Here and There

Welcome to Prague 4

2012-02-16T19:47:00.001+01:00

Lest you think Prague is all castles. (I do love Prague 4 though.)

Deep Freeze

2012-02-16T19:44:00.002+01:00

As many of you know, we experienced quite a cold snap in central Europe the past few weeks. The average temperature was somewhere around -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit). Otherwise, it's been a very mild winter here.

Malá Strana

2012-02-16T19:30:00.003+01:00

"Dobrého je v řádu světa víc; ale to zlé člověk cítí silněji."
"There is more good in the world than bad; but people feel the bad more intensely."
-T. G. Masaryk

Berlin

2012-02-16T19:29:00.000+01:00

I went to Berlin a few weeks ago and caught up with my college friend, Kandice.

Around the table

2012-02-16T19:26:00.003+01:00

Somehow going out for a drink always turns into many more. Last photo by Mark.

Day Trip to Plzeň

2012-02-16T19:19:00.002+01:00

One weekend Erin, Pete, and I took a day trip to Plzeň, birthplace of Pilsner. We managed to be late for everything (buses, tours, etc) so ended up just drinking unfiltered beer for a few hours, then luckily managing to hop on a train back to Prague. It was a good day.

Šťastný Nový Rok | Happy New Year

2012-01-11T23:04:00.004+01:00

A Winter Ride

2012-01-11T22:58:00.005+01:00

A couple weeks ago my buddy Pete and I rode out to a brewery on the edge of Prague. The brewery was closed thanks to weird holiday schedules but the ride was great - I love seeing new parts of Prague. We were still in the city limits but it was incredibly rural. Yes, those are horses.

Remembering Havel

2012-01-11T22:42:00.002+01:00

On the 18th of December, legendary dissident Vaclav Havel passed away. It was a very solemn week as Havel was nothing short of a national hero. Vaclávské Náměstí (Wenceslas Square) was filled with people paying their respects and lighting candles. Today, nearly a month later, many of the candles remain.

Vánoční Trh | Christmas Market

2012-01-11T22:32:00.003+01:00

This thing made it really difficult to ride to class. Humbug.

Vyšehrad

2012-01-11T22:24:00.005+01:00

One of my favorite places to go in the city is a 10th century castle called Vyšehrad, located a bit south of the central part of Prague. Since it's a bit off the beaten path, it's generally not crowded with gawking tourists. It has fantastic views of the city, too.

From the archives

2011-12-04T15:02:00.003+01:00

While I love living in Prague, every so often I get a touch of homesickness. This week I found myself missing this past summer which I spent between DC and NYC, trying to make sense of the time I had left before moving abroad.

Photos from the bike

2011-11-14T21:49:00.002+01:00

It's getting cold out but I'm making sure I get on my bike plenty. There's a certain masochistic joy to riding a bike through the winter.

No promises

2011-11-05T21:52:00.003+01:00

Okay, okay I'm back... in many senses of the word. Monday marks two months of being in Prague (part II: real life edition) and I figure I should start sharing my photos again. However, I'm working as an English teacher and in all honestly, I'm totally swamped. Lesson planning takes up the majority of my time and the rest of it I'm usually at school doing the actual teaching. I hopefully will get the hang of it soon but, until then, I'm keeping my head down and powering through it.

The first month of living in Prague was spent getting my teaching certificate. It was an intensive 4-week program with some of the most amazing people I've ever met. Many have left since the end of the program but many have stayed - truly wonderful people to have known and worked with. It was a demanding course but a total blast.

Also, this round of Prague has a very important component: a bike! I found a lovely shop (Hot Dog Cycles) which built me an incredible bike. This isn't an easy biking city between cobblestone, tram tracks, and Czech drivers but that's not enough to stop me. No matter the city, country, or continent, biking seems to keeps me sane.

Adjusting to life in Prague is constantly challenging, frustrating, and discouraging but I'm so happy to be here and I know it will be worth it.

Hi Mom!

Lying Low

2011-04-28T22:26:00.006+02:00

Lying low is a pretty good description of what I've been doing since I got back from Prague way back in December. Between the brutal winter and the stress of school, I haven't been feeling the most creative.

However things are quickly changing: I'm graduating from NYU in three weeks, finishing out my lease in Bushwick, going back to DC for a month, and then finally, on September 7th I make the big move. I have a one way ticket to Prague.

Aside from occasional bouts of anxiety about cutting college short by a year and picking up and moving to another continent, I'm ecstatic about my plans.

All this planning and studying has not provided me with the most exciting few months. Not to mention I have become increasingly frustrated with my surroundings (both college and New York City.) Graduation, though, means free time which I hope to spend diving back into photography and trying to see this city in new ways, while I still can.

