Hudson Valley Family Photographer • Caroline Kaye Photography

a couch recovered

2012-02-10T22:58:00.005-05:00

See that couch up there? That mammoth eight-thousand foot couch? It's been recovered twice now. Apparently, it started out a beautiful purple velvet, when my grandparents moved into this Florida condo back in the 60s. Then I came along and spilled a bottle of milk on it, causing irreparable harm and scarring my nona for life. It was recovered in some harmless (read: boring) fabric for the next few decades until my mom took charge and restored it to its original glory. This time, in a mysterious grey-blue velvet. I love it. It's an amazing piece of furniture and soooo fun to take photos on. (See, that's Amelia looking all deco glam and my thea Mary looking all... portraity.)

My mom spent a good part of last year gutting this Florida condo...a place I grew up in. It's a place where I learned how to bake tiropitas and turkish baklavah, a place I learned about my grandmother's adventurous escape from the nazis, about living under Italian occupation (not so bad) and German occupation (pretty darn bad), and about the terrible, enduring pain of a survivor. All while sitting at my nona's kitchen table, filling leaves of phyllo with feta cheese and rolling them into little flags. Surprisingly (to me, at least), I wasn't sad when my mom decided to gut the condo. I'm excited for my children to develop their own traditions and memories...which will not involve baking, because my mother does not bake. But she does like to read them books...on that amazing couch.

sunshine

2012-02-07T21:21:00.003-05:00

It is, perhaps, a testiment to how far behind I am in my blogging that I am starting to pack for my Florida vacation...and am just blogging last year's shoot now. I woke the girls up early to do a sunrise shoot so I could play with some pretty sun. Sadly, enormous jelly fish meant no prancing in the water photos, but hey, there's always this year! Come back tomorrow for some cool design shots from the trip. And...a few more of the girls.

2012-01-14T21:49:00.003-05:00

Yeah, neither do I. I'm not sure I can complain...I do not miss shoveling. But I feel a little for my kids, who like catching snowflakes on the tips of their tongues.

love & hugs & fairy wings • fairfield county, ct family photography

2012-01-06T10:13:00.006-05:00

This was a fall session...and it was sweltering out. I swear the weather this year has been bonkers. But this little one was up for anything...playing with dolls, peak-a-boo, dipping her feet in the pool. And isn't her pout gorgeous? Almost as adorable as her smile. I love this kind of session: relaxed, laid back, full of hugs and love. I had so much fun with these guys...I can't wait to come back in February to meet the newest addition. Maybe I should apologize for the large share, but I just can't. Too many pretty photos; I couldn't resist.

Dogs are a family's first child, right?

how photogenic is this dog?

vassar is purrrrty • poughkeepsie family photographer

2012-01-05T20:47:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'm kind of stating the obvious here, but when this dual-professor family asked me to photograph them, I was full-on giddy about the idea of shooting at Vassar. I grew up in Poughkeepsie...and grew up thinking all colleges were as pretty as Vassar. (I was really wrong, but thank goodness for Oberlin, which is equally pretty in a less traditional kind of way.) Mama Professor has an office in the library so we decided to start there. And man, I can't think of a prettier place to work. Take a look!

2011 favorites * hudson valley family photographer

2011-12-31T14:03:00.002-05:00

One of my big New Year's resolutions is to pick my 20 favorite portraits of this past year. Here's a start. This little one loves his ukelele. And doesn't he look like a rock star already? But what I think makes the photo the shadow of his Daddy in the background.

ice skating birthday party • bear mountain

2011-12-28T20:50:00.003-05:00

I went ice skating today with my gals at the Bear Mountain ice rink. We had so much fun that I just had to blog this birthday party, which forced me back onto the ice for the first time in....uh, I dont even know how long. I'll admit, I was nervous, but it was a blast! And I didn't fall on my kid or anything! The kids had so much fun making snow-globes and decorating cookies. And the mama put such lovely touches on the party, dontcha think? I love all the details...the black board signs, the maple-leaf shaped marshmallows, the urn of hot chocolate. Serously, if every party had hot chocolate, the world would be a better place.

twirling • hudson valley family photography

2011-12-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

cake smash • hudson valley baby photographer

2011-10-11T16:29:00.004-04:00

I’d wanted to do a cake smash for a while and Andrea jumped at the idea for Sammy’s first birthday. We had lofty ideas: We wouldn’t do a boring boy cake. No, instead, we’d take a stab at a visual statement on gender politics and branding. A pink cake for sure. Hot pink. And why not have Sammy demolish the Barbie—a prime symbol of objectification—in the process? When Sammy saw the cake, he didn’t follow our plan. He didn’t grab for the doll. He didn’t grab at the cake. Nope. He burst into tears and tried to crawl away. Not exactly what we expected, though we agreed, Barbies are scary. After he calmed down, he was semi-curious about her hair. And then he decided to ignore her altogether and do some tushy dancing. It was a hilarious day and a super fun way to celebrate his birthday!

A few notes:
1. Andrea did the baking. There is no way I’d be able to create something as amazing as that!
2. We did not intend to show a dude attacking a dudette, which I belatedly realize is another way you can see this. Apologies.
3. If you want to see Sammy as a brand-newborn, check out that shoot here.

casting

2011-09-12T08:58:00.002-04:00

I'm looking for a super cute baby for an ice cream shoot I'm doing tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon. Baby should be sitting well, but not yet moving around. Please send a snapshot ASAP to carolinekayephoto@gmail.com. The little model will get free ice cream (yum) and a complimentary print. Photo may be displayed on the walls of Moo Moo's Creamery in Cold Spring, NY.

18 more days • meatpacking and highline engagement photography

2011-09-01T16:10:00.006-04:00

I have known my sister-in-law since she was 16. Back when she wasn't my sister-in-law, but a girl who wanted to paint my toe nails and gossip about boys. I've been with her through drunken nights (hers, not mine), family dinners, and tragic deaths. She helped me through my own wedding planning, a kazillion years ago, acting as a bonafide therapist. And when I had my first daughter five years ago, she supported me through blocked milk ducts and thrush. I have seen her grow from a giggly teen into a thoughtful woman whom I treasure. So when she got engaged, I knew I'd want to offer her and her fiance an engagement session in New York City, where they lived. Something hip, cool, urban. And then they up and went to Salt Lake City for the year. Luckily, they've come home a few times, and I was able to wrangle them away for a night and have the best time capturing their love with the meatpacking district and highline as a backdrop. Although I primarily photograph children, I will say that this may have made me a convert! They took direction and stayed up late enough to take advantage of the amazing New York sunset. Now I just need to find some sleek silver shoes for the wedding...

strawberry shortcake cream on top

2011-08-11T14:28:00.003-04:00

So what would you do the day after your five-year-old is diagnosed with a broken collarbone? Throw a birthday party for your three-year-old, right? Makes total sense. Okay, I admit it. I'm a second child and I definitely have second-childitis (my mother called me two weeks ago to tell me she discovered my first word written down in my sister's baby book...but I'm not bitter). I might be overcompensating, but there was no way I was going to deny my kid a party. So I woke up--on 3 hours of sleep--and baked scones and cupcakes, dropped heart-shaped strawberries into lemonade and thanked my lucky stars that I have such a good friend in Andrea that she would bring over some pretty red and white striped straws, cupcake toppers, and her face painting skills.

