architecture – tide & bloom

Movie Love: Columbus

As you might be able to tell, writing blog posts doesn’t come as easily to me as it used to. And it’s not for a lack of content – on the contrary, it’s for a lack of time due to the abundance of content. Travels plus personal life moments plus trying to focus more on the here and now (people right in front of me) have led to a lot of life experience without feeling the need to ruminate or document. When I saw the movie “Columbus” upon the recommendation of my Art Dealer boss, I was prepared for the possibility that I could love it so much that I NEED to write about it. So here it is.

walks in charleston

Bear with me on all these Charleston pictures. I don’t get to travel much so when I do, I go just a little ham on the photography. Can you blame me? Charleston is a beautiful landscape of pastels that is easy to walk and easier to enjoy. We stayed a 15-min drive away from downtown so every day we just drove on over, parked, and took in the scenery on foot.

new orleans in the spring

I’m so happy that my good friend Kelly decided to unite her friends for a Bachelorette celebration in New Orleans! The weather was perfect and there just weren’t enough hours in the day to really soak all of it in. I’m convinced I need to go back for at least another long weekend for more long strolls and frozen Irish coffees (umm, DELISH).

NOLA is one of those cities that just looks unreal because it’s so adorable without being cheesy. There are different colors and wrought iron railings everywhere and I didn’t have the time to really capture everything that I was seeing around me.

The abundance of street musicians was also ridiculously charming. Yet another aspect I wish I had more time to enjoy.

PEDICAB!! If I could get everywhere via pedicab, I wouldn’t mind.

let me go

[ images via tumblr ]

art institute of chicago

Nothing really beats a little history to get you inspired. We had less than 24 hours to spend in Chicago, but the Art Institute was a must-see. We covered as much ground as we could in one afternoon, but I wish I could go back and give it the time it deserves. Every corner you turned, there was even more awe to be had. I’m so grateful that AIC allows you to take pictures, so I can always remember how beautiful the light was that day.

atlanta history center

I’m going to stop pressuring myself into writing clever copy for every single post. Sometimes, pictures are enough. Sometimes, words cannot accurately describe a lovely experience. The Atlanta History Center is a severely underrated local landmark that houses beautiful gardens, educational museum galleries, and 19th century farm house. If you’re running out of things to do in the A, consider moving this to the top of your to-do list.

creative masters: jacob van loon

When I first began this interview series, I had no idea what I was in for. I thought it could be a fun side project that would push me to connect with other creative individuals and provide a platform for the inspirational voices of others. It indeed does those things, but I couldn’t have predicted how important it would become to me, to my own journey. The opportunity to ask a question and have it genuinely answered with thought and care, is a joy I truly cherish now. To think that people I admire would generously give me their time and a piece of their mind… well, it just really humbles me and motivates me.

I can say without a doubt that this interview is one I’ve anticipated more than any other. Why is that, you ask? Well, it’s a multitude of things. Jacob Van Loon is an artist I’ve admired via tumblr for a while now; I stumbled upon his work organically and have been a fan ever since. Watch the video below and you’ll understand why I’m so enraptured. The infrastructure he builds with pencil and paint is complex and layered, existing somewhere in-between creation and destruction. I’d like to think (maybe hope is the better word) that the universe I draw within could maybe be a neighbor to his own. But enough words from me. Van Loon is the 27-year old sage here and his words are the ones I want to share with you.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/2TNW8oY-Tys]

meet me in st louis: the gateway

St. Louis had never really crossed my mind before I met Ben. I guess the Midwest in general just wasn’t on my radar because I had no family, no friends, no ties to the area. But as you can see from previous posts, it’s actually a pretty wonderful place if you have the right guide. We were only there for a weekend, but saw so much beauty and vitality – a truly burgeoning city. And of course, a visit to the 314 would not be complete without an up-close look at the infamous landmark arch.

In pictures it tends to just look like this big curve over the city. And while that is true, you don’t truly realize the magnificence of the structure until you’re standing right underneath it. The sheer enormity is overwhelming and though I didn’t manage to ride to the top (too long of a line for the time we had), I can easily imagine how incredible it must be.

local collections

When I see something engaging, I have to take a photo. The moment of intrigue that compels me may very likely become inspiration for a drawing, be it a week from now or a decade from now.

// random building(?) in Castleberry Hill, Downtown Atlanta

// springtime blooms on the way to Festival On Ponce

And sometimes stuff is just adorable and I can’t resist capturing the sweet moments in life.

// spicy fried green beans at The Republic in Grant Park

// this little guy! in his backyard playground