Grilled Artichokes with Lemon, Garlic & Parmesan Aioli

There's nothing quite like fresh, in-season artichokes. I'm willing to argue that they're the prettiest produce in all of the land. In fact, they are so beautiful that I photographed them before and after cooking them. This recipe is posted on my food photography blog -- so head on over!

This is Change

I've been thinking a lot about transition, as I'm right in the throes of some big changes. I think many of us in our twenties are in a perpetual state of change. Graduation, moving to a new city, entering the work force, moving in with a significant other or maybe even marriage and children.

Whether we feel ready or not, our twenties are when most of us evolve into actual adults. A heap of new responsibilities are piled on. In so many ways, I feel unprepared and overwhelmed. 

Each stage of our lives before the mid twenties is ushered in with lots of preparation. We're showered with advice and encouragement when we head off to college or land our first job out of school.

When we reach a certain age, others become far less tolerant of our lack of having everything together.

We're adults now, after all. No one is going to give us a gold star for showing up for work on time or for paying the mortgage. There isn't a participation trophy for life.

I hope that this doesn't read as whiny or dripping with naivety. I understand that this is the natural progression into adulthood. I have found though, that lot's of us twenty-somethings don't actually talk about it. Many of us pretend that we have it all together. We don't dare mention how scary it can be to make some of these big decisions without really knowing what the heck we're doing.

From the outside looking in, it may appear that I've got it together. Truth is, I'm just as confused and afraid as the rest of my generation. The questions and uncertainty don't end with the purchase of a house or a walk down the aisle. For me, those milestones have only brought about more questions.

"When is the right time to have a baby? How badly will I screw up my future children? Is it possible to do what you love and make a living doing it? Do I give my husband and marriage enough of my attention? How in God's name do you fix a dishwasher. No, for real -- can anyone come fix my dishwasher?"

I'm reaching out with a proposition; let's uplift one another through this time of transition. If we can find a way to relate to each other, I'm sure it would take some of the absolute panic out of our twenties. Maybe if we look hard enough, we'll find that no one really knows what they're doing. That most of us are a little lost and a lot confused.

Introducing: The BAP

One of my favorite sandwiches. Think bacon, arugula, roasted red peppers and spicy sriraca mayo. All of the details are up on my food photography blog.

Food and beverage photography is something that I've been passionate about since the creation of No Place Lyke Home. I believe Julia Child put it best when she said,

"Dining with one's friends and beloved family is certainly one of life's primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal".
 
I hope that you'll follow my adventures in the kitchen and join me as I visit various Charlotte eateries and breweries.

Garage Studio Makeover

My hiatus from blogging has been due largely in part to this garage turned studio makeover. I've been wanting to take on more food and product photography work and felt that a studio space at home would enable me to get more done, especially at night. 

My hope was to create an inspiring space while still embracing the industrial feel of the garage. I dedicated a pinterest board and created a mood board before starting the process. It helped to have all of my ideas and inspiration in one place.

After painting and power washing the garage (I could go the rest of my life without painting another ceiling, letmetellyou), it was time for the fun part! Lots of decorating and re-purposing. My most favorite elements are my great grandma's vintage ceramic table and the painting on my desk created by my niece, Addie.

Without further ado, I present you with my new workspace!

I made most of the word art, with the exception of the lovely "With brave wings she flies", which was made by the uber talented, Danielle Burkleo. Rugs, wall ledge, picture wire and clips, white tables and graphic pillows are from Ikea. Most everything else you see was re-purposed from my college apartment.

Right now the other side of the garage looks like this:

I have some studio lighting and a variety of backdrops arriving this week that will need to be set up. I hope to use the table for product and food photography.

Some things I still want to do to the space:

- Put up new ceiling lights (maybe something on a track)
- Add a screen to the opening of the garage for when I work at night
- Paint the door that goes into the house black or a fun color like red or turquoise
- Paint the chairs to the vintage table a high gloss bright yellow


I'm really looking forward to working in this space!

T w o Y e a r s

A live version of our wedding song
 

We kept our picnic tradition alive this year for our second anniversary. Jake took the day off of work and we headed towards the mountains to picnic next to a waterfall.

Our anniversary has a way of focusing me on the important things. It's so easy to get lost in the shuffle and to neglect our relationship. It takes a conscious effort on both of our parts to make sure that we set aside time for one another.

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect anniversary. Here's a look inside of our day...

Penland

This post is a little over due. Truth is, I needed some time to digest the experience that I had last week. As I sit here, I find that it's really hard to put words to. What I can tell you is that it was a total game changer.

Penland brought many things into focus that I've struggled so long to see.

I found such value in the people that I was surrounded by. Artists. People with so much talent it was difficult to wrap my mind around.

I couldn't help but question my own work. I have so much to learn. I sometimes struggle with translating the vision in my mind into an image. I often find this really paralyzing.

Penland is where I started to believe that sometimes the most difficult thing about making art is overcoming that paralysis. It's allowing yourself the freedom to do things wrong. It's making work that you're proud of, only to question it an hour later. It's learning to appreciate your critical eye.

I've always found this Ira Glass quote super inspiring,

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work... It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take a while. It’s normal to take a while. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” 

I've been working really hard since I returned from Penland. I hope to share my ideas here with you soon. In the meantime, below are some photos from my week away. I must say, I spent a ton of time in the photo studio, so I didn't get a lot of pictures of the beautiful scenery. I did manage to snap a few instagrams, though. I'm also posting some of the portrait work that I did while there.

I can't help but miss the evenings. After long hours in class, we would head outside to the back porch of our studio. We shared drinks under twinkle lights. Talked photography and laughed until our stomach muscles hurt. I can't wait to go back.

Revel

Two years ago at this very moment, I was getting ready to be his bride. The whole thing felt surreal. We had waited for this for so long, yet nothing could have prepared us for the whirlwind that was our wedding day.

Sometimes I like to reflect on the feeling of a specific moment. What emotions were actually pulsing through my body while I applied my makeup for the supposedly biggest day of my life? Did I understand the full weight of it or did the ritual of getting ready take over?

The ceremony. Did someone else carry my legs down the aisle? Was I sure to make eye contact with Jake as he stood there waiting? Did I kiss him like I meant it? I can't really be sure. I'd like to think that I did all of those things. That I lived our wedding day with intention, conscious of my actions.

What I do know, is that our wedding has been just one day of our now two year marriage. A great one at that, but not the single most defining moment we've spent together in my mind. I talked a little about this idea here. After the wedding all of the family and friends leave town and the gifts slowly stop arriving. If you're lucky, you're left standing beside a partner that fills each day of your marriage with the same sense of love and support as your wedding day.

Sometimes when the thing that we anticipated for so long finally arrives we lose sight of the excitement we once held. Like a child on Christmas who has finished opening all of their gifts. What's next? I think we are presented with a choice. We can start the 364 day count down until next Christmas or we can take the time to revel in the gifts that we were just given.

I try to approach each day of our marriage with the same sense of wonder as we held before our wedding. It's not always easy. To take notice of the subtle (and not so subtle) changes we have made as individuals and as a couple. To celebrate one another. There in lies the work of a marriage.

Some days feel more like work than others. If you're lucky though, each day feels fulfilling. Feels worth it. Our marriage has been a road full of twists and turns that I never could have anticipated.

This morning, Jake wrote to me in an anniversary card, "Keep following your dreams. I'm just happy to be along for the ride". I feel the same way. So happy to have the best man I've ever known riding along side of me.