The Edible Apartment is a nonprofit that designs urban gardens, particularly on apartment building sites to educate, inspire well-being and create a food source for the community. I was so inspired by the woman who began this project, Jill Volat, that I had to meet her and photograph her gardens. I met Jill early one morning at her Los Angeles apartment where she began The Edible Apartment. She immediatly greeted me with a hug. We chatted, and she gave me a tour of her garden along with a sampling of some of her organically grown produce. Nothing like fresh arugula and tomatoes in the morning. The flavor was so authentic and earthly. Her journey creating this nonprofit unraveled and presented itself to her as she explored a new stage in her life. A life long gardener, Jill had just moved into an apartment and was craving getting back to soil and plants and a healthy lifestyle. But where to have this garden of her dreams? The abandoned front yard of her apartment looked appealing, and when she approached her landlord, he agreed. After an initial garden was planted, the neighbors came out to enjoy and converse with her. A lovely new addition to this project was inspiring others to eat healthy by sharing her produce, making new friends and creating a community around this garden. Since then she has established her nonprofit The Edible Apartment and continued to create new urban gardens around Los Angeles. Vacant lots have now been repurposed into edible landscapes. This is a brilliant idea. I love getting back to simpler times, getting in touch with nature and feeding our souls with the earth. Truly nothing is better for you. I have my own garden and love going out early in the morning to water and see what has happened over night. I find it meditative to garden and really look closely at the beauty of mother nature. Of course I love photographing all aspects of the garden. Such a pleasure to roam through The Edible Apartment garden and capture this admirable project. Never underestimate the power of a woman to change the community. Great ideas come from changes in our lives if we are open to them. As women, Jill and I have each turned our lives around after difficult moments. The most important thing to remember is to be open to change because great things can come from it. As my mother used to say, "Something good always comes from something bad." Don't fear the not so perfect times in your life. Dig down into the dirt and embrace it.
Travel
Prepping for a trip and returning always takes time and disrupts one's routine. Hence, no blog post for awhile. I am back now and refreshed with new ideas and new inspirations. I spent a week in Iceland and felt like I was on another planet. The landscape is so varied and always unearthly. I jumped out of bed each morning eager for all the sights I would see that day. Truly a stunning island. I would be remise if I did not mention the food. I was very impressed with the cuisine in Reykjavik. I indulged in sushi at a restaurant called Sushi Social. Many of the items we ordered included fresh mango, and it added an element of summer in a not so summery place. The decor was tropical and the scene was happy and festive. We also had melt in your mouth fish at Sjavargrillio. This restaurant I would run back to. Dark interior with loads of antiques surrounding you and fun booths with sweet velvet bows sown into the back. Again a fun and festive crowd. People in Reykjavik know how to have a good time. Also have to mention the two best bakeries in town: Sandholt and Bread and Co. Bought more than I could eat at both of these places because it all looked so good. On to Italy which I have visited before and was ready to feel the sun again and have some good Italian food. Tried a new restaurant in Milan called Ratana. Outside was a lovely kitchen garden and inside fun decor greeting you at the door. Always a plus for me. We ordered the risotto as we were told it was the best in town, and it did not dissapoint. We ventured north to Lake Como where I had the honor of working with Chef Raphaelle Lenzi at the restaurant Berton Al Lago. Truly a dream come true to shadow a Michelin star chef through the kitchen prepping for the dinner service and watching him work with his sous chefs and staff. Later he prepared four dishes in front of me to photograph. We had a fun time and hotel staff at Il Sereno, where the restaurant is located, enjoyed the shoot as well. But truly the best part of traveling is meeting new people, which seems to be so easy when on vacation and you slow down enough to have a good conversation. I need to incorporate that into my life at home. Don't just say a quick hello but actually take an extra few minutes to inquire about the person's day or how their life is going. I loved the slow way of living in Italy. A leisurely lunch followed by relaxing and then back to work and a late, long dinner with friends. Every night our dinners got later and later as we became locals if only for a moment. Really that is the goal of any trip, to become a local and truly experience the culture, language, food, and people. Then you come home refreshed and see your life and surroundings a new.
As a side note, you may be wondering about the picture above. It was taken at Il Sereno in Lake Como and is a living wall of greenery. It runs parralel to the lobby and can be viewed from inside. I really loved it and needed an excuse to share it.
Farmers Market Bounty
Every week I venture to the farmers market to discover what is in season. I rarely come home without a basket full of produce, herbs and flowers. After laying everything out on my kitchen island I start to formulate ideas for the photographs I want to take as well as what am I going to cook with all this gorgeous food. Looking at everything layed out it struck me how fun it would be to document every week's bounty. So I rearranged my items into a Farmers Market Bounty photo and so began a new series, Now when I come home each week I lay out a melange of fresh seasonal items I have purchased and take a group photo. I am loving the richness and documentation of these images. As I rarely photograph people I like to think of my single images of earthly delights as portraits. You never know when inspiration will strike and I am most happy when my mind is clear and focused and able to let creativity flow and be open to new thoughts and ideas such as my new group portrait series. As photographers or creative people, we must have clarity and a child-like wonder to elevate our thinking and be able to produce something unique. This is why I was so hurt to find someone imitating my farmers market bounty idea complete with title. While they say imitation is the highest form of flatery, I am flattered that this person responded so positively to my image and title. However, I think credit should be given and it was not. As artists, we risk putting ideas out into the world and being criticized or imitated. I will not discontinue my process and know that in the end no one can really imitate you. Be true and be respectful and be unique.
