REBOOTING MY HEART ON THE CÔTE D'AZUR

August 15, 2021

I decided to return to the south of France for the first time since studying there in college. My time there was one of the happiest and most memorable in my life; I woke up each day under deep blue Côte D’Azur skies and had the great fortune of meeting so many lovely people from all over the world at my language school. We shared an old apartment in Vieux Nice and spent the majority of our afternoons hanging out at L’Opéra Plage after class or hopping on a bus or train to explore the coast.

I was so grateful for the chance to go back and fall in love all over again.

All photographs shot on Kodak Tri-X with my first SLR, a Canon Rebel 2000 that came with me to Nice in college.

DREAMING ABOUT SPERRY CHALET

November 30, 2017

Sperry Chalet lodge, after standing strong for more than 100 years up in the backcountry of Glacier National Park, has burned down. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach when I read the news. It turns out firefighters have been fighting a lightning-sparked fire near the chalet and Lake McDonald for the past two weeks, and it finally succumbed to the flames yesterday. So sad.

Exactly two years ago today, I had the great fortune of hiking up to this magical place and spending two nights. Built in 1912 by the Great Northern Railway and opened the following year to guests, Sperry Chalet has provided a base for hikers heading up to see the amazing Sperry Glacier for 100+ years. A National Historic Landmark, the chalet was built from simple rock, rubble, and timber in an homage to the alpine architectural style that the Railway was using for all of its buildings in the area: Montana would be the Switzerland of North America.

On our previous trip to Glacier, I stayed at the more rustic of the Great Northern Railway chalets - Granite Park. At Granite Park, they provide communal facilities in which you can pack in your meals and prepare them yourself, as well as participate in fun ranger-led talks every night. All aspects of the trek are more family-friendly, including the hike in via the Highline Trail which is about 8 miles and less than 1000' of elevation gain.

Sperry Chalet, on the other hand, felt luxurious by comparison. While rustic, the accommodations are full service - beds and linens in the main lodge, full catering and delicious meals prepared by the friendly staff. Hot breakfasts, lunches packed for you to take on your hike, freshly-baked homemade cookies and pies, delicious multi-course dinners - the works. It's backcountry hiking at its ultimate best, even if you have to think really long and hard about the 2am emergency bathroom hike.

Each night, we drank hot chocolate and apple cider, played games until late and listened to stories from other guests about how they've been coming to Sperry for 20+ years with their families. The chalet was so well-loved.

The best part of Sperry was its location. The hike in is 3500' up over 7 miles, and we shared the trail with the supply pack horses. Another 4 miles and 2000' above is Sperry Glacier, one of the most stunning day hikes I've ever experienced, including a run of granite stairs dynamited out of the side of the mountain. We made the trip at the end of the season, which provided awe-inspiring vistas and dramatic fog. I'm so grateful to have experienced this amazing place and so thankful for all those who tried to save it.

Here's to the Sperry Chalet rebuild so future generations can see the few glaciers left in the park, and experience the humbling beauty of places such as these.

All photos shot with either my Nikon D750 or my iPhone.

EXPLORING SANTIAGO WITH NERUDA

February 11, 2017

It wasn't until long after I moved to New York that I was introduced to the poetry of Pablo Neruda. As a lifelong Francophile, my literary interests always led me elsewhere - and honestly, I was a little intimidated by the thought of traveling to South America. But when I saw a good opportunity to head to Santiago for a long winter weekend, I packed my swimsuit and summer dresses and left my snowboots at home.

After an overnight flight through Atlanta, I checked in bright and early to the Crowne Plaza (thanks, IHG points!) and immediately set off to explore the nearby barrios - Lastarria and Bellavista. I was blown away by the street art and the people were so friendly. Plus, the street life was so vibrant — I found myself in the middle of a parade with dozens of marching bands from all across South America - Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and more!

One of the highlights of my trip was booking a guided photo walk through Foto Ruta Santiago. I met up with Cat, a local professional photographer, to explore street scenes off the beaten path. We met up at Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral to explore the beautiful and imposing campus. Originally built to be the venue for the United Nations trade and development conference in 1972, it was repurposed by Pinochet's military junta as the center of operations for his defense ministry. Cat told me that to this day, people don't know the full story of all the terrible things planned within its walls. But now, it's been restored and reused as a beautiful cultural center at the heart of the city; we watched dozens of dance teams and musicians meet in its enclaves to practice.

