The loft.

a funny thing happened on the way to the toy store...

well, actually IN the toy store.  So last month when I was in NYC with my daughter, we take a trip over to the famous FAO Schwartz.  We walked through picking up few fun items to purchase, danced on the "Big Piano", and were slowly making our way toward the checkout line.  That's when I heard a man calling out my name... I turned to see him and his wife with kids in tow... they were clients from home!  We were all very surprised to have bumped into each other!   They were in town for several days for a friends wedding, so we decided to plan a photo shoot.  :)  The next day we met in Soho for our session.  Here are some of my favorite shots...

Evelyn and Elena

 

here you go...

I have recieved tons of email from people requesting my "fasting plan".   It really is fairly simple, but I do recommend buying a book about it before starting.
Here's one to check out:  Juice Fasting & Detoxification Book - Steve Meyerowitz

First decide how many days you want to fast.  For fasts longer than 3 days you really need to use caution and do your research.  So juice fasting books are terrific for getting the info you need.  I like to go for 7 days so I usually start a couple of days before the fast by preparing my body by only eating fruits and veggies and only drinking water.  Then before the first day of the fast go produce shopping and buy a juicer if you don't already have one. I bought my Jack LaLanne juicer at Sam's for around $89 and it works perfectly fine.  Another option is that Whole Foods and Central Market make fresh unpasteurized juice daily.. how convenient!

The juice books will give you all the info you need about what types of produce to choose and what each one does.  Personally, I can't stand green veggie juice.  So I would chug 4 oz of it like a shot and get a 2 oz wheatgrass from Jamba Juice daily.  The rest of the time I would drink different combos of fruit juice and water.  Pear-Apple juice, Grape-Apple, Orange-Grapefruit, Watermelon, Strawberry-Apple, Orange-Carrot, Tomato, etc. 

That's it!  Take it easy and relax.  When the fast is over, slowly introduce foods back into your diet.  Eat only fruit the first day... melon and grapes.  Then add salad (no dressing) and nuts the next day, and after that rice and protein.  By day 4 you can resume eating pretty much whatever you want.  :)

lunch with punch!

These personalized retro style metal lunchboxes are a big hit with all ages.

Although it's still summer, it's never too early to start preparing for back to school.

These lunchboxes also make a great crayon and art supplies box.

I wonder if my teenager would carry one? 

happy weekend!

Hey, beautiful people... have a terrific weekend! 

I certainly plan to!  I am going to celebrate with FOOD.  The 7 day fast was officially over yesterday.  But there's 3 days of breaking the fast...  this is day 2 of the break-fast so today I had a little plain salad, brown rice, fruit, tomato and avocado.  Tomorrow?  introducing yogurt and chicken breast!  whoo-hoo!  haha...

So Sunday I will splurge and eat whatever i want.  Hmmmm..whatever will it be?  Central Market is Going Coastal  this weekend with seafood boils and fresh fish tacos made to order... mmmm..which makes me think of yummy sushi... but I've been craving Paesano's pasta and bread... and Chuy's is always a favorite.  Think I'm hungry?

Well... its been worth it.  I feel sooo much better.  mentally and physically clean.  :)
Not to mention I lost 8 pounds.  Oooohh, icing on the cake.  hmph.. i think i'll add that to sundays menu...

see ya monday!

grace.

Meet 8 week old Grace Caroline.  I photographed this sweet baby girl at her home in Keller with mom and dad.  Once we got rid of her hiccups, I had a great little model!  She actually would follow me and the camera with her eyes everywhere...  I don't even get that from kids old enough to take direction! 

Everyone smiling!  We've got lots of great shots.

The little poser.  ;)

veryyy sleeepyyy

After a full day of house hunting, I'm exhausted.  going to bed now.  expect new pictures tomorrow..

nighty-nite.

Firefox 3

Ok...I am sooo happy to have Firefox 3!  I have always hated the way my photos would show up on my website and blog with Firefox 2.  They looked dull and not as vibrant and colorful as they would when they would leave photoshop.  It has always been a bugger.

Firefox 2 does not include support for color profiles, so the browser renders colors as best it can without doing special tweaks based on your system or custom color profiles. The good news is that Firefox 3 does include full support for color profiles. In Firefox 3, these profiles are used to tune up the image to your display to better reproduce the original image; a must for amateur and professional photographers.
So with the color management add-on FF3 offers.. photos look a TON better!  Check it out, I wish I'd known about it sooner.   :)

weekends off!

i've decided to blog mon-fri.  Weekends are way too crazy right now to add blogging to my "to do" list!  And i do like to have some time for fun... but that didnt happen this weekend.  Photo shoots and consultations with Shannon on Sat .. and Sunday was spent house shopping.  12 houses in a day... and it was hot.  Not fun.  Many of you know that I am officially moving within the next couple of months.  Going south from Plano to Dallas.   Since my kiddo is going to Booker T. we've got to get much closer!  House, office, everything.  More updates to come on all that!

On another note, this has been day 5 of the juice fast... and 5 pounds down.  It seems easier this time around.  Well, until my brother asked for a dinner recommendation for he and his wife's 1 year anniversary.  Then I started pulling up restaurants online and looking at menu's and then I had to stop. 

Shannon is plugging along as well...  after we finished a consultation on Sat it was really tempting to walk over to the pub across the street and get a burger and a beer.  But we held strong!  Something else I've noticed...  It's weird how things you NEVER normally eat sound great to you when you haven't eaten in 5 days.  Example: Red Lobster?  I don't get it either.  :)

henry + george

This was a really fun shoot that took place in Brooklyn, NY.  I was referred by a client here to some friends there... so when I went took my recent trip to NYC it worked out perfect!

This is a wonderful family who just 4 years before moved to NY from Paris.  They are originally from GB so when my daughter (she tagged along) heard Henry speak she had an immediate crush.  Henry is exactly her age(14), and cute, and I think the accent reminded her of Harry Potter.  So there you go...thats probably all it took.  Her favorite quote from him was "I am completely useless at this."  (meaning taking pictures)  :)

George is a very sweet 12 year old.  He is autistic and it took a little time for him to warm up to me but when he did he was all smiles. 

And of course, one with dad, Richard.  Afterwards Richard took Taylor and I out for very nice Italian dinner just walking distance from their lovely brownstone home.  We had a terrific time!

*Speaking of food...I'm starving.  Day 2 of the fast is almost gone.  Tomorrow its supposed to be better. My fingers are crossed.

not so fast

okay so 3rd time's the charm right?  I have declared the beginning of a 30 day blog twice now.. i think, so this time its for realz.  since i'm on a roll... I'll claim this as day 3.  :)

However, it is only day 1 for me in another life aspect.  It is the first day of my 2nd annual juice fast.  Its a terrific way to cleanse the body, the mind, and those pesky extra 10 pounds that always hang around.  The best part for me is that it jump starts a lifestyle change.  I LOVE food.  I don't eat to live, I live to EAT. (Thank God for a decent metabolism!)  And I usually eat whatever I want... and we all know that good food is not always good for you.  So this works wonders getting me to eat healthier.  After the fast, I feel so "clean" the thought of eating anything fried or fatty disgusts me.  Anyway, it works for me!  For awhile anyway.  :) 

Shannon is joining me on the fast wagon so we've got support!  I'll let you know how it goes this time around.. right now I think my stomach is in shock.  I'm off to have a little strawberry orange juice before heading to bed.  Thank you Whole Foods!