{Happy Weekend}

I don't think I'd ever been as sad to return home as I was right before my train pulled into Grand Central Terminal Tuesday evening. I'd only been in the boonies of Connecticut for a week, but the shock and discomfort I felt when I stepped off the train and into the rushing crowd almost took me by surprise. Neema and I had such a great time goofing around, working on projects, taking pictures, and just motivating each other to go for ours. I, for one, am so proud of the strides she's made with her photography and plans for her future gluten-free bakery business, Cupcakes & Chai, and can't wait to see where she goes from here.

As for me, well apart from my usual part-time gig, I've been busy working on a relationship story for Latina, a home tour and travel piece for Anthology, and I'll be contributing a few pieces for The Academy's newest column Your City // For Creatives. So I'll be sharing all the ways New York City is a creative spirit's heaven! In the meantime, here's some link love:

Souvenir Foto School starts up again this weekend! Sign up or apply for a scholarship.

CreativeLive and Function are two great resources for online creative workshops and seminars.

Free printable blog planner.

Ballet dancers in super slow motion.

A. has started reading Sex at Dawn and I've grabbed a copy of The Ethical Slut and been taken by the blog Sex Love Liberation. Should make for some interesting pillow talk.

August Empress has opened an online shop with digital patterns, social media buttons, and graphics.

Free Easter printables.

You know what book I just devoured? The Hunger Games! A very good quick read though it could've used some more depth and fleshing out. Then the movie glossed over so many nuances and emotion that it almost magnified the book's shortcomings. Have you read/seen it already?

How to turn a Moleskine notebook into a planner.

I LOVE this keyboard transformation.

A printable Instagram photo-a-day calendar template.

Speaking of Instagram, did I ever tell you that I upgraded to an iPhone 4S? Yup! Now I'll be taking more photos on the go and share them via Twitter.

Happy weekend!

Image: neemasyovata.com

Souvenir Foto School Creative Captures 101

For those interested in joining the Souvenir Foto School, the next session has just been announced! Starting on April 1st and over the course of five weeks, the class will learn some basic techniques that will improve your shots. Instead of following a daily A-Z challenge like we did last month, students will receive weekly assignments, bonus tips, Photoshop actions, and helpful resources to take your photos to the next level no matter where your skills lie. Plus, participants then get to join the Souvenir Foto School alumni group that I now moderate! I can't say enough good things about the fun time I had during the February session and the encouragement it's given me to keep pursuing photography as a serious hobby. For more info about the next session and to secure your spot in class ($65), visit Miss B's Besotted Blog.

Image: besottedblog.com

Goodnight, New York City

February has come and gone which means my Souvenir Foto School has sadly come to an end. I had a blast this month and loved seeing my classmates' submissions the last four weeks, their kind comments, and suggestions. I've impressed myself with how far I'd go to get a shot and how many photos I'll shoot until I get there (I was averaging 150+ per day)! I still need to practice my Photoshop skills, but hooray for going from HDR and mindless texture and expanding to actions, levels, and curves. I'm so grateful to Tristan and Michelle for giving me such a good reason to get back into photography and rediscover how much I enjoy it.

I remember being on the subway platform that first day and taking endless pics of the A train when I was approached by a guy who wanted to know if I was doing it professionally or as a hobby. "Oh, a hobby," I shyly replied and turned away so he wouldn't keep asking more questions. I felt so self-conscious!

Fast-forward four weeks later and I'm walking right up to a farmer's market stand, DSLR in hand, and asking the three people behind it if I could take some photos for a project. Maybe someday I'll feel brave enough to take portraits, but for now I'm happy that this has pushed me to be a tiny bit bolder and go for the things I want.

One of the best things about having chosen New York City as my theme for this project has been rediscovering how beautiful this city is - especially at night. I've gone off to spots I never cared to see before or just never knew were there. Like seeing firsthand how breathtaking the view of the Manhattan skyline from Gantry Plaza State Park truly is, finding myself alone on the Yankee Stadium's floodlit path, and watching the last bits of light catch on the Unisphere's rings as the sun started to set over Queens. This photo set was not only meant to give others glimpses of my city, but also spark up that pride within me. I get to call this home.

I love the momentum this class has given me and now that the session is over, I would hate to slip back into old habits and let the camera collect dust again. Plus, it was so much fun getting to critique each other's work, hear the stories behind our shots and the new ways we've pushed ourselves, that I just want to keep the creative juices flowing.

So starting next week, Tristan, Michelle, my classmate Andrea and I will be moderating a Souvenir Foto School alumni group! It'll be a weekly thing this time around because after all I do need to recover from this daily business. Hopefully this will keep my classmates and me accountable, entertained, and sharp for whenever the next session rolls around. And when it does, I'll be sure to let you all know so you could join this little community I've come to adore.

P.S. Guess what? My B is for Brooklyn Bridge won a class prize!

The Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal

Have any of you ever visited the whispering gallery in Grand Central Terminal? It's a quirky spot under the vaulted ceiling right in front of the Oyster Bar & Restaurant where you can whisper into the wall and be heard by someone else in another part of the gallery.

I'd known about it forever but had never tried it and A. had never even heard of it before so during a quick walk through the station we decided to detour to the lower level and test it out. When there, two people stand on opposite sides of the tiled dome, across from each other diagonally, and just talk into the wall. I couldn't hear the whispers of others standing by the other pillars nor could I hear A. from across the busy floor, but when I stood by the pillar I could clearly hear his voice in the air around me. He was so amused!

"I wonder what the time delay is?" he asked.

So I started off counting, "1...2..."

"3!" we both yelled simultaneously.

It's immediate. Sound travels around that dome pretty fast!

Image: O is for Oyster Bar & Restaurant Whispering Gallery

A Winter Trip to the Zoo

You know I had no idea zoos remained opened in the winter? I just assumed all the animals (yes, even the polar bears, penguins, and seals) were tucked in for a three-month-long nap and the whole thing shut down until spring came back around. Silly me.

When I learned that the Bronx Zoo was in fact open year round, I breathed a sigh of relief because I'd be able to shoot my Z and spend a sunny Sunday afternoon walking through Madagascar, a Congo forest, the African plains, and an Asian jungle - all in three hours.

Images: Z is for (Bronx) Zoo