Setting off from the center, we explored the back streets and alleyways of the city, checking out star attractions like the Mercado de Flores and Mercado Central along the way. I loved seeing the city through her eyes and hearing about her experience living there, and it's definitely an experience I'd recommend for any photographer - especially one traveling solo. Returning to my hotel afterwards, I was pleasantly exhausted and buzzing with stimulation, so grabbed my handy Neruda compendium and headed to the pool to relax and dream about my next trip back. Perhaps it should be to Valparaiso and the Pacific coast to see his houses at La Sebastiana and Isla Negra? Let's go!

All photos shot with either my Pentax 645N & Kodak Portra 400 or my iPhone.

DRIVING DOWN THE COAST OF PORTUGAL

October 1, 2016

Last year, I took a little trip to Portugal and thought Lisbon was the bee's knees. It's a super cool city with endless design shops, amazing food, and plenty of sunshine. I can't wait to find a good excuse to go back. But what I might've left out was how completely in love I fell with the countryside down south in Alentejo and along the Algarve coast.

On our way south from Lisbon, we stopped at every parque natural we could find and every last one was as gorgeous as the last. Coming home every night to a farm in Odemira, we explored the coast from Sines to Lagos. We hiked out to see the pounding surf and took long walks along the dunes. We drove through so many tiny whitewashed villages and took the long way home. We ate simply grilled fish and hearty seafood stews. Did I mention the wine?

You should find an excuse to go there, too. Be still my heart.

All photos shot with either my Pentax 645N & Kodak Portra 400 or my iPhone.

Portra just loves that Portuguese sunshine.

HIKING IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

August 14, 2016

Though I've passed through Seattle many times, I'd never actually gotten out and properly explored any of the nearby national parks. One of my closest photo-friends Peter packed up and headed to the Pacific Northwest from Brooklyn a few years ago and it’s been a joy following his work and the adventures he and his wife Emily have with their dog Aldo in the mountains.

After extending a work trip into a long weekend and intercepting one of my travel partners in crime (Alaska, Portugal), we decided to head for the hills and explore!

We took the ferry across to Bainbridge Island for an early brunch at Cafe Nola and headed into the National Park. We stopped at the lovely visitor's center at Hurricane Ridge which informed us that unexpected early-season snow (and a lack of on-duty plows) prevented us from making the drive up to see the ridge. Instead, we drove through the dramatic mist and fog to check in at one of the few hotels inside the national park - the Lake Crescent Lodge.

We decided to start the next day with a short rainforest walk near the lodge, and then make the long drive down the bay roads to the lesser-visited southeastern part of the park. Along the way, we stopped at lots of little state parks and bay beaches like Pleasant Harbor, Seal Rock and Triton Cove to enjoy the scenery. Lunch included a stop for some delicious Mexican at a tiny spot with an incredible view called El Puerto de Angeles. After fueling up, we drove back into the park at the Staircase entrance and laced up our hiking boots. We explored the North Fork of the Skokomish River for a few hours and saw waterfalls, rapids, suspension bridges, old cedar forests; it was such a great reminder of the rejuvenating power of nature.

After getting our hike in, we drove back along the beautiful Lake Cushman at sunset, and as the light slowly faded, our last treat was to see incredible colors on our way back into the city.

All photographs shot with one of my crazy vintage cameras and expired film. Just kidding. IPHONE 6, BABY!

WINTER IN AMSTERDAM

August 3, 2016

When the temperature reached 100+ heat index a couple of weeks ago, I asked a co-worker to help me figure out which of my photo sets to edit (He's a photographer too! Follow him on Instagram!). He smartly recommended something cold and refreshing and told me to stop being lazy at editing. Smart guy, that Andrew.

So I immediately thought of digging out my film from our trip to Amsterdam back in February of this year. I'm not sure if it's the power of suggestion or what, but editing the photos felt like a cool, refreshing project. Or maybe I was just experiencing heat delirium. Totally possible.

Anyway, I had a total blast exploring Amsterdam for the first time. The earliest spring bulbs were just starting to push up their shoots, and the days were so pleasant for going on brisk walks to sightsee, shop along the Nine Streets, and grab groceries at the Noordermarkt greenmarket. I stayed in an old house in the Jordaan, originally built in the 1600's as the home and storefront of a baker, and found a whole lineup of spots, in case you're interested:

Record Shopping: Flesch. Waxwell. Distortion.
Brown Cafes / Pubs: Cafe Chris, where Rembrandt used to take his pints. In De Wildeman for European beer connoisseurs.
Delicious Eats: Bar Brandstof for deliciously fresh salads and sandwiches. MAZZO for hip Italian and pizzas. Salmuera for creative ceviche dishes and South American tapas. 5&33 for cocktails and fresh, inventive Mediterranean (Don't miss the rotating modern art exhibits in the basement gallery! I saw Milette Raat's wonderful solo show, and I guess Banksy is exhibiting now?!)
Fun Activities: Foam for modern photography in a lovingly restored modernist canal townhouse. Heineken Music Hall, where we got treated to our first Massive Attack show and some legendary acoustics.

