Pop, Pop!

Pop, Pop! Milan, Italy. February 2016. 

The Pasticceria Marchesi on Via Montenapoleone is probably one of my favorite "treat yo'self" places in Milan. It is not pocketbook friendly at all, but the service is top notch and the Roberto Baciocchi designed space is a beautiful, whimsical place to visit. Pasticceria Marchesi is one of the oldest and most notable pastry brands in Milan. Recently bought by the Prada group, they decided to put a new spin on an old name. The original Pasticceria Marchesi is off of Corso Magenta and this renovated version has elements of that classic location blended with modern elements. The cherry wood, curved glass displays, glass jars, and mirror cabinets are throwbacks to the old, with the pops of color, jacquard silk wallpaper, velvet interior, and sleek lighting make it feel more modern like something out of a film set. 

Everything here is made fresh daily and here you can see all sorts of other forms of sugar sold by the kilo. It's hard to get this photo without photobombing it because you are fighting the crowds, the mirrored wall, and waiting for a pause in the foot traffic to get one still frame. Pardon the cameo, but now you can see that I really don't travel anywhere without my camera.

Cool House

Cool House. Milan, Italy. May 2015.  

One is the Loneliest Number. Milan, Italy. May 2015.

Rem Koolhaas was the lead architect behind Fondazione Prada in Milan, and it is incredibly fitting because it is indeed one very "Cool House." Koolhaas and his firm OMA were tasked with transforming this former distillery south of city center into a mega complex for the Prada family's extensive collection. OMA is a favorite of Prada; they collaborate on catwalks and shopfronts for the brand. In my opinion, Fondazione Prada is the best testament to their collaborative relationship. 

OMA converted seven standing buildings and created three news ones that matched the industrial style of the distillery. The Fondazione Prada was established in the 90s to be a cultural hub of cinema and art and the design of the complex honors that. It is minimal, spacious, and sleek, allowing the art and exhibitions to take center stage. However, with this being said, one of the most beautiful aspects of the foundation is part of the building itself; its 24-karat gold leaf covered tower. You can see a glimpse of the gold base in the top photo. 

Fondazione Prada has brought new life to a largely ignored neighborhood of Milan and I look forward to the day I get to visit it again and see the changes it brings to the surrounding area. 

Stop Wars You Will

Stop Wars You Will. Miami, Florida, U.S.A. December 2016.

Over the weekend I traveled to Miami to attend Art Basel and its surrounding art shows for a dose of creative inspiration. The city is always colorful, alive, edgy, and during Art Basel it is even more so. I took this photo in the Wynwood District, Miami's artistic beating heart. Wynwood is renowned for Wynwood Walls, however the entire neighborhood is an urban graffiti park. 

Artists from around the world have left their mark in Wynwood including Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra who painted this mural during Art Basel last year. Kobra is known for his colorful, kaleidoscope wall murals. If you were in New York last year, you may have caught his large tribute to Alfred Eisenstaedt's "V-J Day, The Kiss" off of 25th St. and 10th Ave near the Highline (it has since been painted over). Similar to "The Kiss" mural, this one also addresses the topic of war, this time featuring the all-knowing, powerful Jedi Yoda. Murals in Wynwood get painted over so if you are in Miami, make it a point to catch this one and Kobra's entire wrap around this building while you can. 

San Diego, Winter Wonderland

San Diego, Winter Wonderland. February 2015. San Diego, CA, U.S.A.

I never knew what a "real" winter felt like until I moved to the east coast. Growing up in San Diego was a dream. The days average about 70F/21C and, being a desert city, the evenings can dip pretty low, but never ever below 32F/0C. San Diego has an average of nearly 3000 hours of sunshine per year so even when it is cold and crisp, the sun is typically shining.

I took this photo during a visit in February. While the east coast is bracing for snow storms, this southwest corner oasis looks like this. In fact, the chilliest part of of San Diego may be the Pacific Ocean*.

Pictured here is a pier on Scripps Beach that is located next to the UCSD Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus in north La Jolla. The pier is closed to the public, but the beach is not. Scripps Beach is quieter than its southern sister La Jolla Shores so if you are looking for a beach that is more peaceful and one that locals retreat to, Scripps is a good place to go. 

*In fact, let's hope it stays this way. Donald Trump, climate change is not a hoax. 

Gateway to Enlightenment

Gateway to Enlightenment. Kyoto, Japan. December 2014. 

On a father-daughter excursion to Japan, my father and I visited Kyoto and made it a priority to hike Fushimi Inari Shrine together. Dating back to the 8th century, it is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of rice and sake. We visited on a cold December day, but the air felt very refreshing especially after hours of hiking up stairs and inclines. The torri gates were endless and distractingly beautiful—we just had to chase that orange lined path. The calligraphy you see on the gate is the name of the individual, family, or organization that purchased and sponsors the torii. 

During the uphill climb, my father and I thought we had reached the summit a few times before actually reaching it. The hike up to the top takes about 2-3 hours and while the view from the summit is remarkable, it was the journey through the thousands of torii that made this shrine a beautiful experience. 

Love Actually Season

Love Actually Season. London, England. February 2016.

