Just a quick note to tell you about a site I just launched for my friend Michael Gillette. It's a shopfront for his James Bond prints, which is artwork that he created for the books. Fully licensed and endorsed by the Estate of Ian Fleming!
We hope to expand the shop to include printed versions of Michael's other pieces, so stay tuned. www.michaelgilletteart.com
One of the things I've been enjoying most is hiking on Sundays with Josh. We are lucky enough to live in a place where big, open spaces are only a short drive away, and this spring we've discovered places we never knew existed.
Shell Ridge Open Space • Las Trampas Regional Wilderness • Round Valley Regional Preserve • John Muir Historic Site
And other places we've revised:
Briones Regional Park • Redwood Regional Park • Anthony Chabot Regional Park
Here are some pictures from the past few months:
Shell Ridge Open Space:
Round Valley Regional Preserve:
Briones Regional Park:
I was fortunate to visit Tokyo this year during cherry blossom season, to shoot photos and videos for the new RX100. I brought along my a7 (not R, not S), the full frame Sony 35mm Zeiss, and Canon EF 24-70. I also took my RX100 II, thinking I'd need something more compact exploring Tokyo on my own. I ended up not shooting a lick with the RX100 since the a7+35mm is so compact and light. I LOVE THIS CAMERA. I'm no pro, and maybe my standards aren't super high, but I'm pleased with everything I've shot with it, in different lighting conditions. And no Photoshop afterwards! Looks great, straight out of the camera.
I spent roughly six days being driven around Tokyo, with a day trip to Nirasaki. I had no idea Tokyo had so many areas, with so much water channelling throughout it. When I lived there in high school, I only visited two places: Harajuku and Shibuya. (Every weekend, I'd take the Odakyu line from the American Army base in Camp Zama and get off at Yoyogi Stadium. My favorite station along the route was Tamagawagakuenmae. I still love saying it.) Being a fashion and music-obsessed teenager prevented me from having more exposure to Tokyo, but now - in my middle age - it's a whole new city to me. I'm looking forward to more visits and new adventures.
Here are some highlights from the week:
Cherry Blossoms along the canal in Naka-meguro:
Sashimi lunch in Tsukiji:
Hibiya Park:
Kiba Park:
Shinjuku:
Private afternoon jazz concert at Mandala Jazz Club in Aoyama:
Double petal hellebore (!) in Icho Namiki:
Library interior in Nirasaki:
View of the Alps and "sakura" in Yamanashi Prefecture:
This is Yuki-chan:
This is what Yuki-chan's treats look like:
Kitte Shopping Mall:
The Institute of France-Japan, designed by Junzo Sakakura (student of Le Corbusier) in 1951:
New friends, after our lunch in Odaiba:
As I mentioned, I've gone full frame. Through the new job I scored a great deal on the a7, which is much smaller than my old Canon 5D Mark III, and I can use my old lenses with it. So far I've shot with my Canon EF 24-70 f2.8, using a Metabones adapter, and Sony's new 35mm f2.8 Zeiss lens. I'm super happy with the pictures and increased portability of the new setup.
I **think** I've fixed the issue that was happening with this site, we shall see...
NEW THINGS TO REPORT:
I'm really excited to announce that I'll be an Associate Creative Director at American Giant, an apparel startup that makes mens basics, right out of San Francisco. I love the brand, the people, and cannot wait to help make it a success. I'm ready to break from agency life, and this feels like the perfect move.
My primary role will be to guide and shape the look & feel of the brand, through all its channels, which includes the website, printed materials, advertising and in-store experience. I'll be involved in all aspects of the work, from strategy to conception to execution.
Honestly this work feels like fun to me, which hasn't really ever happened, so I'm pretty stoked.
Josh and I are in love with our house. Every day we discover more corners to devote love & attention to. It's a lot of work but totally worth it.
The biggest project so far has been to repaint the back stairwell (20 foot ceilings!) and re-hang old and new artwork in it. I've always had tons of art on the walls in every place I've lived, and I've still got wallspace, so the collection continues. I'm especially excited about the Michael Gillette piece "Joko", Rodarte-designed poster for one of my favorite films, Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard, and a photograph by Laura Plageman. Nice to mix in pieces amongst all the work by Nathaniel Parsons.
Other big projects on the horizon are refinishing the front door (complete with commissioned stained glass window by Ted Ellison) and painting the front steps/railing.
Our garden has awoken and has started to say hello too. Bright purple crocuses planted two winters ago have returned, and daffodils and tulips from two years ago & this past winter are peeking out too. I think it's going to be a glorious spring in the backyard.
& of course there's fantasy basketball, which is my biggest obsession. For those who are interested, my team formally known as "Tha Nub" now known as "Linoleum" (everyone in our league has a team know paying homage to Jeremy Lin), is still IN FIRST - first since the beginning of the season. But this week that may all change since I am doing battle with Joanna's team, who is only 2.5 games back in second. Say a prayer for the nub, won't you?
Things that have happened: launched my friend's new website, watched melancholia, hosted a pretty amazing dinner party, saw wild flag five times, went to nyc to celebrate me & josh's ten year wedding anniversary, started to read infinite jest, spent halloween in portland with my nephews and niece.
Things that will happen: read mj's new book, see molly nilsson, see nathaniel's new show, spend a week in ohio, go to nyc for a big party.
Forever a project in my mind, my vertical garden was finally created last weekend. A friendly and helpful man at Flora Grubb talked us out of purchasing their $90 box planters and about repurposing shutters instead. So Josh and I went over to Urban Ore and - lo and behold - we found the perfect set of plantation shutters for $40.
With the help of my friend Nathaniel, we framed it out and boxed in the planter area using pine and 1/4" cement "hardie" board. I sanded and painted everything using my favorite patio shade, "Black Jack" by Benjamin Moore, and filled it all with The Dry Garden's succulent & cactus blend. The plants were purchased from The Cactus Jungle and Alex Rigg in Berkeley (Alex sells the most amazing varieties of succulents and cactii out of her house on Delaware street between Sacramento and California).
PS- if you're interested in some of the plant varieties shown, I'm cataloguing them on Pinterest.
Update: all of the plants are still alive, some getting a little "leggy" and losing a bit of their red color, but otherwise still looking like they do in these pics.