And of course - the walking. I found Amsterdam INFINITELY beautiful with all its rings of canals. It was such a simple pleasure to take my camera out for walks and capture all the ways the sun lights up the city. The layout of the streets in the center city just begs to be wandered, as it's always a little unclear in which cardinal direction you're headed. Plus, all the exercise is good justification for why you definitely should stop and get some famous french fries. The alternative wouldn't have anything to do with all the coffeeshops, now would it?

All photographs shot with a Mamiya C330f twin lens reflex & Mamiya Sekor 80mm lens.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH LUGANO

May 15, 2016

It's no secret that I'm a fanatic about great airfare deals. If there's one recommendation I have for those hoping to travel more, buy great airfares first, sort out the details later. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the decisions that go into planning a trip, but that first step of buying a plane ticket is always the spark.

A few years ago, I realized there are almost always great deals from NYC to Milan in November and December. While technically shoulder season, the weather in Milan proper can be unpredictable, but it's an ideal starting point for an array of wonderful excursions. Florence is three hours by train. The Cinque Terre coast is two and a half by car. The slopes of St. Moritz are just as close, as are the vineyards of Tuscany.

What caught my eye was a small town I didn't know much about in the south of Switzerland. Lugano sounded lovely, an Italian-speaking city in the canton of Ticino. Year round palm trees, towering Alps nearby, close enough to the glitz of Lake Como without being in the center of all the action? Count me in.

Lugano has an interesting (and ancient) history. Scientists have found evidence of inhabitants all the way back to the Stone Age, and monuments that originate from the Etruscan and Celtic civilizations. The Romans came to Lugano in the first century BC, Napoleon conquered it as part of the Helvetic Republic, and then George Clooney colonized all of the nearby villas with an army of celebrities and billionaires.

History aside, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After a couple of nights exploring Milan and a side trip up to St. Moritz on the incredible feat-of-railway-engineering Bernina Express, I departed Milan. As soon as the train left the city, we curved around to catch our first glimpse of Lake Como as the sun rose. The fog began to lift and the drizzle gave way to sunshine and beautiful blue reflections for miles. The ride was 90 minutes of jaw-dropping views.

Once in Lugano, I walked downhill from the train station and checked into the Hotel Federale where I'd booked the top floor double room, lured in by its wrap-around balcony and incredible vistas. The lake stretched out towards the horizon while the city sleepily woke up. Days of leisurely, long walks were in order, spectacular sunsets melting into the glacial abyss. Nightly strolls through the Christmas Market at the Piazza della Reforma were full of fairy lights and the intoxicating smells of mulled wine and cider. I stopped at sidewalk cafes to warm up with Italian coffee, indulged in gelato after shopping up and down the steep cobblestone streets, and rode the funicular to the top of Monte Bré for some of the most stunning views I've seen in all my years of travel. Baguettes at tiny boulangeries, obscene amounts of Rolf Beeler cheeses, and great Italian reds. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Lugano, I’ll be back someday.

All photographs shot with my Mamiya C330f & Mamiya Sekor 80mm lens. This gallery includes a selection of films, mostly Fuji Velvia and Kodak Ektar.

DREAMING OF THE BIG ISLAND

March 24, 2016

Every year as we round the corner into spring and get hit with one or two last snowstorms in NYC, it's like clockwork. My brain starts its annual obsession with visions of palm trees, hikes across steam-warmed black lava fields, and boogie boards at my all-time favorite Hapuna Beach. I start googling phrases like "tips for moving to Hawaii" and "how do I bring my cat to Hawaii?" I'm convinced this longing will never go away until we finally pull the trigger.

Of the hundreds of thousands of miles I've traveled over the last dozen or so years, the one destination I’ve returned time and time again is the Big Island of Hawaii. The southernmost and easternmost island in the chain, the Big Island is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined and is a sparsely populated, laid-back heaven of ecological diversity. The island is made up of five volcanoes, three of which are still active, and tons of microclimates that range from arid deserts of young black lava on the leeward side to tropical rainforests on the windward side where more than 200 inches of rain falls annually. It's a dream come true for all photographers.