Readjusting to NYC

2011-01-07T01:40:00.002+01:00

So, I'm back stateside and trying to figure out how I will spend the rest of my time in New York City. I'm subletting from a friend in Bushwick until the lease is up in August, at which point I will hopefully be ready to move to Prague indefinitely.

Until then, I've been trying to get back on my bike as much as possible and catch up with friends.

Bělehrad, Srbsko

2011-01-07T01:19:00.003+01:00

In December I took a long journey to visit my friend Nora who lives in Belgrade, Serbia. Prague and Belgrade are just close enough that direct flights are insanely expensive but just far enough that taking a train or a bus would take forever. Ultimately, I took a train to Vienna where I took a bus to the airport on the outskirts of town and got on a very short commuter flight to Belgrade. It was a long trip but definitely worth it to finally see Nora and where she lives. Also, train rides through the Czech Republic are unspeakably beautiful.

Snow covered Prague

2011-01-07T01:17:00.000+01:00

After a large snowstorm, I broke out my Yashica to try to capture Prague while the snow was still fresh- before it got too slushy and brown.

Stýská se mi po Praze

2011-01-07T00:56:00.006+01:00

Well, the second half of the semester clearly left me quite busy enjoying my time in the Czech Republic. Sadly, I am back in the U.S. now and trying to make sense of life again. Currently, I am planning to graduate this summer and then move back to Prague to teach English. I cannot wait.

The last 6 weeks of the semester were as busy as the preceding 8: Berlin, Belgrade, concerts, flea markets, American Thanksgiving in Prague, massive snow storms, meeting new people, and ultimately- saying goodbye. It wasn't easy but I know it is not the last I'll see of Prague.

Weekend Trip to Berlin

2010-11-17T00:18:00.002+01:00

This past weekend, Kacey, Alyssa, Elizabeth (who was visiting from London), and I took a bus to Berlin. Despite spending half the trip sick, it was a lot of fun. It's a young, unique city that I would like to see more of some day. Also, we stayed at a hostel on a boat which is now something I can say I've done. My favorite part of the trip was the gigantic Sunday flea market. To the side, hundreds of people gathered to watch karaoke. I have major respect for anyone who has the confidence to do karaoke, let alone those who can do it (soberly) in front of hundreds of (sober) people.

Fall Break Part 3: Amsterdam, Netherlands

2010-11-17T00:17:00.003+01:00

Fall break concluded in Amsterdam. I was mostly exhausted and tired of dirty clothes but I still was able to appreciate how gorgeous and bike-friendly the city is.

Fall Break Part 2 : Brussels, Belgium

2010-11-17T00:14:00.003+01:00

I fell totally and completely in love with Brussels. It's gorgeous, quirky, affordable, and a lot of fun. I can't wait to go back and see more of the city. I could definitely imagine living there one day.

Fall Break Part 1 : Stockholm, Sweden

2010-11-17T00:08:00.002+01:00

NYU gave us a week off of school at the end of October. Kacey, Alyssa, and I decided to spend a few days in Stockholm, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Medium Format

2010-11-17T00:03:00.004+01:00

I've gotten pretty bad about updating this blog. I've been busy as usual in Prague and having trouble believing I only have four weeks left in this place. I'm trying to make the most of it.

A few weeks ago I took out my Yashica. I am going to try to get at least one more roll finished while I'm still here.

Budapest, Hungary

2010-10-12T00:17:00.002+02:00

On Friday I took a bus to Budapest with Alyssa. We had a great time although I don't feel like I saw enough of the city to say much about its culture. One thing I'm sure of is that it's artist friendly: the nightlife is quirky and bizarre from bathtubs instead of chairs to knick knacks glued all over the walls.

Veganism in Central Europe

2010-10-04T22:38:00.005+02:00

I'm going to go out on a limb here and talk about eating: I generally don't do this because whenever I mention the word vegan, people assume I'm about to lecture them. This is not a lecture, I promise. Eat what you want to eat, I'm just trying to dispel some misconceptions about Central Europe. I'm also enthusiastic about being vegan: I've made a choice I'm happy with for myself and that's all I'm trying to do.

In the months leading up to departing for Prague, I was warned over and over again that it would be impossible to be vegan here and probably hard to even stay vegetarian. I cannot count how many times someone told me, "They only eat meat and cheese!" or "They don't have vegetables there!" I resigned myself to keeping a vegetarian diet while I was here, which I generally do when I'm travelling- I know there's only so much that can be done when you're outside of your comfort zone. However, the first week left me a little ill since after 5 years, my body just cannot relearn to process cheese.