(the winner!)

the green goddess • hudson valley family photographer

2011-07-28T17:28:00.005-04:00

The Holimama has been hard at work spreading her gospel on good eating and healthy balance, so I thought it an apt time to post her family session (it's not surprising, is it, that she chose to style her family in green for this shoot?). I had such a great time with Stanzi's family, watching her easy going parenting and her obvious love for all three of her boys. If you haven't already, you should definitely check out her cleanse, which I attempted earlier this summer...and man did I learn how to make a mean green smoothie!

larchmont baby • westchester family photography

2011-07-20T16:18:00.004-04:00

I shot this session a year ago. Yeah, that's how lazy I am about blogging. But I had to share, because I had the best time with this family...and they brought me to the most amazing location in Westchester, overlooking the Long Island Sound. The day was grey and misty and the rocks the color of seals. I felt like I was on the coast of Maine. Thanks again, guys, for an amazing shoot!

sunset on the hudson

2011-07-19T21:27:00.002-04:00

At the end of my shoot with Kelly, we just stopped and watched....

my babysitter • hudson valley senior photography

2011-07-19T15:43:00.004-04:00

Well, technically, my kids' babysitter. This adorable Haldane-grad has been watching my kiddos since I first moved to Cold Spring four years ago. Back then, she wore braces, I only had one kid, and that kid didn't speak. Kelly now is famous around town among the under-seven set (as well as their grateful parents). And this fall, she's going off to college. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive her. But I couldn't let her leave without a photoshoot. I wanted to do something a little more urban, and thanks to Route 9, I think we got it! Kelly was fearless and totally up for anything. I had the best time!

the farmer's wife {part 2}

2011-07-12T15:19:00.005-04:00

It has become an annual tradition, it seems, to photograph Carolyn and her kids along with Glynwood's many baby animals in the spring. It's a tradition I'm quite fond of. The things I get to see: The awe in EJ's eyes when she gets to hold a baby chick (despite living on a farm full-time!). The old cabin in the woods with its creepy lighting (and, at least in these photos, a laughing baby James). A pregnant sow creating a nest in which to birth her babies, and then, a few days later, those same babies nursing. If you're lucky enough to live here, you should definitely sign up for Carolyn's farm classes for pre-schoolers.

hi-o-hi: oberlin wedding in beacon, ny

2011-05-21T13:26:00.005-04:00

I went to Oberlin, a small liberal arts college tucked into the flat farmland of northeast Ohio. Its compact campus boasts an eclectic mix of architecture—from 1800s stonework to Cass Gilbert’s red-roofed buildings, to the hulking concrete slab of a library—that magically melds together into something haphazard but beautiful.

The students are also haphazard but beautiful. They’re individual and thinkers and quirky and they love to dance and sing and argue and walk barefoot and occasionally dress in drag. Obies are a unique breed, which is why so many of them marry each other (one apocryphal number has it at 85%). My daughter’s principal (class of ’87) is married to another Obie. My magazine mentor married an Obie she got back in touch with at her Oberlin reunion. And Oberlin gave me my husband, whom I met when I was nineteen. So the wedding I went to this past weekend in Beacon—another Obie-to-Obie union—had a kind of magical feeling to it, due in no small measure to the fact that about three quarters of the guests had gone to Oberlin. There was individuality everywhere, from the intricate felt boutonnieres and table flowers hand-made by the bride to the ceremony, which had all of the guests congregated in a circle around the bride and groom, each of us coming forward to bind their hands together with a blue ribbon. As the party ended, one Obie (a theater major) plucked out her ukulele and a group gathered in the dark and began to harmonize. Maybe it was the mint juleps, but I felt, in that moment, like I was back on Tappan Square, hangin’ with my tribe.

PS I was not the wedding photographer, these were all taken for fun and under the influence of bourbon
PPS I am totally excited to see the wedding photographer's work. Jesse Anders was super fun and funny and you should check out his work.

mountain top

2011-05-03T19:41:00.003-04:00

This sweet, sweet family just moved full time to Garrison (yay!) and I got to photograph them in their amazing home. Seriously, how beautiful is that kitchen? The home overlooks the mountains and the light was so pure and clean. It was freeeeezing outside, the wind was intense, but the warmth inside was incredible. I especially love the photo of mom and dad together. So beautiful. This is a photo-heavy post, and I'm not even covering it all! Thanks so much guys, for such a great afternoon!

thank you notes

2011-04-22T16:34:00.003-04:00

I am so tickled by this thank you note I designed for my daughter that I had to share the idea with you. She had so much fun filling in the blanks and I loved sending something off to her friends that captured the essence of the party. (Plus, they're less likely to throw out something so darn cute, don'tcha think?)

maple syrup

2011-03-31T16:08:00.008-04:00

My kids love maple syrup. They love it with the kind of passion that degrades into whines when they don't get enough. So we had a great time at the annual Maple Syrup Day a couple weekends ago at Little Stony Point, one of my favorite Cold Spring spots. And, this being a small town, we ran into nearly everyone of our friends plus our village mayor, who played the bagpipes for us. We watched sap dripping out of the tree and then watched while it boiled down into syrup. We capped off the day with a mini hike along the Hudson River. An amazing day. Great thanks to all the volunteers for the delicious pancakes and lively music!