Passion
Having a Passion in life is important. I am writing about this today as it is my horse's birthday and her name happens to be Passion. While I did not name her I do love her name. I have always been passionate about photography, art, travel, books, nature, gardens, food, and all things visually satisfying. They give me reason to get up in the morning and be inspired and feel like I am living a full life. I am forever addicted to all things beautiful. I love to travel and be introduced to new cultures and food and learn what the locals are passionate about. If only for a moment I can live in their world and enjoy what they live for. Every week I go to the farmers market and it's a whole new world of what is in season and available this week. One can never be bored with a weekly trip that yields such great gatherings. When I get home I usually photograph everything first and then work on displaying my herbs, flowers, and food around the house. I love that every week my kitchen has a new seasonal natural look. My garden as well is an ever changing visual delight. Right now it is bursting with flowers and fruit. I enjoy all the seasons even the winter when the trees are bare there is so much beauty. Being passionate about my surroundings allows me to slow down and appreciate my natural world. Taking time to cook and prepare a beautiful table is another passion of mine. I find it calming and gratifying to nourish my family and friends. Creating a dish with many layers is meditative and allows me to focus and create. Today I am grateful for my Passions and to my beautiful horse, Happy Birthday!!
Cookbooks
Cookbooks today are like a passport to another world. Filled with beautiful photos and delicous recipes they transport us to the lifestyle of the cook or the region they are from. I used to think of cookbooks as simply a reference for recipes, and they were, generally. Now they combine facts, advice, and stories. Whether it is a traditional family recipe passed down through the generations that they have now modernized to suit our current culinary needs or advice on ingredients to change based on ones own health. I love that we can adapt and are not afraid to break with tradition to make a recipe work for the current trend. Food is always evolving, becoming more artistic in it's presentation but also attention to the quality of food is a great concern. I recently read Jeremy Fox's "On Vegetables", where he included in the beginning of his book testaments to the farmers he works with. This is where we are at in the food industry and I could not be happier. The partnership between how and where our food is grown and our chefs is going beyond farm to table. Chefs are getting involved in every aspect of the food they want to work with. There is a sensitivity to what is being prepared. We can flip through a cookbook today and enjoy the photographs, which are an art form, or we can slowly read each word and learn about a culture, a spice, a type of produce, a tradition, a farmer, a method of growing or simply how to make a great dish.
Table for two
A classic entry line when arriving at a restaurant. It immediatly brings to mind a romantic encounter. A couple is seated, they order drinks and toast to the possibilities. Although I enjoy my company when I am out I was often told as a child, by my father, to stop staring at the table next to us. I love thinking about what brought these two people together. Is the conversation cordial, uncomfortable or flirty. Always curious, I can't help but wonder. The art of conversation is a necessary companion to a good meal. I prefer a table for two. I find big groups often end up having superficial conversations that leave you feeling empty and craving something of substance. Nothing makes me happier than enjoying good food, a well mannered companion and thoughtful conversation. As Julia Child would say, "Bon appétit" and I would add, "Bonne conversation!"
The Importance of Eating Seasonally
I have been thinking about the foods we crave during winter as we tend towards being indoors. Snuggling up with cozy blankets, a fire, a good book and a warm bowl of soup. Soups in my home usually include beans, grains, loads of root veg and always seasonal greens. Wandering the farmers market is the best way to know what is in season and what is in season is well thought out by mother nature. In winter potatoes, root vegetables and hearty greens all provide wonderful vitamins that nourish the body and skin to give us a healthy glow even in the dreariest of months. Most importantly they give us a sense of feeling full and comforted. As a cook there is no better feeling than providing friends and family with a sense of comfort. For me winter is the month we dwell on what is ahead in the coming year. It is a time to slow down and nourish our mind as well as body. Soups require slow eating lest we spill or slurp to quickly making unattractive sounds. The produce available during this time of year inspires foods that are meant to be enjoyed at a slow pace with good conversations and good wine. Soups, stews and long ago dishes made by our mothers or grandmothers seem to provide what we crave in winter. Eating seasonally sustains a beautiful cycle of goodness and memories we can bring to ourselves and others.
Floors
Being a seeker of details and a lover of shoes, it is only natural that my eyes, in admiration of my shoes, should notice the floors. Floors are like a blank canvas that can support, as they are obviously meant to, the furniture in the room, the ambiance and the lightness or darkness as intended. They are a detail often overlooked due to their simplistic function. I love a fun floor as much as a simple one. They can demand attention or simply sink into the background like a wall flower. Either way they are to be considered an important element of a room. Restaurants often choose a practical solution. Having visited many restaurants all over the world, I like to walk in and feel like someone cared enough to make this experience special. No detail left on the drawing table. It is our first visual and sets the tone for the meal ahead. If your feeling lucky to have landed in this space that is visually appealing your going to be anticipating your meal with desire. Walk in and let your eyes feast on the decor and see where it takes you. Perhaps you will land on an intriguing floor.