As I suspected, this country has vegetables as long as you're not eating Czech cuisine constantly. I don't really see how a diet of only goulash and dumplings is appealing anyway. On my 5 minute walk between the metro and my dorm, I pass about 4 stores called "Ovoce a Zelenina" (Fruit and Vegetable) which have tons of fresh produce and a lot of corner store needs. The produce is delicious and cheap: depending on the store I can get anything from [the best ever] eggplant to fresh basil. In addition to all the fruits and veggies I can purchase between 7 am and 9 pm around the corner, I can also go three blocks to a German drugstore chain called DM where they sell tofu. Yes, I buy tofu at the European equivalent of Duane Reade. They also carry soy milk, lentils, quinoa, nutritional yeast, and many other vegan staples. My friend Kacey is vegan and took the same vegetarian approach coming here but has also noticed how keeping vegan is somewhat effortless. Not only is vegan easy but our friend Alyssa is mostly vegan and gluten intolerant and so many of our meals are without meat, fish, eggs, milk, or gluten- it's quite doable.

Pictured below: 1. tempeh stir fry with a whole bunch of veggies; it was served on top of quinoa. 2. Pizza with tofu ricotta, roasted veggies, fresh basil, and instead of a traditional gluteny crust we used Polenta- which I highly recommend, I'm definitely going to start using it instead of regular crust!

So yes, I cook a lot- but I also go out to eat a fair amount. In addition to the 4 or 5 great specifically vegan restaurants, Prague also has a great selection of ethnic food. My favorite restaurant is a tiny Himalayan take out place 10 minutes away.

I've also noticed an Asian market near my dorm but I didn't stop in until today. Now I feel totally foolish since it's the mecca of all things stir fry. The only other selection that I've seen rival it was in NYC's Chinatown. I picked up a bunch of great pastes and sauces that I couldn't find anywhere else, as well as some fresh ginger and sprouts. I can't wait to start stir frying with these great ingredients.

So let's call this myth busted! As long as you have time for cooking (and a kitchen), vegan living in Prague is not remarkably different than in any other big city. Sure, travelling outside of Prague I come across vegetables in a pool of butter but from what I've discovered, as long as it's not cheese, my body can keep on keepin' on.

From the top of Sněžka

2010-10-04T12:39:00.003+02:00

The NYU in Prague program is really awesome. For anyone who goes to NYU, or has a kid that goes to NYU (hi Mom and Dad!), it's obvious that NYU is a little pricey and not always the most generous with their services. The program in Prague is very different. Not only are all the dorms extremely comfortable, they also provide fully furnished kitchens and cleaning supplies. In addition, there are a ton of highly subsidized or free programs for students from free yoga to weekend trips. At the beginning of the semester, everyone was allowed to sign up for one overnight trip and one day trip, generally to different locations in the Czech Republic; all of the expenses covered by NYU. My overnight trip wasn't very fun- it was basically to a smaller version of Prague where there was little to do. However, I also signed up for a hiking trip on a whim - a hiking trip that turned out to be climbing the tallest mountain in the Czech Republic.

Sněžka is the tallest peak and sits on the Northern border of the Czech Lands- in fact, on the top of Sněžka lies the Polish border. After a long, tough hike to the top, I found myself strolling back and forth between the Czech Republic and Poland. The views were unbelievable and it was rewarding to see how high we had climbed. After, we climbed down through a very, very long route - we ended up hiking for about 4 or 5 hours. Only three days later have my muscles stopped aching (in a good way, though).

Vienna!

2010-09-28T21:59:00.007+02:00

Sunday Morning we took a train straight to Vienna which was definitely less eventful than our travelling the day before. Unfortunately, the first night was not only cold and rainy but also many bars were closed because it was Sunday. Kacey made a good point that we have been lucky enough to live in two places (NYC and Prague) that do not close bars for any reason. We called it an early night and decided to rest up for a busy, full day in Vienna.

Monday was beautiful: sunny, pleasant autumn weather. We grabbed a cheap, delicious breakfast at a student cafe and then headed out on a city tour that we organized ourselves in an attempt to save precious Euros. This ended up being a great idea because we saw everything we wanted to see at our own pace.

We all fell in love with Vienna. It's not only an old and gorgeous city but it's also come into its own in the past decade. It reminded me a lot of NYC - a very young diverse population (and with it, similar NYC prices.) One of my absolute favorite things about Vienna were the bikes though. There are bike lanes and bike stop lights on every single street. Bike racks are loaded with cute bikes yet it didn't appear that Viennese bikers were obsessed with showing off their bike-snobbery. The only downside was the lack of helmets- otherwise I would've definitely rented a bike and rode around the city.

After a long, fun day of wandering around the city we grabbed dinner at a vegan Viennese restaurant and whiskey bar which had over 400 kinds of whiskey. This place was made for me (for those of you who don't know, I drink like a 60 year old Irishman). The food was fantastic and relatively cheap and well, the whiskey wasn't so bad either. The night ended at a dive bar that was projecting American films on the wall which we all got a kick out of.