My daughter and her best bud were watching for trains and ended up looking like teenagers in an American Eagle ad. Kind of scary.

in honor of spring snow

2011-03-23T13:20:00.003-04:00

It's the 4th day of Spring, my daughter reminded me this morning. We were driving to school in a snow storm. Since the snow is sticking around, I figured I'd post some wintry images today. When we shot these headsots (of my lovely friend and actress Alexa Wolkoff), the makeup artist was wearing a snow bib and the snow went up to the top of my boots. Alexa managed about 5 minutes outside before she insisted on heading back in, but I think those 5 minutes were worth it! And the lovely Hilary and Bob at Cold Spring's Hudson Hil's Cafe were kind enough to let us shoot in their restaurant on their day off, so we had a great place to warm up.

dreaming of ireland

2011-03-15T14:55:00.005-04:00

I have a thing for Ireland, even though I've only been there once. The landscape, the accent, and the music (I go goo-goo over an Irish fiddle) makes me feel nostalgic for some simpler way of life that probably doesn't actually exist in Ireland. But we have it here! When I drove up the long, winding dirt road leading to this family's home, I felt like I was in another country. And since these kiddos are half Irish, I was excited to make Cold Spring—with its rolling hills and grazing sheep—look like the old country. The gorgeous knit fisherman's sweater helped! It was cold and windy out, but we loaded up on hot chocolate and managed to have a lot of fun. Baby A couldn't really handle the bitter temperatures (I mean, who's kidding, neither could I!) so we brought her inside for her own little mini-studio shoot, where she was determined to crawl....even if it was backwards.

newsies and news

2011-03-09T08:44:00.003-05:00

I knew I was going to have a blast with this family when they welcomed me with hugs. I swear I've never photographed a warmer family and I secretly want them to adopt me. Maybe I can be an auntie? Pretty Please? We had a great time going through old vintage suitcases carrying scary porcelain dolls and old cameras and playing dress-up in vintage fur coats and newsboy caps. When mom mentioned The Newsies (Christian Bale at his Disney best) I new this shoot was going to be amazing. Seriously, I was meant to photograph the pre-teen set! We braved the bitter cold, the kids and their dog skating over 2-inch thick ice that covered feet of snow below it, and I just love the results! What do you think? Don't the outdoor photos almost make you want another fresh dump of snow?

But wait, there's more!! I want all of you to head over to my new website (carolinekayephotography.com) and let me know what you think. It's the reason my blog posts have been conspicuously absent over the past couple months. Every spare moment went into that baby. I'm really happy with the results and hope you enjoy looking through the galleries. I've got a bunch of other announcements, but I'll leave those to another day.

snow day!

2011-01-07T23:20:00.007-05:00

So this is the second post in a row where there are kids outside in the cold. Without coats. Please don't report me. I had the kids outside for five minutes, max. Promise. And they look happy, no? Perhaps it was the tickle of snowflakes on their tiny noses. Or maybe it was the promise of hot chocolate. We'll never know.

baby it's cooold outside

2011-01-06T17:39:00.003-05:00

It's not always easy to photograph outdoors during the winter, but these kids were major troopers! And mom was a love for letting the kids out of the house without jackets! We kept warm with lots of running and skipping. We pranced down to the train station, pretended to be conductors (love that hat!) and models (love those faces!). When the sun started setting, we ducked into the Cold Spring Depot for warmth and some well-deserved fries. It was a great session, so beware of the long post...

blizzard

2010-12-27T20:02:00.002-05:00

One of my kids was jubilant over the snow. The other was not.

mask • cold spring child photographer

2010-12-14T12:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to the loveliest little Ruby around!

senior photos

2010-12-12T20:39:00.004-05:00

In the midst of my fall madness, I jumped at the chance to attend a photography seminar in Philadelphia. I didn't even mind the drive, since I finished listening to my book club book on CD. (Getting stuck in traffic on the way back helped.) It was amazing to learn from the awesome Shannon Sewell, who inspired me to push my work to another level. These photos were from our afternoon shoot. A big thank you to the lovely models who were super patient (and amazingly calm) when faced with 10 photographers acting a little bit like paparazzi.

weeeeee

2010-12-10T20:01:00.004-05:00

I've been so swamped with holiday photo orders, that I've been ignoring Ye, my Faithful Readers/Blog Stalkers (O! How I love Thee). I've also gone a little batty (see previous sentence). Still, this photo fills me with such glee, that I had to share. I mean, who doesn't love a flying baby?

bubbles and balloons • peekskill family photographer

2010-11-21T08:38:00.005-05:00

This shoot had all the right ingredients: a happy family, bubbles, and balloons. We played down by the Peekskill river front and I decided not to let the bright mid-day sun scare me. I love the results!

gerber baby

2010-11-08T11:50:00.003-05:00

I've been a little absent, but I've had a good excuse...MINI SESSIONS! It was a great day, and I'm now slogging through 12 groups of edits. Plus, I had the chance to photograph the most amazing family in New Jersey for a bar mitzvah family session! And in the middle of all of that, I had the privilege of photographing this amazing 4-month-old. Isn't she just perfect? I had to share! I've photographed both of her brothers and let me just say this: They are not fans of the camera. But their little sister was the perfect little model.

happy halloween

2010-10-31T10:59:00.002-04:00

If there's one thing Cold Spring does up, it's Halloween. So even if you're not a big dress-up fan (ahem, like my husband) it's hard not to get dragged into the commotion. It's a whole-weekend affair, with a parade down Main Street and a concert down by the River. Then Parrott Street—its houses covered with cobwebs, witches and Hitchockian birds—shuts down for trick or treating.

My kids are the cuties in the crayon costumes, which earlier this month, in a moment of grand delusion, I decided to make. I soon realized that I while I may excel at some things, costume-making is not one of them. So a big, public shout out to my craftastic friend Andrea (see proof here) who despite her own crazy life-load, took on the project last minute and saved the day.

swimming in the eyes of beautiful children

2010-10-25T21:44:00.003-04:00

I had an epic Sunday with 10 beautiful (and energetic) families. I ended up completely exhausted, a little bruised, and totally satisfied with the outcome. Now, onto the edits. I can't wait to share, but in the meantime, here's a photo of my own, who helped me experiment with set ups for the day o' photography.

2 spots left!

2010-10-19T09:57:00.001-04:00

No photo today, just wanted to let you little pretties know that I've got two mini-session slots left open: 2 PM and 3:30 PM. Come and get them!

they're back!

