sights and sounds which you could never have anticipated, and become immediately enchanted with. Walking around a small city under a canopy of orange tress was as intoxicating as getting lost in the small narrow hallway walls that wind you around town in a magical maze of wonder. Once, one of our walks led us by AIRE baths, the concept of a Roman bathhouse reopened in Roman ruins and a 16th century mansion. Imagine floating in a candle lit room between ancient walls from the first century AD and then going in a hot tub on the roof of the mansion overlooking Seville to the sound of church bells ringing.

Favorite places:  Alcázar of Seville *pre-buy your tickets with your hotel so you don’t have to wait in a crazy long line and go when they open so you’ll have the place to yourself*|| Cathedral of Seville || Mamarracha *this place was SO GOOD we went twice for dinner and have cried about missing it ever since* || Corral del Rey || Aire de Sevilla || Mercado Lonja del Barranco *to eat, drink, people watch and dance*

Here are some snapshots from Seville…

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Snapshots from Barcelona

Snapshots from Barcelona, Spain

It has been 15 years since first visited Barcelona yet my memories of fondness for this city never faded. I was thrilled to see the city new through adult eyes and with all the wonderful personal recommendations brought to me through social media (thank you guys for that!).

Of course we did the classics: coffee at 4 Gats, many paella and sangria moments, the Picasso Museum, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell (cover photo & magical wonderland), people watching walking along Las Ramblas, drinks at El Nacional, lunch at Big Fish, dinner at Tapas 24, Saboc (their menu is arranged by temperature!) and my favorite meal which was at Entrepanes Diaz (where we simply let the waiter bring us all the house specials until we were too full to continue).

Though I did not have a lot of free time, I greatly enjoyed when I was walking the city and I look forward to coming back again to continue my discovery of all that is Barcelona. See below for some snapshots of my favorite moments and links to the places I loved most!

Below~ Paella and sangria beach side at El Gallito

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Paris Time

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For the past 4 years we’ve have the greatest pleasure of enjoying Paris in the fall. First with Esteé Lauder, then for MAC Cosmetics, following with Ralph Lauren and this past trip with CHANEL. I feel so fortunate to be able to shoot for clients who see the magic in this city of lights as much as we do. After work we always stay as long as possible to eat, drink, shop, get inspired and take epic long walks in the enjoyment of life. I’m happy to have french friends and favorite restaurants. I adore how things never seem to change here- the same woman sells me my favorite chocolates, the same waitress serves us that day’s seasonal dish, though this year her english is much better… which kind of makes me sad. Then there is always the thrill of discovering something new. The rooftop of the Raphael Hotel was enchanting. Dinner on the terrace of Monsieur Bleu with this sparkling view was so elegant. And the home stores where on. point. this time.

Standing under the watchful eye of time I looked out over Paris thought about the years that have passed and how one day I’ll look back on this time in my life and say… “now wasn’t that just magical.”

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Paris Mornings

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I know what it feels like to be up early in the morning, the way the buildings are colder and stronger, the way the steam dances out of the street and off the chimneys of roofs so pure and innocent, untouched by the pollution of the day’s bullshit and congestion. I love that peaceful handoff, the glowing clock of night dimmed and sleepy passing on time to the sunrise of day. The bar flies finishing the last swig of beer, drunkenly caught between yesterday and today, already smelling of tomorrow’s disasters, hazily lost in this seamless transition that has been happening for an eternity. How small we are. How worried we get around the details of our seconds and the price of the ground we stand on. Just look at the sunrise and you will feel like one lucky soul in a moment that is already gone, floating on a place we call earth, that little blue dot among a whole universe of wonder…