We are quickly approaching the holiday season which also means we are quickly approaching 'Love Actually' season. 'Love Actually' made 27 St. Luke's Mews one of the most famous addresses in Notting Hill (next to Hugh Grant's bookstore featured in 'Notting Hill') and whether you like the film or not, if you have seen it once, you will likely recognize this charming home from the film. Notecards, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, a profession of love, is it coming back?

St. Luke's Mews is a nice, short detour off of Portobello Road; a quiet street with plenty of green to complement the colorful façades. Tourists make this home a destination, so applause to the owners for keeping it photo ready because it is 'Love Actually' season here all year long. 

The Taller the Spires, the Closer to God

The Taller the Spires, the Closer to God. Milan, Italy. May 2015.

Life in Milan centers around the Duomo di Milano. It is a magnificent gothic structure of flying buttresses and spires that took nearly 600 years to complete. It is hard to fathom, but all the marble for the duomo originates from one quarry, the Candoglia Quarry, located near Lago Maggiore about 100km north of Milan. This exclusive agreement has been in place for centuries and it means that marble mined from this quarry can only be used to restore the Duomo di Milano and no other project. This makes the cathedral something truly special.

As you can imagine, transporting this much marble in the 1300s was a massive endeavor and at this time Milan had navigli or canals (believed to be designed by da Vinci) snaking through the city that helped bring these massive blocks all the way down south through a system of locks.

The rooftop of the duomo is open to the public and from there you can truly appreciate the craftsmanship and architecture of the cathedral. Apparently there are more statues on the duomo than any other structure in the world.

The duomo is such a staple of daily life in Milan and is easily taken for granted, that is why photos like this remind me of how good I had it!

Wes Anderson's Vision

Headless Host. Milan, Italy. May 2015.

Zissou Zissou. Milan, Italy. January 2016.

Stepping into Bar Luce at the Fondazione Prada in Milan is stepping foot into the mind of Wes Anderson. Bar Luce could easily be a set from one of his films, a pastel palette, color-blocking, retro details, and symmetry, signatures of his whimsical films. The café, a throwback to Milanese cafés of the 50s and 60s, is just one of several collaborations between Prada and Wes Anderson. Anderson also directed a series of short films worth watching for the designer, Castello Cavalcanti and PRADA Candy series. Together they are a perfect collaboration and no visit to Milan is complete without experiencing it. 

Freshly Minted

Freshly Minted. Washington, D.C., U.S.A. July 2016.

I used to race through the Main Hall of Union Station to catch the Amtrak, however since the recently completed renovation I have taken a bit more time walking through to enjoy the transit hub. For the first time in 50 years, the Main Hall is clear of any obstructions. The renovations were prompted four years ago when an earthquake shook D.C. and damaged parts of the Station. Stakeholders used the opportunity to rethink the atrium of the hall e.g. remove the monstrosity of a cafe that used to sit in the middle of this beautiful space. Now visitors can appreciate the beautiful Beaux Arts hall the way that brilliant architect/urban planner Daniel Burnham created and designed it.  

The Red Sea

Red Sea. Venice, Italy. September 2015. 

This was an installation created by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota titled "The Key in Hand" for the Venice Art Biennale in 2015. Housed inside the Japanese Pavilion in the Giardini, it was beautiful, immersive, glowing. When you entered the exhibit, you were surrounded by a web of red yarn with individual keys hanging on each string. You felt as though you were "swimming" in a red sea and every surface inside reflected an electric crimson glow. This boat was a central focal point, however just one piece in the multi-roomed pavilion all interconnected by the yarn and key adorned cielings. I would do a poor job in summarizing Shiota's description of what the boat, red string, keys, and other items signify in the exhibit so I leave her description here for you to explore.

Moment of Zen

Moment of Zen. Washington, D.C., USA. September 2016. 

If you are a looking for a quiet hiding spot on D.C.'s National Mall, you will find it in one of the two garden courts at the Smithsonian's National Gallery of Art West Building. As a D.C. resident, this is a free and accessible retreat that I do not take advantage of enough.

The Hirshhorn has a panoramic room on their top floor, the National Portrait Gallery has a glass ceiling courtyard created by Foster+Partners, and the National Gallery of Art has this neo-classical garden. This photo was taken on a Sunday afternoon and while the gallery was bustling, the garden was perfectly still. 

So, "Here it is, your moment of zen."*

*Thank you Jon Stewart

Eye See You

Eye See You. Cappadocia, Turkey. November 2012.

Cappadocia is a magical place known for it's fairy chimneys, caves, and hot air ballon rides, it is a beautiful, natural wonder. My friend and I traveled to Cappadocia by way of Santorini after the 2012 election cycle. We needed a break from the chaos of the presidential campaign and decided to go into the caves (and skies) of Cappadocia, Göreme specifically, to get away. My friend and I stopped at a popular overlook for the fairy chimneys and saw this very well protected tree. It was 'looking' at us in all directions. I love the concept of the "evil eye," you can give it, and like this tree, be protected from it as well. Fate cuts both ways so beware of giving the "evil eye" because you run the risk of getting it right back.