CALIFORN-I-AY
Yup, I finally made it down to LA for a few days along with a side trip to Santa Monica.
I can’t say this was every really on my radar. I have nothing against LA. We’d been to San Fransisco and had a wonderful time right before our first was born. It’s just that LA represents a lot that I don’t really care for in this world; the excess, the glitz and the glamor just isn’t me. It ain’t my scene honey.
So it was pretty easy to dodge it all these years. Somehow or other in a moment of desperation… you know that feeling, when you’ve rifled through a dozen holiday destinations and no one can agree on just one. So LA with a side trip to Santa Monica it was. And to be honest, other than a terribly overcrowded, depressing walk along the walk of fame, it really was pretty cool. The people were great, the food and the accommodations were amazing and the coffee was strong. Really not much more to ask for.
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RENO STORY - PT 2
And now for some color images.
Something just felt right about doing the first part of the renovation story in black and white. All that tearing down and emptiness just lent itself to a black and white vibe. And when I look back at my original shots, I realize there were days when I simply fixed my camera to jpg black and white and left it there. Outside it was typical grey and bleak fall weather and I probably had an hour long drive to get back to where we were staying and color just wasn’t in the cards.
But there were other days when the feeling was all color and the images below are from some of those days. This was a six month journey after all and there were lots and lots of visits back to our home.
The days with the sun shining in, there was real beauty in the chaos.
Perhaps I’ve left color for the second part of the story because there’s more hope in color. If a tearing down is black and white the rebirth should be in color. Or something like that.
In any case, after two years sitting on these images (and many hundreds more) it feels like the renovation project is now officially completed. It’s no longer haunting me from my hard drive to let it have its final breath. Finito.
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A RENOVATION STORY
This is the story that didn’t want to be written.
We’ve been living back in our home since February 12, 2018. Yep, that’s almost two years ago. That’s far longer than the renovation itself, although it felt at least as long at times.
A lot has happened in the two years I should have posted this. Our house no longer feels like it’s a strangers. It’s now fully and completely a home. That transformation was awkward. It wasn’t binary as in one day it just suddenly felt like home. It was much more nuanced. In fact, I still find myself reaching for the light switch that’s no longer there. Still turning right when I need to turn left. Perhaps after twenty three years in one house that may never change. I’m hoping eventually my brain will adjust.
The stats are pretty straightforward. The plans started in earnest in the summer and fall of 2016. We moved out the first week in September 2017 (not coincidentally the week both our kids left home to be away at school) and we finally moved back home six months and eight temporary homes later. To no great surprise, we went dramatically over budget and move in was pushed back to accommodate the growing list of add ons.
Horrors? Yes we had a few. There’s no surprise like a renovation surprise. A completely new heating and ventilation system, water proofing all sides of the house (only to have it fail and flood the basement on the very first heavy water fall), new flooring on all three floors, plus the dozens of small upgrades that slowly tear away at your soul and provide the nuances that make any renovation memorable.
In the end, we endured living out of a duffle bag for half a year, the beloved (and humbling at how lucky we are to normally live so close to work) Toronto commuter traffic jams as we ambled our way to and from our temporary residences, countless heated and occasionally fiery discussions and the never ending (or so it seemed) weekend shopping expedition to replace everything we tore out and threw away.
Lessons learned? Boy that’s a tough one. The glib answer is to never, ever, ever do a renovation. No sane person would do this fully knowing what lies ahead. On the other hand, you can’t help but feel reborn when it’s all done. The sheer newness of everything is in fact completely rejuvenating.
My favourite room by the way by far is our new music room. This has become my sanctuary. It’s all coming together, we’re finally getting the stereo system completed, and the new area rug was taken from the third floor where it was too big and has found a new home beside the Eames chair. I can’t help but feel a sense of pride. We imagined it, we created it and now it’s there to enjoy.
Alice and I sat down the other night to listen to St. Peppers Lonely Hearts and Abbey Road on our new turntable, the lights were dim, a glass of decent red wine in hand and the romance of those ancient discs turning round and round. I was transported to being 18 years old all over again. Perhaps Alice was as well. This is now officially a home. Our home. There truly is no place like it.
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CURATING COLLECTIONS
Curating this site has given me all kinds of lessons on how to put together a collection of images. Something I would previously have taken for granted actually takes a fair bit of skill and lots and lots of practise.
You would think finding “like” images is a simple process but I’m often surprised by how it looks when done. There’s so many variables from the subject matter, the colors, the shapes and so on. It’s a never ending battle of trial and error.
These are a few from our recent trip to the south of Italy. The images look “warm” to my eye. Not surprisingly, they were taken in July during the hottest time of the summer.
