Life

quietly pursued.

Passing this along because it's lovely.

Maia at 94.

My friend Maia from julia warr on Vimeo.

Ace Camp - Camilla Engman - Goteborg, Sweden

Thank you, Camilla.

...and a most gracious thank you to all who traveled to Goteborg, Sweden for the workshop - it was such a pleasure to meet all of you.

Ace Camp - Suzanne Northcott - Marrakech + Essaouira

I got home late last night after spending 9 days in Morocco. This time we stayed in the medina at Riad Majala so we could try different restaurants and be closer to the action. It's amazing how quiet it is a night considering all the hussle that goes on during the day. The group could shop when they wanted or head out to try a restaurant or get lost in the souks like I did more then once.


Suzanne Northcott was our workshop leader and she taught travel journaling but as always with Suzanne she teaches much more. She lead us in yoga each morning which calmed everyone - as we listened to the "call to prayer" - she was generous with her time and guidance and she was open to experiencing all the sights, sounds and changes that occur when traveling with a group.


The souks are like a cement corn field with vendors shouting at you to visit their shop and you have to plow right through if you're not interested - even if you show the slightest interest in something they offer you may encounter the likes of assistance of "how many do you want", "my family made this in the mountains", "we have one in yellow, orange, green, blue, red and purple", "I offer you the most diplomatic price", "come in, come in, you only have to look" - and fifteen other renditions... At times you seek the only shop that will give you a moment to think for if they only knew that if they did that they may have your business...but that is shopping in the souks...and that is all part of it.


We ate at a variety of restaurants - Le Jardin, Terrace des Espices, Cafe des Espices, Al Fassia, in the Jemma el Fna, Villa Flore, Cafe Arabe and had a cooking class (sort of) followed by a meal in our riad. We also ate at Beldy in Essaouira (one of the most flavorful in my mind) after I set out on a mission to find a restaurant and ran into a German guide book writer who brought me there to make a reservation on his bike. (Thank you Lutz!)


The group ventured to Gueliz, Essaouira, Jardin Majorelle, museums, shopped the souks and had quiet, well instructed lessons from Suzanne. Yes, we saw goats in trees - and handed out tips to the goat herder or whatever he's called. (It's a tad of a touristy thing but still fun - correction - it's totally a touristy thing...but still fun)


We split up, shopped together, shopped on our own, met new friends and explored Marrakech. Some of the group arrived early and spent time in Paris, extra days in Marrakech and some stayed longer to explore Morocco and London. There were artists, lawyers, accountants, art administrators, travelers and seekers of gardens to name a few.


and we walked...and walked...and walked...and if we couldn't walk any longer we found our way back.


It was a great adventure and I thank Suzanne and all the ladies who joined in.

There's something about...paper airplanes

Yes, indeed.

image: Elisabeth Dunker - Fine Little Day
image: Elisabeth Dunker - Fine Little Day

image: judy_jowers

image: U.S. Central Command

image: The Hambrick Family

Little Paper Planes - a Chronicle book by Kelly Lynn Jones

Images 1 + 2 by E. Dunker were created for the book above.

"Paper planes were something that bridged the gap between this make-believe world and reality," writes Jones, musing about their role in her childhood imagination. "They were real, tangible objects but represented the possibility that what I imagined could really come to be."

Ace Camp - Tif Fussell - dottie angel dearies 2

As Tif would say - "a peachy workshop, indeed".

A little thrifting after the most extraordinarily long taxi ride through downtown Seattle at rush hour on Friday to the largest thrift store I have ever seen in my life followed by two days of crafting and sewing. Thank you so much, Tif and thank you dearies 2 for coming from all over the U.S., Canada and even Holland.

These photos are images taken by Lisa Call. I'll have mine up soon but am on my way to Morocco this very minute.

While I'm on the road - April 2012

I thought I'd share a few discoveries.

age-old tree

"The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders." - Edward Abbey


One touch of nature makes the whole world kin - John Muir

"bigBANG studio is the working space of painter Lily Stockman, presently of Brooklyn, recently of Jaipur and formerly of Joshua Tree. bigBANG is devoted to painting, cooking, capering & occasional trespassing."


Erst-wyle - Elisse Newey teaches genealogy courses.