I really hope to make it back again this semester! It's such an interesting place.

Mishaps in Southern Moravia

2010-09-28T21:52:00.003+02:00

Last week we found out that we had an unexpected 5 day weekend due to a Czech holiday. Alyssa, Kacey, and I quickly booked trained tickets and decided to go to Vienna- stopping in the Southern Moravian town of Hodonín on the way. Our train was delayed causing us to miss our connection and to have to deal with a whole lot of unpleasant rerouting. We ended up sitting around a beautiful old train station for an hour in a tiny town which was a lot more fun that I would've ever thought. In fact, it was better than Hodonín itself- due to our delay, we did not have time to go to wine cellars in Southern Moravia and ended up bored in a tiny border town.

Praha, etc.

2010-09-28T21:39:00.001+02:00

Jsem v Praze!

2010-09-28T21:29:00.002+02:00

Not too shockingly, I haven't been great about updating the blog. While I've been taking lots of photos, I rarely find myself at the computer long enough to post.

I really don't know how to express how much fun I'm having in Prague. The city is beautiful and the weather has been exceptionally nice since the second week here. I've been taking Czech classes and I have fallen in love with the language. School is interesting but my workload is light which leaves me lots of time to explore the city and plan trips elsewhere. I've also been doing a lot of cooking with my friends Kacey and Alyssa since Czech food does not agree well with our vegan bodies.

Here are some photos from the past month...

Ahoj, Praha!

2010-09-05T23:38:00.003+02:00

Prague is a wonderful, beautiful place. That's the best way I can sum up my time here so far.

This past week has been a blur. A mostly fun blur but also exhausting and a bit frustrating. Adjusting to life in a new city, country, and continent is not easy but mostly it has been a lot of fun. I was warned about culture shock but so far, I love the Czech Republic's culture. Dry, cynical humor is my kind of thing. And any country that bases their culture around a love of beer is fine by me. Also- little known fact but the country's southern region produces pretty great white wine.

Coming to Prague, one of my main concerns was eating: In NYC I maintain a strict vegan diet but I knew I'd have to compromise a lot coming here. While I understood I would do my best, many people warned me that I wouldn't be able to avoid meat. However, veganism is actually quiet easy here. While I try my best to stay vegan at least when cooking for myself, even going out to eat there are many vegan options. Adjusting to a new cuisine is still difficult but luckily the warnings about the lack of vegetables in Prague did not ring true.

I'm still reeling from the week but I'm trying to post photos while I still have the chance. Classes start tomorrow but I'm sure there will still be plenty of time for photos.

Goodbye NYC

2010-08-27T15:10:00.002+02:00

In 3 hours, I'm hailing a cab and heading to the airport. Eventually, I am flying to Paris where I will connect to my short flight to Prague, Czech Republic. This is where I will spend the next four months. While I'm so excited and sure I will have a life-changing experience, I am also anxious. I love this city and since I moved here exactly (to the day) two years ago, I have not left for more than 3 weeks at a time. I also have an intense fear of flying to make the trip even more nerve wracking. I'm sure once I get there and settle in I'll have a great time but these past few days it has been a little hard to say goodbye to what I now consider my home. From brown bagging at the waterfront with people I love to the ability to order vegan meals at restaurants, I am going to miss a lot about this wonderful city.

Hopefully I'll be able to post photos form Prague sooner rather than later but I'm sure the next week is going to be quite hectic.

Medium Format

2010-08-19T04:00:00.005+02:00

So a couple of weeks ago I bought a Yashica 124G at a flea market. It is in great condition and fully functional - and I got it for about 1/4 of the price that I would've paid otherwise. I ran an expired roll of Agfa Optima through the camera and while I'm still getting the hang of the camera, I'm pretty excited about it.

Quick trip to DC

2010-08-19T03:47:00.002+02:00

This past weekend I visited my family back in the DC suburbs. It was a little weird seeing that I said my goodbyes- In a bit over a week I'm leaving for Prague for the semester. I saw my friend Nora who spent the last two years in Serbia and went to a concert with my brother Nick. Saturday night I saw a new DC band with Josh read from Revival and Justin.

Sander revisited

2010-08-09T20:52:00.004+02:00

In this past Fall semester I did a multimedia project about my good friend Sander. I didn't post it here, well, for many reasons. Part of it was that I didn't feel it was finished. I still don't think it's quite there but I polished it up a bit and feel a little better about it. For those who don't know me very well, I decided to take on this project after my repressed memories from witnessing the accident came back in June of 2009. It's been interesting, frustrating, and at times fun to work on this project and overall made it easier for Sander and me to talk about what happened years and years ago. While Sander and I joke to make light of the accident, when it comes down to it, it was a terrifying experience that changed both of us and our friendship. Luckily the physical consequences were relatively minor (all things considered) but neither of us escaped unscathed. We are both also very tired of telling the story, so now we have this to do it for us.