2010-10-12T15:39:00.002-04:00

I had such a great time doing these mini-photo shoots last year and am looking forward to meeting more of you this year. $75 gets you a 20 minute session with me as well as one fully-edited jpeg to use for your holiday cards. Additional files can also be purchased (grandparent gifts, anyone?). Slots are filling up fast, so email me if you want a slot. Grown-up families are welcome too!

mr. shmooshums, the expanded edition

2010-09-23T14:14:00.003-04:00

I blogged a sneak peak of el smoosho months ago and then failed to post more photos from the shoot. And how is that fair?

north fork, long island

2010-09-21T11:10:00.007-04:00

I’ve been to the northern fork of Long Island before. First, when writing about Paulette Satur, the heel-wearing wine rep turned farmer, for More magazine. She and her chef-husband Eberhard Müller showed off their delicate baby mâche and wild baby arugula. The North Fork was once known for its potato farms. Now, there’s a wine trail, abundant farm stands, and Paulette Satur’s delicate baby mâche. I came again a few years later when Claudia Fleming, famed for her Gramercy Tavern desserts, decided to quit the city and open her dream farm-chic restaurant with her chef-husband Gerry Hayden. She took me on a tour of the freshest food the North Fork has to offer: Sweet, ripe white peaches from Whickam’s Fruit Stand, green zebras from bio-dynamic farmer KK Haspel , striped bass plucked from the Long Island sound. All of these, magically transformed in the tiny kitchen of the North Fork Table & Inn. (The experience has only improved. My advice: Order the tapioca dessert. Don’t question, just do.)

So when my mom suggested a family trip to Greenport this summer, I jumped at the chance, my two girls in tow. This time I was able to experience lots of sunrises (my girls get up way too early on vacation), which allowed for some beautiful photos. Kids at sunrise, boats as sunrise, flowers at sunrise, the Orient Point ferry at sunrise. We gorged on fresh, organic berries from Oyster Ponds Farm. Filled up on fish and chips from Crabby Jerry’s. Road the Greenport carousel. Enjoyed the best coffee I’ve had (outside of Italy) from Aldo’s. And tasted nut-laced scones straight out of the oven (another benefit of the early morning wakeup).

When you’re driving towards the tip of Long Island’s North Fork, you should take Main Road. It’ll take you longer, partly because the traffic moves slowly along this country road, but mostly because you’ll want to stop at the various farm stands for freshly roasted corn (so juicy the “corn milk”—that’s my aunt’s term—will pop in your mouth) and the vineyards for…well, wine.

enchanted

2010-09-18T21:53:00.004-04:00

This little princess (a very serious little princess) charmed me with sparkling shirt and shy smile. Don't you love the enchanted forest she's hangin' in and how the late afternoon sun peaks through the trees?

happy birthday holimama!

2010-09-14T20:24:00.002-04:00

Can't wait to share more from this beautiful blogger's shoot. But for now, a quick favorite with wishes for an amazing year.

woof

2010-08-17T09:31:00.003-04:00

my cupcake turned 2

2010-08-11T20:58:00.006-04:00

While I decided not to make a proper birthday party for my younger daughter this year (don't worry, my first didn't have one when she turned two either), I still wanted to do something special for her. Something involving cupcakes. And dogs. The problem is, I'm not crafty. Nor can I decorate a cupcake to save my life. So I asked my amazing friend Andrea Latvis (she, of the famous Birdlette shirts) to make these toppers for my daughter's second birthday. All I had to do was stick them in. How easy is that? And credit where credit's due: These were inspired by a former colleague of mine (if you don't have a artsy friend like Andrea hanging around, you can buy Sarah's printable toppers here).

a well documented little dude

2010-07-23T09:14:00.010-04:00

My nephew's in for a visit, which means one thing: Photo Shoot! (That and swimming and visiting baby chickens at the farm and catching up on kisses.) It was a rainy day, so we shot in my make-shift studio; I like the clean look, don't you? Between me and his Nikon D90-owning mom, this brown-eyed boy is going to be one oft-photographed child. Okay, enough with the dashes, take a look:

pink

2010-07-20T22:36:00.005-04:00

After having two boys (two amazing, wonderful boys), this cherub's mom finally knows what pink dryer lint looks like. I met the one month old today and fell instantly in love. She looks just like her eldest brother, though girlier. Here are a few favorites.

the beautiful pout

2010-07-14T21:55:00.009-04:00

This was a super exciting shoot for me for a few reasons. For one thing, I was shooting a teenager, which I don't get to do enough. I adore teenagers. I used to write for Teen People. Regularly. On purpose. Also: Seventeen year olds follow direction. A shocker, I know, but that's nearly unheard of in the the toddler set. Even cooler was the life coming full circle vibe I was getting. You see, this amazing gal (who asked me to take model portfolio shots) is the sister of kids that I used to babysit! These kids had masses of curly hair and were ridiculously cute and even more ridiculously well-behaved. (Seriously, they informed me when it was their bedtime.) I took some of my first black and white film shots back then with my hand-me-down Minolta 101. So on this job, instead of feeling old (that would be too easy), I felt lucky to be able to continue to document this amazing family.

surprise

2010-07-06T14:16:00.014-04:00

I've been itching to post photos from this shoot, but it was a father's day present for a lucky Cold Spring daddy. And who am I to ruin a surprise? I'm so excited to share it now that I went a little nuts on this post. PS: Can you tell what little J's favorite color is?

farm friday: strawberries

2010-07-02T20:19:00.003-04:00

Fourth of July marks the end of strawberry season in this neck of the woods, so last week, I decided to schlep the girls up to the Thompson Finch farm in Ancram, NY. It's organic, which was the reason for the hour and a half drive (a slight disaster, but that's a whole other story). I did the picking, they did the eating. (And eating. And eating.) Still, we were left with loads of leftovers, which I cut up and stuck in the freezer to make smoothies. I'm digging the recipe my friend Evelyn makes, which is berries, a little bit of banana, crushed ice. Greek yogurt, some agave or honey, and a generous handful of chopped mint. Enjoy!

me

2010-06-30T09:22:00.002-04:00

Another one from my daughter. This time, of me!

self portrait of a young toddler

2010-06-29T12:28:00.006-04:00

tinker bell

2010-06-28T21:32:00.007-04:00

When I was in LA visiting my sister (yup, this was way back in March) I had the great luck of crashing my cousin's birthday party. Naturally, I took photos. Young girls' obsession with Tinker Bell is confounding (according to a teacher friend of mine, this obsession persists in the teenage Latina population as well...hmmm) but my 3-year-old cousin's love for the fairy is pure and strong. With an emphasis on strong. Case in point: In that last photo—the one where she looks all forlorn—she's searching the parking lot for Tinker Bell, who had to return to Neverland. In her white car. Some fancy explaining ensued.

sunset

2010-06-24T22:23:00.002-04:00

Here's a sun-drenched favorite from last night's shoot. You read that right. Night. I enjoyed an awesome shoot with a family with three kids with ages in the double digits. Apparently my children won't always go to bed at 7 PM (the horror). So we were able to take advantage of the amazing late day sun sifting through tall grasses and humming off the Hudson. The family (and this sweetie in particular!) was an absolute joy to photograph. More to come...

happy father's day

2010-06-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

To all the daddy's!

sweet baby james

2010-06-18T09:54:00.001-04:00

And his sweetie-pie big sister.

the imperfect family (photo)

2010-06-15T16:43:00.005-04:00

This family is perfect. They really are. I don't know a sweeter mom (and the dad ain't half bad either!). But getting a family portrait with all three tiny little kids—at the same time!—was a challenge. The result is this hilariously imperfect portrait. And I kind of love it, don't you? It's beautiful chaos. The baby was supposed to be the star (the little man slept through the entire shoot) but their eldest daughter had a blast in front of the camera. She's quite the little model, no? I came away with so many beautiful shots, deciding which to blog has taken me all day. Please enjoy one of the prettiest little newborns I've seen all year.

brooklyn baby

2010-06-03T15:21:00.001-04:00

Here's a favorite from a recent shoot in Brooklyn. Loads more to come!

have you any wool?