Rhubarb in the garden - There is something lovely about it...and Joanne, the author and her photos and stories and creations in Wales, UK. It's gentle. Joanne also has a tumblr. (4 images below are her own - the 4th one is of her brother leaving for Australia. It kind of slays me with emotion)


I'll be brief here because I'm leaving for Morocco tomorrow and to say I'm not packed is the least of it. Yesterday evening I got back from Seattle and the Ace Camp with Tif and the dearies 2. It was really great - vintage fabric everywhere...as you can imagine. Everywhere. Thank you SO much, Tif - to be around you is a joy. Mary and I did a little shopping on the way home and had a tad of a laughing fit in a thrift store where a man was playing music and we thought he was going to do some "beat" poetry and said words like "Universe", "The Earth", "Oh, those 4 letter words, those 4 letter words"...and he went on and on and then he started singing. It was odd (and nice) that someone would be singing in a thrift store and we were tired thus causing one of those don't look at the other person, can't really laugh about this, can't look at the other person or I'll burst out laughing and it's not appropriate, can't laugh in here because we don't want to be rude to the man playing his music, kind of things.

a few more before I go...

Spain Daily is a pictoral blog with great daily photos of life in Spain.


Wilder Quarterly - I know I've mentioned it before. This is just a reminder as it's quite great for those of you who like the farm to table kind of life.

This post from dottie angel (Tif) also slayed me with emotion - 10 reasons to love used dog.

You should think of going to this if you live in Vancouver - it's a collaborative food project between Marche St. George and Butter on the Endive - that is, if you like great food and a fabulous atmosphere.

The Mori Girls.

Have you heard of mori girls?
The mori girls (森ガール) belong to a Japanese subculture. 'Mori' means forest in Japanese, and mori girls look like fairytale forest wanderers in their loose dresses, vintage prints and quaint accessories. Mori girls are also drawn to animal, candy, checked, floral, vintage or polka-dotted prints. However, they avoid looking overly cute.

The mori girl trend extends beyond woodsy, natural styling. In order to legitimately be classified as a Mori girl one must also embrace a slower, more wholesome way of life. A Mori girl has a quiet quality and an awareness of how she carries and decorates herself. She holds value in her surroundings and appreciates things that have unique character. She enjoys old fashioned crafts and hobbies and is quite happy in her own company. The mori girls are a sort of counterculture based on delicate indifference.

Scandinavia is for many mori girls a dream destination, and Scandinavian design influences often appear in mori girls' style. The mori girl checklist includes: A girl with soft air about her, pocket watches, prefers gold accessories to silver ones, likes to put round make-up on cheeks and analogue cameras - you get the picture...

There's something about...ribbons in hair

tiger in a jar

ISYS

frolic

I guess you have to be a certain age. Or maybe not.

Angela searches the world wide web - March 19, 2012

I'm getting ready for an onslaught of travel - which is incredibly awesome but I'm making sure all my "t's" are crossed and "i's" are dotted. In a few weeks I head to Seattle for the Ace Camp with Tif Fussell and the dottie angels dearies 2, then off to Morocco with Suzanne Northcott and 11 other women and after that I return back to Whistler for a few days followed by an Ace Camp in Sweden with Camilla Engman.

I have a few days - like 5 or so before I arrive in Sweden so have been trying to figure out where to go and what to do while in Europe - so I came up with some of these ideas below.

Do I stay in northern Europe and ride a bike around Copenhagen, or go to Amsterdam and visit the flea markets or do I head back to Paris and chomp out at Galeries Lafayette again? Do I take a ferry, or camp on a Greek Island, or train it to Belgium or Stockholm?

Oliver Jeffers

Stockholm
Copenhagen
Paris

In my search and as often happens I spent some time getting lost and ended up on the site Welcome Beyond looking for future accommodations for Ace Camps - so then I started thinking Belgium.

Welcome Beyond - Belgium - La Classe


Tunisia - Dar Hi — Séverine: “Yes, it’s very much like a retreat. When you’re there and you see the sunset and hear the mosques, it’s just an amazing experience.


France - Chateau Du Chiron


This came right out of the blue as one search led to another and really, no absolutely, has nothing to do with my Europe search...but I liked it so am sharing the work of Emily Fischer. Emily runs a custom quilt studio called Haptic Lab and has designed a Great Lakes quilt. If you grew up in this region, you might feel as fondly about this as I do.


Tourist Magazine - "When did expensive and impossible to find become so unbearably cool? I look to my 5 year old niece for inspiration when it comes to fashion and my 90 year old grandma when it comes to attitude."

Travelettes - I stumbled on this website and discovered the work of Ana Cabaleiro and spent a fair bit of time searching for Euro inspiration...where to go, where to go....?

image: Ana Cabaleiro
image: Ana Cabaleiro

Wandering off course again I discovered the photography of Thomas Hauser.


...and found this postcard - A Platform Journal


I haven't made my mind up yet...but stay tuned.