Thanks to the Avery family for the extra photos from the hospital stay.

Tarrytown, NY

2010-08-02T03:38:00.005+02:00

Recently I've been buried under the stress of a summer course and the impossibly frustrating task of moving. I'm packing up my things and moving them into storage while simultaneously packing for my 4 month stay in Prague AND clearing out all of my apartment since I will be moving to Brooklyn when I return. It's definitely crunch time however it seems I've been spending a lot of time in my room procrastinating rather than being productive. I haven't even gotten to shoot much with my new Canon S90 - a fantastic, versatile little camera that takes good photos without the bulk of my 5D.

Today was different though. I went to meet Noah in midtown to grab a late lunch before he had to catch a train to go shoot a wedding. Because of some inconveniences, I ended up being over 10 minutes late and having very little time to see Noah (between my class and packing during the week and his work on the weekends, fitting in time to see each other has been tougher than usual.) So, instead of returning back to my apartment to sulk over empty cardboard boxes, I bought a ticket and got on the MetroNorth train to Tarrytown, NY.

After a 40 minute ride, Noah caught a cab to get to the wedding location and I wondered around the small town. It's definitely not the most exciting place in the world but it was great to get away from the city during the beginning of tourist month. I wandered, read a little, wandered some more, and then caught a train back. Nothing too exciting but I think it's safe to say it beats packing. It was interesting, however, to wander around a suburb that wasn't my own. For all you DC-area readers (aka my Mom), it reminded me a bit of Kensington- small and closed on Sundays. It's nice to see a suburb of an East coast city that isn't hellbent trying to be a city itself (I'm looking at you, Bethesda). Tarrytown is a little rough around the edges visually but it makes it all the more interesting and sincere.

Unfortunately, the sun didn't come out until my train ride back to the city, however it made for much nicer photos. Also Tappen Zee, where the Hudson River widens, is beautiful. I hope in the next few weeks I get the chance to take the train up in that direction and spend some time by the water. The final photo is Harlem, right before MetroNorth disappears underneath Manhattan.

Film from Salvador

2010-07-21T07:42:00.004+02:00

So this post should've been up six months ago but I figure it's better late than never. It gave me a chance to look through all my Brazil photos again and reflect on the trip now that I've had some space.

While I'm so thankful that I was lucky enough to be in a program at NYU that provides me with these kinds of travel opportunities, some unforeseeable mishaps occurred. Scheduling problems meant we were left to our own devices and in a very touristy area of the city. In fact, our hotel was quite segregated from the entire city of Salvador, sitting on top of a large hill. It was hard to get a feel of Salvador being so removed. As for the community service aspect of the trip, I still don't quite know how I feel: we helped do minor renovations on a school in the slums of the city but there's a certain point where I wonder how much it's for our own self-fulfillment.

Kacey's roof

2010-07-21T03:46:00.004+02:00

Earlier in the summer, Kacey and I spent a lot of time drinking cheap wine on her roof.

2010-07-21T02:15:00.001+02:00

Shortstack comes up the East Coast

2010-07-20T23:41:00.004+02:00

One of my favorite DC bands played a few shows on the east coast this past week and I was lucky enough to see two of them. Last Thursday they played a packed room at Union Pool in Brooklyn and then the following day I got on a bus to Philly to spend the weekend with my friend, Grace, as well as check out Shortstack's last-minute house show. Shortstack on myspace.

Summer

2010-07-20T23:38:00.004+02:00

Unemployment has left plenty of times for barbecues, beach trips, and scanning film.

The past 4 months?

2010-07-20T23:20:00.008+02:00

Tunnel vision: papers, reading, finals, etc. I should be pushing myself harder to make photos but here are a few that I did take.

Long Overdue

2010-03-02T19:42:00.002+01:00

Here's a frame from film I shot between June - December 2009. My camera battery died in the middle and I didn't get around to replacing it for awhile.

Greenpoint, BK

2010-02-11T02:20:00.002+01:00

Salvador, Brazil

2010-02-11T02:17:00.003+01:00

In January I went to Salvador, Brazil for eight days to do community service work. It was an amazing trip, despite it concluding with three days of severe food poisoning. I shot a lot of film and as soon as I get a film scanner, I can get some of those up here.

2010-02-11T02:07:00.000+01:00

Holidays

2010-02-11T02:02:00.002+01:00

I'm not one to get excited for the holiday season but it does make a good excuse to have a party. New Years is generally overhyped but my first one in NYC was a blast.