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SEASIDE IN ITALY
The cool breeze coming into the room as I write this reminds me how far we are from our July trip to the south of Italy. Warm days and warm nights. The relentless heat that will melt your gelato if you don’t slurp it up quickly.
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IAN MACDONALD WORKSHOP
A big thank you to Ian MacDonald - @ianmacdonaldphotography - for a wonderful 2-1/2 days in mid August. The recent workshop was held in downtown Toronto, beside myself there were 10 other willing photographers.
Always a great experience learning from a new instructor and Ian was a willing and gracious host with lots of terrific tips.
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PORTUGAL BIKE TRIP
The beautiful people of Lisbon made this trip very special. What can you say about a city where you're met with smiles at every turn. In spite of the onslaught of tourists, Lisboetas are gracious and kind. This place could feel like home real fast.
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While the project title is "Lisbon Bike Trip, there are no images of bicycles, sweaty cyclists and thankfully you are spared the site of spandex. I have lots of snaps taken with my iPhone during the 400 or so km we rode along Portugals coastline but non of them made the cut.
Our daily rides spanned distances from 35km to 100km. We visited Setubal, Sesimbra, Sines, Sagres and finally Lagos before driving back to Lisbon. Portugal is a fantastic country to cycle. The motorists are generally very patient and polite. I think I had one car honk me the entire five days on the road.
It's almost two weeks since we've been back in Toronto, yet these pictures pull me back as if by a Star Trek transporter.
PETER + ZOE'S WEDDING
June 3, 2017: In spite of the wettest spring I can remember, the clouds parted and the sun came out for Peter & Zoe's wedding. It was a perfect day for a wedding.
For context, Peter is the content marketing specialist at the company I own. In truth, he wears about a half dozen hats on any given day. His bride Zoe is also in marketing and I hadn't met her before yesterday but after a brief introduction and listening to her deliver her speech, clearly she's a formidable companion for Peter.
Alice and I as well as a bunch of our associates from Reliable were also invited. The ceremony took place at the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Mississauga. The reception was at the RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton which looked glorious as the sun set and golden hour set in.
I brought my Fuji X100F which admittedly has been somewhat ignored as I've devoted most of my time to the X-Pro2 with interchangeable lenses. Even though these are just casual shots, as I was sifting through Lightroom, it was a reminder how incredibly difficult, technical and frustrating shooting weddings is. I have the utmost respect for wedding photographers who routinely make this look easy. Trust me, it's not.
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While the project title is "Lisbon Bike Trip, there are no images of bicycles, sweaty cyclists and thankfully you are spared the site of spandex. I have lots of snaps taken with my iPhone during the 400 or so km we rode along Portugals coastline but non of them made the cut.
Our daily rides spanned distances from 35km to 100km. We visited Setubal, Sesimbra, Sines, Sagres and finally Lagos before driving back to Lisbon. Portugal is a fantastic country to cycle. The motorists are generally very patient and polite. I think I had one car honk me the entire five days on the road.
While friends and family of the guests were throwing back shots of Ouzo and snacking on a variety of tasty hors d'oeuvres, I managed to stay sober and took advantage of the beautiful light.
The sun was finally setting, our bellies were full. It was time for the old folks to head back to town and let the youngins have their party. Tomorrow Peter & Zoe are off for two weeks of spanakopita, retsina, fresh fish, sunshine and the crystal blue Mediterranean. Not a bad way to start your marriage.
BARCELONA + MADRID
Oh, Spain, I think we hardly know you. After 11 days in Barcelona and Madrid, I think it's fair to say we barely scratched the surface. While I've been to both cities over 30 years ago, they both appeared like a fresh slate to me. My memory doesn't work the way it used to. Other then the Sagrada Familia this was all new.
It was very comfortable visiting these cities. The language barrier was likely more of an issue then in Berlin or Hamburg, but there was always someone who spoke some English. And Alice did a stellar job of learning enough Spanish to somehow guide us through the rough spots.
This was a vacation done at a reduced speed than normal. Other than tickets for the Sagrada Familia, there were no tours planned, no schedules to adhere to. Sleeping in till 11:00 or noon was allowed. We were all doing some serious chilling.
In the end, in spite of a missed flight home, Spain was charming. Both cities are very easy to navigate. We were provided with terrific weather and lots of sunshine. The food (yes, I'm looking at you Pata Negra) and the spirits (hello Mr. Cava) were definitely to our liking. The pace and lifestyle of the Spanish definitely take some getting used to. As I said, we only scratched the surface, but there is something special about the way the Spanish live their lives. It forces you to slow down and take a deep breath. That's exactly what the doctor ordered.
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