2010-05-27T13:09:00.021-04:00

I’m feeling a little blissed out by my life, and a lot of it has to do with this farm, in Cold Spring. I’ve posted about it before, so I’m not going to detail the amazing work they do to support small farms or their amazing eggs. (Okay, maybe just a little: The eggs are all different shades of baby blues and serene greens and their intense orange yolks give my food a whole new hue...not to mention the taste.) But what has me really smiling is the sheep-shearing event they hold every year. The sheep were shorn, a jarring experience best described by my four-year-old, who said: “I don’t think they want to get their haircuts.” The farm organized old-school events for kids like potato-sack races and butter making. Lunch was served by Glynwood’s old stone estate, which also housed wool spinning and an amazing felt artist. The whole event felt a little like we were living inside a movie about a small mid-western farming town in the 50s. (Glynwood asked to use some of my images for their new blog, you can see them here and here.)

I felt the same way at my first Cold Spring farmer’s market, nearly three years ago. Beautiful children (because, as you see from this blog, kids in this village are just gorgeous, no?) sat on haystacks watching a blue grass band. Seriously? (I may have been a little more cynical back then.) Three years later, the market opened with a mini petting zoo (baby sheep! baby bunnies! baby chicks!) and new stands, like the one that offers super spicy vegetarian black bean tamales. And the start of the farmer's market means one more thing: Market Pizza at Angelina's! They basically throw whatever they find at the market (super hot peppers, local cheese, tons of veggies) on their crispy crust and serve it until they run out. Summer in Cold Spring (okay, it's not summer, but with this 90-degree heat, who are we kidding?) has arrived and I'm feeling blissed out.

And another reason for my recent bliss is this:

The Sunset Reading Series is held in a old chapel overlooking the Hudson and organized by the amazing Ivy Meeropol and Becca Tighe with the help of the freakishly talented Jeff McDaniel. If you haven’t seen him read, your life is lacking, trust me. (Ordering one of his collections might help with that.)

in anticipation

2010-05-26T13:11:00.006-04:00

We're going to see my kiddo's very first best friend in Brooklyn this weekend and are all SO excited.

my rock star

2010-05-25T22:08:00.005-04:00

This is really just an excuse to try out a larger photo size on my blog. (What do you think of my tweaks?) But seriously, how groovy is my kid in this photo?

feeling nostalgic

2010-05-25T17:34:00.005-04:00

My youngest, nearly a year ago.

my newborn nephew

2010-05-08T21:54:00.013-04:00

Remember my sister's maternity photo? (You can see it here.) Well, here's the result! Cole: My brand-new nephew, who ain't so newborn anymore (he's now 2 months old). I've been busy, but I wanted to post these in time for my sister's very first Mother's Day as a mom. I had an amazing visit with her in LA back in March, where I got to see what a relaxed, loving mama she is. And since she and her husband are such surfing buffs, we decided to take little Cole on his first visit to the beach. Here are just a handful of the results. Enjoy the newborn mushiness and Happy Mom's Day! (And for more mushiness, check out the baby animals in post below this one.)

the farmer's wife

2010-05-04T20:36:00.013-04:00

Here’s how Carolyn and I met: Almost 3 years ago, I wrote a magazine story on Diane Hatz and Sustainable Table. I met Diane for an interview at Glynwood, a Cold Spring farm that promotes sustainability and has a kick-ass CSA. Carolyn’s husband Dave was interviewing at Glynwood that day and would become the head farmer for that kick-ass CSA. We met. Said hi. Went home.

Months later, I was with my toddler at a local library when I met Carolyn again (work life, meet home life) and I’ve since discovered that she is a loyal and committed friend. She is tirelessly generous and passionate about sharing the farm with her community and creating opportunities for our children to learn about their food source and screech at baby animals. Spring has brought loads of babies to the farm—piglets, kids, even a young horse—and so it makes sense that this farmer’s wife will welcome her own baby in a few weeks. I can’t wait to meet the little Boop.

sneak peak: mr. smooshums

2010-05-04T15:34:00.006-04:00

Baby P arrived and how adorable is he? Had to post this one, a definite favorite. Will get more up as soon as I can!

tired of waiting

2010-04-18T20:34:00.010-04:00

Dear Baby P,

It's past your due date and your mama (as beautiful as she is with you on board)
is grumpy (her words, not mine!). So can you come and join us?
We're all so excited to meet you!

Love,
Caroline

{I've been lazy}

2010-04-09T14:46:00.003-04:00

Or is it busy? Or have my faithful readers simply been impatient? (You know who you are!) I've got a few sessions to blog, including a couple of beach shoots, but since there have been requests, here is a recent favorite of my own Amelia with her nona.

{Green}

2010-02-25T21:28:00.005-05:00

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Ruby G. Sometimes called Rube-a-dube or Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby or (I can't help it this just comes out of my mouth) Rubalicious. This was the winter of birthday number four, before the snow gods decided to drop ten feet of white slush on Cold Spring, and we decided to take this green lovin’ kid to an awesome lime retro gas station. And she stomped like a dinosaur and pumped gas and watched yellow balloons soar until her mama and I began to worry that keeping an almost four-year-old outdoors in prolonged frigid temps might constitute child endangerment. So we cuddled her up and whisked her back to her toasty (green) bedroom and plied her with a lolli the size of her head. And Ruby lived happily ever after.

{Growing Up}

2010-02-25T13:16:00.005-05:00

Remember Eowyn? (Check out her newborn photo here.)

Well look at how this beauty has grown...

{What Big Eyes You Have}

2010-02-04T17:11:00.008-05:00

Another day, another pair of kids with exquisite eyes. Could I be any luckier? Yes! I experienced something wonderful and uncommon (for me, at least) on this shoot: Kids that sit still and...listen. I'm hoping that happens to all kids when they graduate to elementary school. (If that's not the case, please don't tell me. I choose to live in blissful ignorance.) And don't you love that bright, crocheted, hand-made sweater? I love that I live in a community filled with amazingly creative mamas.