Sander

2010-02-11T01:59:00.002+01:00

I went back to DC a few times last semester for various reasons, one of them that I decided to do a project for my class on my friend Sander. I don't feel that its done yet and I think I need to give it some space before I get back to working on it again.
Here he is after we caught the last train back home one night. Definitely made me appreciate the 24 hour subway system in New York.

I'm back!

2010-02-11T01:57:00.002+01:00

After a four month lapse in updating, I'm going to give this another go. I was shooting a fair amount last semester, I just never felt like posting it. But I will try to play a little bit of catch up and then start posting consistently again.

2009-10-13T17:56:00.002+02:00

I need to go off the map for awhile and focus on schoolwork more.

ac.scialli [at] gmail.com

Snaps

2009-10-07T07:43:00.001+02:00

Nighttime

2009-10-07T07:17:00.004+02:00

So needless to say, I've been quite busy with school. No complaints here though, I've been busy in the best way possible. It's amazing to compare my experience at NYU a year ago to my experience now. Last year I wanted to move back to DC and I hated my classes and felt stifled and uncomfortable. This year I settled in faster than I could've imagined: all of my classes are interesting and challenging, I am making time to volunteer, and I overall feel very content with life. I miss DC at times but overall I finally feel at home in New York City.

This Fall was my first semester in the School of Individualized Study, which I transferred into after I became endlessly frustrated with the photography limitations of the liberal arts school. So I'm designing my own curriculum with very few restrictions. Right now I'm taking a photography class in Tisch and it has already motivated me to improve so much.

More than ever I've found myself drawn to taking photographs at night... here are some from the past month or so:

Wonderful end-of-summer rooftop show in Brooklyn.

Holding onto summer...

2009-08-27T04:25:00.005+02:00

My semester starts in a week and a half so I'm making the most of these last few days of summer. A few days a week a volunteer (donate! SanctuaryForFamilies.org) but the rest of the time I'm trying to fit in as much biking and hanging out on roofs as possible.

So Kacey moved into a cute apartment in the East Village and painted a wall in her living room the most fantastic color.

Temporary tattooed.

Soon I'll be back to writing papers and sitting through classes, which part of me is looking forward to. Part of me, however, is going to really miss carefree days and sleeping in until noon.

Big Summer Recap

2009-08-19T02:18:00.006+02:00

So I've definitely been flaking out on my blog for the past couple months and I've been pretty lazy with picture-taking in general... I'm trying to get better. Somehow summer seems to be ending and school is approaching: so here's a few photos from an uneventful, but pleasant, summer.

I went back to Chevy Chase for the 4th of July to see some friends.

Then my friends from home came up and visited me for Siren Fest.

I've also started shooting shows here and there for BrooklynVegan.com. Click: Deer Tick @ Bowery Ballroom AND Vivian Girls @ The Whitney

Rainy night outside the Whitney...

My roommate and I kitten-sit for the most adorable little kitten ever, although we were totally heart broken that we could not adopt him ourselves.

Bizarre Sky

2009-06-27T18:04:00.004+02:00

Twenty minutes after coming home last night, Noah called telling me to go outside and look at the sky. It was the strangest sight- the sky was glowing. Everyone on the street stopped where they were and gaped at the sky, taking pictures.

Mermaid Parade at Coney Island

2009-06-22T04:39:00.002+02:00

Yesterday I braved the rain and checked out the annual Mermaid Parade on Coney Island. It was mostly women wearing sparkly outfits and pasties but every so often there was something truly bizarre.

Jukebox the Ghost, Jenny Owen Youngs, These United States

2009-05-31T16:10:00.003+02:00

I've been in the exhausting process of moving into an apartment in NYC, unfortunately not really making any pictures that I want to put up here. Wednesday night I could a couple of DC favorites passing through New York- Jukebox the Ghost, playing with Jenny Owen Youngs and These United States. The show was fantastic and without a single weak point; it really highlighted how all of these musicians have really come into their own in the past couple years.

These United States (in Brooklyn)

2009-05-08T21:40:00.005+02:00

Last night I saw my DC-favorites These United States (myspace.com/theseunited) at the Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
As usual, they were fantastic live. For everyone in DC, go check them out at the Black Cat tonight with Greenland and the Spinto Band. New Yorkers- they'll be opening for Jukebox the Ghost in a few weeks at the Bowery Ballroom.

Staten Island Ferry

2009-05-08T16:30:00.004+02:00

The semester ended so I finally got around to scanning and uploading my Staten Island Ferry polaroids.