In addition to the enormous Volcanoes National Park where you can do an incredible day hike into lava tubes and an enormous crater, there are four National Historic Trails, Sites and Monuments where you can go to learn more about the Hawaiian culture, its people, and its phenomenal natural beauty. I promise no one will judge you if you skip the historic sites, because you can stay busy for ages exploring beaches of all colors - black sand, white sand, salt and pepper, pebble and stone, even a beautiful green beach made of sand mixed with olivine. Just be sure to pack your boogie boards, snorkel gear, a good book, and TONS of sunscreen. And sick of lazing around on the beach? I love heading up north to either Pololu Valley or Waipi'o Valley and hiking down some of the most breathtaking cliffs anywhere in the world. In Waipi'o you can even join a horseback tour and go into parts of the valley where you can see a waterfall taller than the Empire State Building. WHAT.

Oh, and did I mention you can drive from sea level to nearly 14,000 feet to watch the stars at the Mauna Kea Observatory? Just try and run your medium format camera, backpack of lenses and tripod up a hill to catch the moonrise when you get to the top. I dare you.

Excuse me while I go search for airfares and stare longingly at this photo of spicy tuna poke.

Medium format Pentax 645N, 35mm lens and Kodak Portra. A few iPhone snaps too.

SOAKING UP THE SUN IN LISBON

October 23, 2015

Earlier this year, I headed with two college BFFs to Portugal! The three of us planned to intersect in Lisbon for an extra long weekend, head south to the Alentejo and Algarve coasts, and spend a couple of nights exploring the City of Seven Hills. The three of us are old pros at traveling together, and trips are always the best excuse to spend quality time together and ensure great hijinks. We've endured Italian rail strikes, held baby sea turtles in the Dominican Republic, crashed wedding parties in India, and hiked on Alaskan glaciers.

I don't know that any of us were quite sure what to expect from Lisbon, as the last minute logistics didn't allow for a lot of planning or reading up on the city and all it has to offer. But WOW, what a city. We stayed across the street from the Eduardo VII Park in a lovely part of town and explored so many neighborhoods: Bairro Alto, Alfama, Baixa, Chiado, Amoreiras.

Months later, I'm struck by the clarity and quality of light in Lisbon: those Mediterranean blues and yellows sing. The city is full of textures, too; the craftsmanship of the Azulejo tiling is just incredible, and I can’t get enough of the decorative cobblestone pavilions and bright colors everywhere. Architecturally, the vibe seems to sit right at the center of a wonderful melting pot of Roman, Moorish, and North African influence and ornament. Don't even get me started on the food and wine. Let's just say we probably wore out our welcome at Lost in Esplanada, and there are a now approximately one million more rooftop bars and design shops on our list.

I'm excited to share the first set of images I have from the trip, and working on more! Happy travels and have a wonderful weekend!

All photos shot with my Pentax 645N & various medium format lenses. Kodak Portra 400.

SHUCKING OYSTERS ON THE NORTH FORK

August 15, 2015

It's a little hard to admit, but I know woefully little about traveling in the tri-state area, despite the fact that I've lived in New York for more than ten years. I've only been to the Catskills a couple of times, Fire Island once many years ago, and to Connecticut for a handful of road trips, weddings, and music festivals. Since I have never really had a car here, sometimes it's just as easy to hop in a cab, head to the airport, and fly off to someplace far away.

While that convenience is definitely one of the biggest benefits of living near several international airports for me personally, I think it sometimes discourages my own exploration of more local environs. Enter the North Fork.

I have had a number of friends and family tell us over the years about how beautiful and relaxing it is to spend a weekend out on the North Fork, but until recently it was a totally foreign concept. Recently we had the opportunity to spend an early summer weekend out there, and I totally get it now. Beach! Vineyards! Wine tasting! Backyard parties and salty breezes! Gourmet cheese shops and lovely restaurants! Count me in.

Certainly, many of our trip highlights included the great food and local wine, and I've included all the lovely places we visited in the itinerary below in case you're planning your own trip. But really - it was the company that we were in which was just the best. Good friends, adorable dogs, and lots of laughter was just the recipe for the kind of restorative weekend we needed. Here's to many more!