5 minutes in the world of...Sian Richardson + Julian Bialowas - Part 1

SIAN RICHARDSON

A magazine designed and curated by Sian Richardson & Julian Bialowas called 16HOURS caught my attention a few weeks ago - so I contacted Sian and Julian to find out more. The magazine is the result of 2 designers who are on opposite sides of the world and have published 3 editions with the 4th set for purchase March 16, 2012.

Past issues have included - 01 WANDERLUST / 02 HOME / 03 URBAN - and the latest to be publlished is - 04 WE ARE WILD.

16 hours is the time difference between Calgary, Alberta & Sydney, Australia and here is 5 minutes in the world of Sian Richardson from Sydney, Australia. Julian Bialowas world to follow soon.


Describe yourself in 5 words:
Spontaneous. Chilled. Bold. Adventurous. Random.

A moment that changed my life is:
The moment I walked out the door of my full time job to be a full time freelancer. Possibly the scariest & most exciting day of my life so far. Nothing can beat the feeling of absolute freedom.

What 5 things during your lifetime do you want to do?
‘Things’ I really want to do… See the Northern Lights in Lapland is my number one, and to stay in a glass igloo while I’m there. Watch the sunrise in Gisbourne, New Zealand at New Years (the first place in the world to see the sun). To road trip across America. To go to the Monaco Formula 1 GP.
And just to create a dream life that allows me to travel + do what I love + work with amazing people.

images: Monument Valley / Laplandimages: Gisborne first light / Formula One - Monaco

Things you are passionate about…can't live without…things that rock your world…
Music is my number one. I love how it has the power to completely change your mood.
Travelling & music go hand in hand to me.
And getting to work with amazing creative + passionate people rocks my world. There really is nothing like connecting with such driven & inspirational people, on a daily basis. It drives me.

Any new projects you’d like to share with us?
I’ve just recently launched a little book project of mine, called Everything is Everything. Just a collection of quotes to get people inspired to live the life of their dreams.


I’ve got a few exciting projects coming up, but I can’t give it all away just yet!

Whose art/creativity/photography rocks your world?
Fave photographer for me at the moment would have to be Cody Cobb. I just found him while I was scouting artists for the new issue of 16HOURS. He captures the wilderness perfectly.

image: Cody Cobb

A lot of photographers have been inspiring me more than designers lately. Max Wanger is another amazing photog. He has the most amazing minimal approach to his work.

What was the first concert you went to on your own dime?
Justin Timberlake! Haha… When he was in Auckland in 2007 I think it was.


What kind of music do you listen to?
A combo of electro/house/bass, & a bit of indie/altervative. I can never pass up good electro though.

The book you’re reading right now is:
The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Fascinating stuff!

What fashion era best represents your style?
I can’t really put it down to one era… I just wear whatever I feel like. I change it up all the time.


Besides your home country, what is your favorite country?
New Zealand is my home country, but I’m in love with Australia. So far I haven’t made it further than these two places, but I think Aussie will always be like my second home. It has the perfect combo of cities + small country towns + amazing beaches.

Where in the world you have always wanted to visit?
There’s something about America that has always fascinated me... I’m not sure why. Going to New York & LA have always been at the top of my list. And Northern Europe is pretty up there too. Those are the main places I’m planning to live sooner or later.


You just won the lottery – woohoo! – and you want to travel, where would you go?
Probably America or Canada… They say New Zealand is like the Canada of the Southern Hemisphere, so being from NZ I’m pretty keen to see what the Canada of the Northern Hemisphere is like!

If you could leave on a trip in 2 hours, where would you go, how would you get there and what would you pack?
I would go back to New Zealand, and go to the South Island. I’d hope to score a plane ticket to get there! And I’d pack as little as possible… A few items of clothing, a couple of pairs of shoes, my cameras, a couple of pairs of sunglasses, and probably Red Bull for the road…
As long as I’ve got at least my camera, and my sunglasses, I’m happy.

Once you arrived at this place, which 5 people would you call to come join you and why?
I’d have to hit up Julian… He’s like Mr Explorer so I can imagine him going crazy in the South Island with all the mountains + treks down there. Second I’d probably call my brother, he’s one of the funniest kids I know so there’d be no shortage of good times with him around. I’m not sure exactly who else. Any 3 people that are chilled out & know how to have a good time.

Something we don't know about you is:
I have a really double jointed elbow. I constantly freak people out when I stretch it and forget that it bends a lot more than it should.

Thank you Sian!
\ Issue 04 - WE ARE WILD is available now and you can get it here. (Some of the best photography of the world I've seen in a long time)

image: Nich Hance McElroy