Saturday, July 28, 2012

A Wave for the Masses.


Reminding me of my days at WaterWorld at the California State Fair (and the afternoons when our local pool just wasn't going to cut it), photojournalist Michael Yamashita shared how the Japanese are keeping cool amidst a scorching heat wave. Tokyo Summerland is a popular water park that's home to the world's most crowded wave pool. It's literally a sea of people (I'm experiencing claustrophobia just looking at it, while equally amused).

"There's no question that given the heat, humidity and population of Tokyo in the summer, the throngs at any swimming pool there are going to, by definition, test the limits of crowd control and sanitation. Japan, however, is prepared for this and manages to keep everyone happy and cool no matter how jam-packed the pool - by moving the water rather than the swimmers. While not exactly conducive to laps, giant wave pools surge with swells a meter or higher, drenching stationary bathers so they don’t need to swim to cool off. Other pools feature circular courses with a current that keeps everyone moving together in the same, very orderly, direction... The water in these pools is clean enough to drink!" 

(Hmmm.... don't think I'd take that bet.)


Via My Modern Met.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sandy Focal Points.

Pinned Image

I am completely enthralled by these timeless, universal seascapes by Philip Barlow. I'm absolutely lusting after the painting (yes, painting!) in the middle...

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Beneath the Sea.


I am entranced by this light filled underwater scene... reminds me of the sun peaking through the clouds after a storm. I would love to have a large print of this in my home.

Artist unknown, found via Vain and Vapid.

A la Plage.

Bringing you another dose of summer today with this stunning series of beach scenes shot from a doorless helicopter by photographer Gray Malin. Can you imagine?  I hope he also touched down on these beautiful sands which ranged from St. Tropez to Manhattan Beach to enjoy a different perspective!


Via Honestly WTF.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Monday Wanderlust.

Monday is here again... I'm sure you're feeling the same way I am, wistfully reminiscing about the adventures from the weekend past... So I aim to distract you with a dose of pure summer wanderlust: a few of the world's best public pools and swimming holes!

 The Badeschiff, in Berlin - a public pool on a barge in the River Spree, overlooking the city.
The Crater at the Homestead Resort in Utah - a geothermal spring, located in a crater in a limestone cave
 The Grotta della Poesia (Grotto of Poetry), Roca Vecchia, Italy
The Icebergs, in Sydney, Australia - a public pool located right next to the ocean.

Via Apartment Therapy.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Insatiable.

I won't lie. I have had a Greek salad every day since I came home. I am completely obsessed.

Daphne has found my obsession immensely amusing ever since our last adventure in Greece in 2006. I'm tempted to say that given my insatiable desire for them whenever we are together, and her teasing, she believes that this behavior is the norm year round, year after year. It's probably not far from the truth I suppose...

There's something about these salads that can't be replicated at home though, and I've never been able to put my finger on what it was. The tomatoes aren't quite as sweet, the cucumbers aren't as crisp... Sometimes, that's it... but no, that isn't the real problem... What is it then? 

It's all in the spices (well, and a rich slab of feta, let's be honest). Huzzah!!! While in Corfu, I picked up the biggest bag of "greek salad spice" (conveniently labelled for the non-Greek speakers, ha!) that I could find. Simply defined though, I was slightly disappointed to discover that all this really is, is oregano, parsely and spearmint! It's magic dust, and I'll take it!!

Spanikopita also makes my heart sing. Its mention shouldn't be buried this deep in the post since it inspired this love letter to Greek food, but I got carried away with my tales of the perfect salad, forgive me... There's no more perfect a bite of food than spanikopita in my book (other than my mom's pot pie of course). Flaky, creamy and savory with a bite of lemon on the finish. Sigh. I'm getting hungry now. If I had the slightest rumble in my tummy when passing a bakery in Greece, I jumped on the chance to bop in and acquire a spinach pie. Usually you can find perfectly sized snack versions as well... you know for the times when you aren't actually hungry but you just couldn't get enough. It's as if the Greeks really understand me, you know? We are going to have a life long love affair, Greece and I.

I couldn't help it... Within a week of returning home to San Francisco I whipped up a batch from my very own recipe, and we devoured them in minutes...

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Myths Summer Is Made Of.

These are the myths summer is made of... Fulfilling wanderlust through long journeys... The surreal experience of completely surrendering yourself to a new world... Sharing in the joy of loved ones... Jumping from new heights, and diving to the depths of the crystal clear ocean and your soul to discover new treasures... The sun beating down on the well worn shore and your newly bronzed skin... Exquisitely new culinary delights... Tantalizing your senses with the sounds of church bells ringing, carafes of wine clattering onto tabletops surrounded by friends, chatter echoing from the cafes in the square into the wee morning hours, mopeds whirring, the delicious buzz of air conditioning, ferries announcing their arrival to port... The quiet lapping of the sea against the rocks as the sun fades on the horizon night after night...

Simply magical.


Though I have been in the habit of sharing mobile 365 snaps for the most part over the last year, I am going to try to post more photographs shot with my s95 and dslr from now on, beginning with a few additional recaps from Greece! (But perhaps not all 2000 shots. Yep. That happened.)

AND. Watch in the coming months for a creative collaboration with This B Life!! We are gearing up for a really fun endeavor, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

City Zoom.

Back home in San Francisco after an epic adventure in Greece, where I spent two weeks exploring Athens, Kerkyra, Paxos and Antipaxos, and celebrating Daphne and Stefan's love!  It was magical.

More on my trip soon!  Until then... a little footage from home via director Kevin Parry.

Incredible Vertigo Inducing Animations of San Francisco video San Francisco photography California animation
Incredible Vertigo Inducing Animations of San Francisco video San Francisco photography California animation
Incredible Vertigo Inducing Animations of San Francisco video San Francisco photography California animation
Incredible Vertigo Inducing Animations of San Francisco video San Francisco photography California animation
Incredible Vertigo Inducing Animations of San Francisco video San Francisco photography California animation

Via Colossal.