Wilco in Athens

2009-04-23T05:55:00.005+02:00

I went to visit Ohio University (Noah's alma-mater) in Athens, Ohio over the weekend to see Wilco. OU is probably the exact opposite of NYU in terms of environment. The campus is so beautiful. I definitely can see what I'm missing out on but being back in the city just feels right. Either way, It was really great to get away from the city for a bit and enjoy some quiet time. Now I'm back at school swamped with end of the year papers and obligations so I probably won't get around to updating this much. We'll see.

Nana's House

2009-04-10T06:52:00.004+02:00

A few weeks ago I did a pretty open-ended "childhood" project for my photo class and decided to go to my Nana's house where I spent a lot of time as a child. I grabbed some a bunch of film and spent a morning there but I didn't really have a clear idea of how it would turn out.

Coney Island

2009-04-07T04:01:00.002+02:00

Went to Coney Island yesterday with Noah. It was really weird seeing it with a lot of people after the last few times I've been. Haven't been taking too many photos with my digital camera lately- been obsessed with my new polaroid. I'll scan those in sometime soon...

Dan Deacon

2009-04-04T07:55:00.003+02:00

I photographed Dan Deacon's show at NYU on Thursday night. It was a lot of fun- Dan Deacon for sure knows how to put on an exciting show. Seems like I've been up to a lot of concert photography lately.

The Prodigy

2009-03-29T17:18:00.007+02:00

Last week I got an email from BrightestYoungThings.com saying they had been offered two press spots for the Prodigy's first show in the United States in 4 years... figuring that it could be an interesting experience I decided to go shoot it. It was definitely an experience....

After a few songs, my friend Kacey and I decided with the hordes of people, constant strobes, and deafening music that it was probably best to leave. We went to a quiet little place to recover from the sensory overload.

Click: BrightestYoungThings has the full set and Kacey's awesome review.

The Mountain Goats & John Vanderslice

2009-03-22T21:03:00.003+01:00

I've been home this past week... haven't been posting much but as soon as I scan some negatives from this past week maybe I'll have more to show for it.

Last night I shot the Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice show for BrightestYoungThings.com. Full set should be up there Monday. For some reason the press request didn't go through with the venue so there was some question about whether I was going to get in- but apparently John Darnielle is a fan of BYT and sent a ticket my way- pretty awesome of him. It was a fantastic show too.

BrightestYoungThings.com - Full Set

Beford Avenue; 4 am

2009-03-08T22:25:00.001+01:00

Subway

2009-03-08T22:23:00.002+01:00

I should be taking my camera out more. I'm trying to finish a roll of film for the first time in about 8 months but that doesn't seem to be happening either. I'm heading back to DC on Thursday and anxiously awaiting my return.

Here's a shot from a long subway ride- I need to work on it.

Not enough protesting to go around.

2009-02-20T21:34:00.010+01:00

So for the past couple days, a student organization that demanded greater administrative transparency and lower tuition called "Take Back NYU!" had "occupied" our main dining hall in the Kimmel Student Center, refusing to leave until their demands were met. NYU threatened to arrest them if they did not leave by 1 AM last night and a protest formed around the student center. As 1 AM drew nearer, tensions between police and students heightened and violence broke out as the "occupiers" screamed orders for negotiation from Kimmel's balcony. It was, well, kind of a disaster. More information is here and NYULocal has a lot of information about the events of the last two days. It all ended today when students left, the remaining ones receiving suspensions and non-NYU "occupiers" being arrested. No negotiations were made.

I really wanted nothing to do with the whole thing but decided to run down there last night and see what kind of pictures it would make. To me it seemed that it was mostly a spectacle and most people were not part of the cause. For that matter it wasn't quite clear what the cause was anyway, between the anarchists, anti-capitalist chants, and something about Gaza. On top of all these protests, there was of course, counter-protests by other students. NYU can't seem to get enough of this protest thing.

Shadows

2009-02-17T23:59:00.001+01:00

The tall buildings here can make light really difficult but sometimes it seems to work out alright.

2009-02-11T20:19:00.004+01:00

Turn your sound on.

Coney Island in February

2009-02-07T03:08:00.003+01:00

Noah and I decided to venture out to Coney Island to see what it was like in the middle of winter.

Ray's Candy Store: Part II

2009-02-05T06:10:00.003+01:00

Still trying to figure out how to tie this project together. Running into a few issues trying to keep photographs visually interesting and varied in such a small place.

More East Village

2009-02-05T06:04:00.002+01:00

1st Avenue; 1 am

2009-02-03T08:23:00.002+01:00

Ray's Candy Store: Work in Progress

2009-02-02T03:06:00.003+01:00

I've been hanging around Ray's Candy Store on Avenue A and 7th Street - a little hole in the wall convenient store with the best fries you'll ever eat. Ray Alvarez, a 76 year-old Turkish immigrant, works in the store in 12+ hour shifts, every night of the week. He cuts the fries by hand and tends to his customers, despite his health problems- Ray does not have a social security number and cannot get government benefits because he has no birth certificate. Business has been bad lately, too- he can't pay his bills. I recommend that everyone go over there and taste his amazing fries- just be careful, the sizes are misleading- a medium can feed probably three people.