{Bright Eyes}

2010-01-31T22:37:00.004-05:00

How can you not be taken in my these eyes? C was so fun to play with, er, photograph. He showed off his back yard, alley way, school projects. And he was super gentle with his new baby brother. Here are a few of my favorites from that day...

{Pregnant Pause}

2009-12-29T13:57:00.004-05:00

I know, I know, I said I'd post 12 days of Holiday Sessions, but I couldn't resist showing off my sister's beautiful belly. We had all of five minutes to shoot (a certain impatient 3 1/2 year old was itching to play). Still, doesn't my sister look amazing in her pjs?

{Back in the Big Easy, Part 1}

2009-12-26T19:26:00.011-05:00

In my magazine life, one of my favorite shoots was a profile on Cindy Brennan, of the famed New Orleans restaurant family. The dinner party she threw in her Rue Royal apartment was humming with a jazzy energy (there was even a live trio pumping out brassy tunes), despite the photographer, food stylist, prop stylist, and writer (me!) tromping around disrupting the flow. Back then, I wrote that gathering over meals is what the people of New Orleans do best, and it’s at this intersection of food and friendliness that you usually find a Brennan.

This was the summer before Katrina hit—displacing thousands, including my cousin Lauren, a New Orleans transplant, and her husband Neil, a New Orleans native. It took years for them to get their house (and lives) back in action and this fall, I came back to New Orleans along with a gang of Greeks (aka my family), for a weekend of cooking, feasting, and another lesson in New Orleans hospitality.

Lauren and Neal managed to squeeze the seven of us into their tenderly restored cottage and still make it feel like we were in a hotel. (Neil graciously kicked himself out of the house, which was deemed an all-female zone for the weekend.) The kitchen—inviting and warm with its rich red cabinets—set the stage for our day of cooking. We were there to cook the nona’s recipes—bourekas, spanikopita, dolmathes and tzaziki, yesmista, prassa kefthedes—and remember the women who fed us well for so many years.

But before the cooking began, we meandered past the ornately-carved tombs of the Metairie Cemetery, wandered the French Quarter, taking in its texture and color, and visited Neil’s store—Royal Antiques, a glorious collection of French and English Antiques where I faux-shopped for my someday house.

And we ate. A lot. (Too much?) We experienced brunch at Commander’s Palace (and I do mean experienced—it’s a wonder just to watch their gracefully choreographed service, and they didn’t blink at our tables’ gluten-free and vegetarian requests). We filled up on powdered beignets at Café du Monde. And I had the most decadent pecan pie of my life at Brigtsens, a cozy restaurant tucked into an Uptown neighborhood where Neil has been a regular for fifteen years. And then, to set the tone for the momentous Day O’ Cooking, Lauren led us through a moving session of yoga set to a soothing soundtrack of Ladino music.

Happy Christmas!

2009-12-24T19:07:00.004-05:00

A Merry Eve to all of my Christmas friends!

Now, off to the movies and Chinese...

(PS, Doesn't my friend Beth just have the most stylish Christmas scene? It makes me want to move in.)

{12 Days of Holiday Sessions: Day 4}

2009-12-22T22:24:00.005-05:00

I just adore the pompoms on these hats, don't you? Though the twins didn't seem to notice... More great photos from this session to post, but I wanted to make sure to live up to my one-post-a-day promise to myself.

(12 Days of Holiday Sessions: Day 3}

2009-12-21T21:49:00.004-05:00

It was fall and these kiddos did an excellent job frolicking in the leaves, don't you think? Their graphic designer mom (she does work for Hammertown, the amazing furniture store in Rhinebeck and Pine Plains) is currently hard at work at their holiday card. I can't wait to see it!

{12 Days of Holiday Sessions: Day 2}

2009-12-17T14:23:00.004-05:00

Here's a favorite from a mini-session back in November. I'm not going to post their pick for holiday card since they haven't yet sent it out, but I adore this one, in a non-traditional kind of way. They kind of look like they're in a Gap ad, no?

This would have been my favorite, if little R didn't look so forlorn!

Here's her idea of a happy family photo!

{12 Days of Holiday Sessions: Day 1}

2009-12-17T13:08:00.008-05:00

When I was on staff at magazines, my worst nightmare was writing headlines. I was terrible at it. A 2,000 word article? No problem. But 3 snappy words? I was paralyzed. Sadly, my inability to write a decent headline is part of what’s made me neglect this blog. (That and the hours of photo editing I’m up against.) I feel all sorts of pressure to write a snappy header and…well…I’ve got nothin’. So I’ve come up with an easy solution. 12 Days of Holiday Card Sessions. That means 12 days that I don’t have to think of any thing witty or sweet or treacle or (heaven forbid) boring. Of course, one could argue that 12 Days is boring; if you have any suggestions, I’m all ears.

And, for Day 1, I present the A Team. I adored photographing these two kiddos, who came wearing their grins. They were goofy and sweet and I could have photographed them all day! And their mom just sent me their ultra-cool xmas card, which she got from Minted.) I love seeing photos in action. Thanks for the card!

{Sneak Peak: Ladies G and E}

2009-11-23T12:56:00.005-05:00

To be in the presence of newborn twins is a gift. Seriously. I don't mean to get all weepy, but these two little girls were amazing, like an entire spectrum of emotions playing out at once. And mom likes interesting prints and patterns just as much as I do; we had a blast. So while I'm supposed to be editing holiday card photos, I really wanted to throw a few of these up to share. Look how sweet!

{On the Farm}

2009-11-23T12:38:00.009-05:00

Glynwood is one of the best things about living in Cold Spring. It’s almost a bucolic cliché—the big red barn, roaming horses, heritage hens that lay blue eggs with the yellowiest yolks I’ve ever seen. This family lives on the farm: Dad farms the CSA acreage, Mom hosts play dates showing off baby farm animals and makes a mean quiche with Glynwood produce. I had a blast photographing them for their holiday card.

{Mini Photo Sessions!}

2009-11-10T17:37:00.004-05:00

I've been terrible about blogging lately, largely because I've been super busy editing photos from my recent mini sessions (above is one of my favorites). And I'm about to get busier. The folks at one of my favorite furniture stores, Hammertown, have asked me to do another day of mini-photo sessions at their store in Pine Plains on November 22nd. Go to their website for details!

