once upon an old daydream
that’s what you gave me
out on the corner of Broadway and 48th street
i don’t know my way through a maze of gray skyscrapers
but i’m willing to learn

you are my Manhattan from the sky
you look so neat and tidy when i’m way up high

—

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Get on the LA subway {yes, LA has a subway!} and take it all over, getting off on entirely random stops and emerging to eat & have coffee, to saunter around, to make photos. We went from Union Station to Wilshire in K-town, to Hollywood Blvd, and then back again. One of the rolls I shot came back with these weirdo blue lines which bummed me out, but I enjoyed this adventure & these shots too much to just shuffle them away without sharing :)

I spent this weekend disguised as a regular person. I was not a face with a camera permanently attached, I was not an editing maniac, I was not an inbox-demolishing email machine. For the first time in a long time I took a break from most things business-related, and had a relaxed brunch (here), went on a refreshing hike (here), watched a movie (this one), and visited my parents (they don’t have a website, thank goodness).

And I came to a small realization. A realization that as much as I most dearly love what I do, I need to find a balance. That taking the time to breathe gives me inspiration – inspiration from a sunny afternoon, from a delicious meal, from long talks that soften my heart and remind me of why I spend so much of my life capturing and documenting love. It’s been a long time since I’ve written about my life, and an even longer time since I’ve taken a step back and looked at it square in the eye. I’m going to be lifting the camera back up to my face and rounding out the summer with a fresh perspective that will enable me to be a better friend, daughter, and photographer. And in between the wedding and engagement posts that are on that way, I hope to share plenty of my daily tidbits here with you as well :)

I almost wanted to burst into a rendition of “My Favorite Things” as I walked through the Vibiana a couple weeks ago for this year’s Pamper Me Fabulous event. It was as if someone had peeked into my mind and pulled out all of my most adored things – fruity drinks, delicate chocolates, girl talk, fresh magazines, spa treatments, sweet architecture & design, overflowing swag bags, and best of all, a good cause – and made a huge fabulous event out of it. I thought Pamper Me Fabulous was a 100 on the Fabulometer (a new device I just invented) last year, but this year’s event was completely off the charts!

I started snapping away the second we exited our car and first caught site of the majestic Vibiana (I believe I was ooh-ing and clicking away while Scott was still struggling with the bags). Upon stepping inside, we found ourselves in a decadent oasis in the midst of downtown LA – clean lounge furniture, magazines on tables, and an amazing line-up of salons and spas, bazaars, and of course, the food, the FOOD. When I’m on the job, it’s always about focusing on the shots and not on the Fabulous Tier of Endless Cupcakes, but I do admit to being convinced by the woman at Mignon Chocolate table to try ONE teensy Mojito-flavored morsel.

Amanda, Ada, and the their team at Fresh Events definitely outdid themselves this time. The ambiance was divine, the treatments as relaxing as ever, and the causes beyond noble. This year they put together the Fabulous Female Awards as well, recognizing amazing women who serve within our community. The awards ceremony concluded the day perfectly with a message of empowerment and giving.

And now for a walk through the day!

The drinks below are amazing fruit smoothies from Glowelle. They come in luxe flavors like Raspberry Jasmine and Pomegranate Lychee and are chock-full of vitamins to refresh your skin from the inside out!

Councilwoman Jan Perry kicks off the Fabulous Female Awards.

Karina Smirnoff presents; Alice Crisci, who launched a foundation for breast cancer patients, speaks about her cause.