Back at school

2009-01-27T03:24:00.003+01:00

I seem to be falling into old habits, not really taking pictures as school picks up. I'm trying to change that- hopefully being in a photography class will motivate me a bit more. I took this photograph while trying to get a feel for my neighborhood here, actually prompted by a photography class assignment. It was weird to see someone standing around here, let alone standing in perfect light.

Inauguration

2009-01-21T21:56:00.004+01:00

Barack Obama is our president. Yesterday, I joined the millions of people on the mall to watch the inauguration of our 44th president. In the midst of the crowd, I could feel the energy and excitement instantly but I was unaware of the true enormity of the crowd, which stretched from the capitol building to past the World War II memorial.

This is the first time I can remember being enthusiastic about our leader, however I'm keeping in mind that our country will face a lot of problems in the next few years, despite the president. While Obama's speech was inspiring and powerful, the most significant moment for me was seeing Bush's helicopter leave the District of the Columbia as people on the ground cheerfully waved goodbye (and good riddance, for that matter.) I had been waiting for that day for what seems like an eternity. I'm not longer embarrassed by our leader and I'm grateful I was able to witness this historic day.

These United States

2009-01-20T01:17:00.003+01:00

Mobile, Alabama

2009-01-17T01:24:00.014+01:00

The past four days I was in Mobile, Alabama participating in Habitat for Humanity with other NYU students. My opinion of the trip was mixed- I understand that the goal of Habitat for Humanity is not just to build houses but it emphasizes that the builders themselves should have an interesting experience. Throughout the trip I was uncomfortable that the work I was doing wasn't especially good (my construction skills are lacking to say the least) and that the whole process wasn't especially efficient or effective. Perhaps I would feel differently if we had spent more time working and I could see more progress.

Mobile itself is different from most places I've been. I'm unaccustomed to the sprawling cities of the south. Also, it appears that almost everything in downtown Mobile closes by 6. Nights were dull and I usually spent them seeking out what few vegan options they have in the south- not an easy task between soul food and seafood restaurants. Either way, it was great to get to know my classmates.

On our last afternoon, we left the Habitat for Humanity site early and visited a community program called "The Light of the Village" in the most crime ridden neighborhood of Mobile. The Light of the Village was started by a married couple from New Mexico who explain that God put it in their heart to bring them to Mobile and help disadvantaged youth. The community center was built from what was a crack house and eventually developed into a summer camp and then even a school with about 10 kids. The couple who started the Light of the Village explained how one volunteer has taken in at least 20 children who were found abandoned by their parents, living in houses without running water or electricity.

The children were cute and fun to play with but it was very sad to see how their behavior reflects their upbringing- or lack thereof. The couple's optimism was incredible, however they wouldn't take credit for what they had done- still emphasized that it was God who allowed them to have the strength to do it. Regardless, it's a pretty incredible task to take on.

Some old photos.

2009-01-09T09:11:00.004+01:00

Since I visited New York City for the first time at the age of 13, I always dreamed of spending my entire life there. I would marvel at the purple flags hanging from buildings by Washington Square Park, crossing my fingers that one day I would wear that color and enter those buildings. I worked tirelessly, never forgetting my only goal. As far as I was concerned, New York City was where I was meant to be and it was only a matter of time before I got there.

By the time I was 17, I was singing an entirely different tune. For most of my childhood, I ignored the District of Columbia despite its proximity- a whopping 30 feet from my house. As my taste in music developed, I became fixated on the local music scene. After a few months of frequenting the 9:30 Club and Black Cat, I stumbled across These United States. I instantly fell in love with their live shows - their sound is fun and interesting; their jaunty demeanor intoxicating. For many months, I went to every show I could- trying to capture their live show in photographs. Through These United States, I found more and more local musicians and discovered a community within a city I previously thought had nothing to offer me. I started to wonder if I really could leave a city I was just beginning to appreciate.

I applied to NYU and a handful of DC schools, figuring I would probably end up staying in the area. I wavered for months, constantly questioning my decision. Winter came around and I had a better reason than ever to stick around. But the letter came and I did what I thought was right.

And now I live in New York City, a decision I'm ultimately happy about, however I feel a resistance to really letting myself live out my life there. You would hardly know I'm living in New York City - I have very little to show for the past four months. A few snaps here and there, but all together very little effort. Maybe I just don't want to confront it yet- that I've left DC but can't quite feel at home in New York. My hope is that I'll start sifting through it more - picking up my camera and noticing the things around me in my new environment. We'll see.