{Wanted: One Good Wall}

2009-10-29T21:16:00.003-04:00

New Orleans has amazing walls—gritty, mossy, crumbling walls. I wish I could transport this particular one, which sits right across from Commander’s Palace, to my backyard for my mini-photo sessions this Sunday. Something to think about for next year. ☺

Oh, and that cutie in front of the wall is Sammy, my younger-than-she-looks cousin.

{Sneak Peak: Miss M}

2009-10-08T22:26:00.007-04:00

I'm supposed to be packing for my Greek Gal Getaway, which I'm super excited to blog about later, but I was so excited about the newborn session I had today, I couldn't help but post a few. Miss M was wide awake and alert and roaring to go, just like her mama. (Those sleeping photos? A 30-second fluke.) More to come...

{Harvest Festival}

2009-09-29T22:33:00.013-04:00

{Shoe Fetish}

2009-09-28T22:37:00.003-04:00

Am I allowed to lust after kid shoes? Is it sick that my daughter has an incredible collection of Livie and Luca's when my own feet (a size larger after my two pregnancies) don't even have a pair of sensible pumps to call their own?

{My Muse}

2009-09-24T10:36:00.005-04:00

I love the fog. It makes everything feel so mysterious. So while waiting for carpool pickup, I forced my toddler—dressed in her new 4T pants, which are way too big—to stand in the middle of our dirt road for a photo. I was going for something enigmatic. But my toddler, my muse, the main victim (focus?) of my photos, has recently decided that she gets to call the shots in front of the camera. This is her pose. I love it. What do you think?

{Sad Faces}

2009-09-10T21:28:00.010-04:00

An amazing portrait photographer, Dmitri Kasterine (his portraits show up at places like the Smithsonian, but you can see his work on his active blog), plays an awful lot of tennis at the courts behind my house. This means he has the privilege of watching me walk my girls home at the end of the day, when at least one of them is screeching or emitting some equally loud noise. We wave, we smile. And sometimes we chat. I told him about my blog and when he checked it out he made one of those compliments that feels a little like an insult: "People like to look good and you do that." So I thought he might appreciate this photo of my fevered, crying toddler. And one of my favorites, of my grandmother. There was something both haunting and beautiful about seeing my nona, in the last months of her life, meeting my baby, who was just beginning hers.

{The Postcards Are Here!}

2009-09-01T11:33:00.013-04:00

The talented Elissa Josse, package designer/invitation maker/awesome mommy/generous friend created these lovely promo cards for me. Aren't they the cutest?

{Peach Season}

2009-08-17T23:02:00.008-04:00

In honor of peach season—and a trip to Lawrence Farms with a few of my favorite photo subjects—I give you this recipe from Cat Cora. Try it when you’re sick of peach pie, peach smoothies, and peach cobbler. (PS, this works well with plums too.)

Grilled Zinfandel Peaches with Kasseri Cheese

8 ripe firm, but not overly soft, halved peaches or plums
1 ½ cups of Zinfandel wine
2 teaspoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
2/3 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 - 4 ounces Kasseri cheese, thinly shaved

1. Turn on grill to high heat. In a small, heavy bottom sauce pot, pour in the Zinfandel and brown sugar and stir in well. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium and simmer the wine slowly until reduced to a glaze, about 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Brush the peach halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill, 1 minute on each side, to lightly mark the fruit. When warm, pull from the grill and place on a warm plate. Brush the peaches with the glaze and place on a serving plate. Lay the pieces of cheese over the peaches. Lightly drizzle the some of the remaining glaze over the fruit and cheese. Serve immediately.

And here, another reason to enjoy Lawrence Farms.

.

{Eowyn, all grown up}

2009-08-17T20:36:00.007-04:00

It's only been three months since I took newborn photos of Eowyn, and as I discovered yesterday, she doesn't care about little things like "growth charts." Seriously, this kid is as big as my one year old. Well, my tiny little fifth percentile one year old, but still. She's a beautiful, giant three month old now and it's amazing to see how much she's changed in such a short time. These are a couple of favorites from the sessions. The first is a face she likes to make. Often. And I just love how happy her mama looks in the second. It's hard to look that happy when you're sleep deprived!

{Pause for a Wedding}

2009-08-17T13:02:00.009-04:00

I have a lot of new sessions to upload, but I've been busy traveling.

With. Out. My. Kids.

Oh yeah. My husband and I spent a glorious few days in Vancouver to attend a college friend's wedding. He found himself an amazing Canadian and the wedding was full of genuine love and meaning and wildly fast Jewish dancing. (My calves were groaning in pain for a week after.) The groom wrote a song for the bride. I seethed with jealousy. Good times. Vancouver itself was beautiful, with its fresh blueberries and heirloom tomatoes and sweet cherries. And that was just Granville Island. I'll post some gorgeous food shots once I unpack...

{I Heart Brooklyn}

2009-07-22T21:36:00.017-04:00

I was in Brooklyn recently visiting with my good friend Elissa. She's an amazing graphic designer and promised to design promo cards for me in exchange for photographing her kids. Easy, right? Well her 3 year old is one of the hardest kids I've ever photographed. He hates the camera and doesn't stay still for even a nanosecond. But he does love ice cream. (The new-to-me Blue Marble in Prospect Heights is delish.) And he loves fountains. And running. And his parents. So I had some great moments to work with. He and my 3 year old twerp had their first sleepover, which went brilliantly. (They were so tired from the ice cream and fountains and running that they passed out cold and didn't move until morning.) And our two little ones pawed at each other and cooed. It was a fantastic weekend. Can't wait to do it all over again!

And this is one of my favorite photos, it shows the juggling and monkeying it takes to parent two kiddos!

{Holistic Maternity}

2009-07-16T20:48:00.013-04:00

Stanzi is a super talented vegan chef/nutritional counselor in Garrison and she was eager to get some maternity shots before she pops. (She's 35 weeks here, doesn't she look ridiculously fantastic?) The shoot was easy because Stanzi has such a good sense of who she is: holistic with a little edge. And the place she calls home is like a fairytale, all mossy stone walls and dirt roads and spooky horse stables. Her little prince wasn't so sure about getting his picture taken, but he was excited about the kale chips he helped his mom make. He was generous enough to share some with me, and I promise, they were fantastic. Seriously. I'm excited to make them for my little princess. Stanzi has been kind enough to share the recipe on her blog. Go forth and check it out.

{A Greek Gathering}

2009-07-08T22:20:00.010-04:00

This weekend, I taught my daughter the word karpoozi. It seemed appropriate, since she managed to fit seven slices of sweet, juicy watermelon into a 3-year-old-sized belly. I first learned the word when I was 8-years-old and sitting in a sweltering hot Athens hotel room. This is back when Athens was dirty, before the Olympics came and the Greeks managed to clean up the Plaka. My Nona—just about my own mother’s age now, but already soft and dressed in beige—spread newspaper on the floor to soak up the mess. She sliced thick pieces of karpoozi and despite the heat, my sister and I settled into sweet, watery contentment.