Some Recommendations: In Greenport, shuck your own oysters and eat sweet little clams at Little Creek Oyster Farm. Head for a cocktail down the street at Brix & Rye before a delicious celebration dinner at Noah's.

In East Marion, head to the beach and take a long walk before breakfast sandwiches at Fork & Anchor. Visit vineyards and do wine tastings at Mattebella in Southold and McCall in Cutchogue. Visit the polo ponies in their onsite stables, and snuggle them to make your whole weekend. Stop by The Village Cheese Shop in Mattituck to pick up a picnic spread and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air somewhere beautiful.

Barbecue at home or head to brunch in Greenport at Billy's By The Bay. Lounge on the back patio at Macari or hit up a hundred other awesome spots. Do you have favorite spots in the North Fork to hang? I'd love to hear about them! Happy travels!

MILEAGE RUNNING TO MADRID

May 16, 2015

Anyone who knows me well knows that during the last four years, I have picked up a bit of a habit. Thanks to a lot more business travel, I've become slightly obsessed with points and miles. I can remember the exact moment it all began to spiral: on one particular trip to New Hampshire, one of the co-founders at my consulting firm asked me if I'd ever read The Points Guy.

I subsequently stayed up half the night in disbelief. Open jaw flights? Same day turns? Maximizing stopovers? Credit cards with massive bonus point schemes? It was too much to take in. There were so many tips and tricks that I could hardly understand them, but the prospect of flying all over the world for cheap was tantalizing. The Points Guy was there to patiently explain everything through his FAQs and helpful posts. (TPG, you are an ENABLER!)

Fast forward four years and hundreds of thousands of miles flown, I now follow a dozen or so travel blogs that constantly tip me off to new and interesting places. In November 2014, I spotted one such tip - unbelievably low business class airfare to Madrid, which was cheaper than what I typically see for coach! The only problem was that the flights flew in and out of Portland, Oregon. On the plus side, it would net me more than 20k MQMs and 35k miles. I pulled the trigger without hesitation.

I lined up a positioning flight (see? the words of an addict.) so that I could spend two nights in Portland - one on the way out and one on the way back - and a few days in the Spanish capital. And I spent a glorious few days in Madrid working in the mornings and then heading to the Prado and Reina Sofia for afternoons of inspiration. I wandered the streets late into the evenings and observed the famous Madrileño night owls in their natural habitat. I fell into a lovely rhythm of strong coffee, Spanish wine, and delicious tapas. I might have even had a siesta or two.

My Hasselblad in tow, I hoped to capture just a taste of the culture and colorful street life I saw. Madrid, I promise I'll be back someday. Until then, hasta luego!

All photographs shot with my Hasselblad 501CM & Zeiss 80mm lens. This gallery includes a selection of films, including Fuji Velvia, Ilford Delta, and Kodak Portra.

Oh, and for those of you who care about such things, my itinerary went a little something like this:JFK > PDX (overnight) > AMS > CDG > MAD (3 nights) > AMS > LAX > PDX (overnight) > SLC > JFK

DRIVING DOWN THE BIG SUR COAST

February 8, 2015

My brother is a big fan of driving down the California coast. After years of touring with his band and exploring the wide open spaces out west, he has found many drives that capture the imagination. This one is possibly his favorite; there's good reason why the drive through Big Sur is world famous. This year, I couldn't take it any longer: I had to make the trip and see it for myself.

After a week of hard work in San Francisco, I grabbed a cab to SFO airport, rented a car with solid satellite radio options, and rolled all my windows down. Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, Monterey. I hugged the curves of Highway 1 and stopped at every state park I could. I strolled on beaches at sunset and hiked up redwood trails to marvel at the magic of ancient giants. I breathed deeply of fresh, green air and let the golden light warm my face. I can't wait to go back.

All photos courtesy of a (rented) Nikon D4 and a variety of fixed Nikon lenses in my collection.

EXPLORING THE ALASKAN FRONTIER

January 10, 2015

Despite the unreliable nature of September in Alaska, I convinced my BFF to head north for a long weekend. We set out with a plan to explore Kenai Fjords National Park, but got more than we bargained for. We hiked on glaciers, saw them calving into the ocean, cruised next to pods of killer whales, and watched sea lions basking in the sun. We got up close and personal with moose and caribou at a nature preserve, and may have inadvertently provoked a young buffalo to see red.

And oh, the fall foliage! We hiked through forests of yellow aspen, stretching out their long limbs for miles and miles. The vast wilderness of Alaska was overwhelmingly beautiful and I can't wait to return.