We were in Greece on a Great Adventure. It was my mom’s first return since having children, and she was eager to show off her hometown and the cousins her family left behind after the War. I’d heard endless stories about the War: How my grandfather had survived a Bulgarian massacre. How he’d insisted that his fiancée hide with him in Greece’s rocky southern mountains. How they’d survived off of fallen fruit and the help of young communists who didn’t so much like the idea of Germans controlling their country.

But for me, that trip was more about food than family history. Every dynastic meeting (seriously, how many Alberts can one family have?) came with a thousand kisses and a table sagging under our favorite treats: koulourakia, burekas, dolmas, nuts, dried fruit, pepitas. And always, a tray of karpoozi and feta cheese. My mother tried to convince us to bring back the nap (nice try lady) so that we could stay out late (dinner at midnight!) like the other Greek kids. At that ridiculous hour, tavernas were packed with kids, as young as my daughter is now, their high-pitched shrieks trailing behind them as they ran. I couldn’t keep up.

On that first trip to Greece, I was not an adventurous eater; my diet consisted almost exclusively of tiropitas. I’d learned to make these flaky phyllo dough triangles stuffed with feta cheese before I learned to ride a bike and they were all I trusted. Years later, when I returned to Greece for work—writing about the fantastic American ex-pat Diane Kochilas, who’s part cookbook author, part food historian—I was pregnant with my first daughter and in the throws of first-trimester nausea. I quickly figured out to survive the smell of fish (virtually unavoidable in any Greek restaurant) by using lemon (ditto). The food that my baby bug liked best? Vegetables. Greek vegetables are criminally underrated. I’m not going to vouch for their health benefits since they’re smothered in olive oil (even if it’s local, expeller pressed and extra virgin) and often boiled beyond recognition. But I nearly swooned over tomatoes stuffed with rice and leeks, green beans stewed in olive oil and tomatoes, eggplant smashed together with copious amounts of olive oil and garlic. On the island of Ikaria, I had the best meal of my life at a roadside restaurant that was basically an extension of the chef’s own kitchen. It was so informal, that the few times I ate there, she was just as likely to be across the street, taking a dip in the sea as she was manning the kitchen. But she managed to transform her vegetables (and baby bug even liked her fish) into works of wonder. I have never had better. Not even my nona’s. (Did I just say that out loud?)

This past weekend, I may not have been visiting their tavernas, but all I need to feel like I’m back in Greece are a few cousins hanging out in my backyard. I didn’t have plates of koulourakia and dried fruit and nuts (I’ve got two kids under 4, the fact that my house was clean was exceptional) but my three year old was running after her older cousins, their high shrieks trailing them. The moms passed around the babies, the men sat around chatting about politics, and we all ate karpoozi.

{Eyelashes}

2009-07-08T13:21:00.004-04:00

My daughter has the most ridiculous eyelashes, dontcha think?

{Polkadots and Stripes}

2009-06-23T23:04:00.002-04:00

PW is supposedly a newborn. His mom tells me he's only 9 days old. But he was determined to stay awake for our entire session. His arms wiggled, his feet wiggled. I have lots of blurry limbed photos. Still, the shoot was super fun. PW's mom is big into quilting and knitting, so we got to model some awesome graphic fabrics, like these stripes from Heather Ross, which coordinates with that awesome diaper cover. And we put him in a puddle of hand dyed yarn. (PW thought this was a terrible idea and wanted to nap in his crib instead. I did manage to get this one shot before the crying kicked in.) Lots more photos to come.

{Happy Birthday B!}

2009-06-15T22:22:00.002-04:00

A, my 10 month old has 1 friend (ah, the life of a second child), and that's little B, who just turned 1. His mom put on a wonderfully intimate party with music class buddies, older siblings, and, my favorite, sweet potato cupcakes. A was passed around while I took photos.

That's A, ready for a nap.

{Fairies and Elfs}

2009-06-07T22:18:00.004-04:00

AS and T shared a due date (a couple years apart), and their birthday party. It was full of fairies and elves and lots and lots of cake. Don't you love those tired fairies sitting on the tree stumps? And mama fairy looked pretty darn great, dontcha think? It was a wonderful day and I've got tons of great shots to sort through...

{Hungry}

2009-06-02T17:24:00.002-04:00

There's a barn raising this weekend in Cold Spring and it got me thinking about farm fresh food. The tastiest produce I've had was in Brittany, where somehow they manage to grow artichokes the size of soccer balls (no, you wouldn't eat a flowering one, but it sure is pretty, isn’t it?). But the North Fork of Long Island (where I met KK Haspel, a biodynamic farmer who grows deliciously ugly heirloom tomatoes for two of my favorite chefs–Claudia Fleming and her husband Gerry Hayden) churns out some amazing produce too. If you vacation there this summer, make sure to make a reservation at the North Fork Table & Inn. In fact, you should book a room just to eat Claudia’s scones the next morning.

{My first Mendhi}

2009-06-01T12:58:00.002-04:00

The beautiful Arti got hitched a month back, and I've been remiss in sharing photos. Here are some from her Mendhi ceremony, the day before the wedding, when her husband's name was decorated onto her palm with henna. It was a painstaking process, involving lemon juice, sugar, and lots of patience. The house smelled of sweet Indian spices—her mother's cooking is not to be missed—and the family spent a lot of time fawning over the newest member of the family (adorable Jivan, below). I’ll post photos of her actual wedding ceremony soon. They’re bright and colorful and not to be missed.

{Missing Italy}

2009-06-01T11:57:00.001-04:00

A couple years ago, right around now, I was basking in the glory of Italy. And by basking, I mean getting stuck in a frightening anti-Bush rally while carrying luggage and standing next to my husband, who was wearing (gasp) shorts. It was as if we had We Are American, Please Hate Us signs on our backs. But I can forgive and forget, if only because it was truffle season in Italy and I had The Best Meal Of My Life (ravioli smothered in local olive oil and fresh picked truffles) in Chianti. Yum.

Another Weekend, Another Wedding

2009-06-01T11:51:00.001-04:00

Tis the season for weddings, and this beauty was at the Yale Club in NYC. The bride looks so happy, doesn't she? And those two kids were adorable, blowing bubbles on the amazing roof deck.

Portfolio

2009-06-01T10:22:00.000-04:00

Wanna know my style. Here it is!