anastasia photography workshop | april 2013

had the pleasure of attending an anastasia photography workshop this spring,
with my lovely friend kristin.
we made terrariums,
and photographed them,
using negative space, dimension, light.
we photographed food;
learned different ways to style, and how to look for light.
and then we ate food!
deliciously prepared by john ferris from collective kitchen.
(i had ramps for the first time – anyone else know what ramps are?)
next up was a beautiful bride photoshoot,
complete with horses.
and lastly we photographed a mother + daughter.
it was a good experience, honestly even just in realising that i should be more confident in my work.
i know more than i think i know and should own it.

french toast + greedy landlords

little nest cafe:
a big part of my friendship with my friend adina,
and one of the best parts about living near commercial drive.
and now… this little gem of a cafe is closing due to ridiculous rent increases.
(read article here)
just sad.

this particular day we had just finished a soap-making workshop,
and wanting nothing else than breakfast at little nest.
as it was a weekend, i opted for the french toast special,
while adina got some sort of veggie dish with the fluffiest, yummiest scrambled eggs.

(the first couple times i went to little nest are documented on my old food blog.)

it’s still spring.

we’ve had some beautiful summer weather lately, but it’s still spring.
below are some absolutely gorgeous blossoms from a few weeks ago.
loved the intensity of the fuchsia color against the pale tan wall.

(don’t forget about my mother’s day promotion...
book + deposit before may 12 for a 25% portrait discount!
email me for details: joey@joeyarmstrong.ca)

lydia + brandon | vancouver portrait photography

photos from lydia + brandon‘s vancouver visit.
most of these are from our little excursion to lynn canyon park.
what a gorgeous spot.
was a lot of fun hanging out with another photographer.
(warning: several of these photos contain the classic ‘photo of another photographer taking a photo’)

but we also took them to a few of my favorite vancouver hangouts (though they aren’t all pictured below).
revolver, old faithful shop, cartems, cafe medina, jj bean… just to name a few.

and a new one for me, union wood co. (thanks brandon for the intro!) their work is just incredible.

(above 2 photos taken by lyd)

we got married in a fever

actually, no fever.
we got married in langley.
8+ months ago.
at campbell valley regional park.
beeeautiful spot.
just the spot we wanted for a picnic.

it was a glorious day.
i wasn’t stressed out at all.
(which is not like me, if you know me at all)
got my hair did by the lovely jocelyn price.
makeup by jamie-lee (my darling sister in law)
my friend rachele was my event co-ordinator/planner.
sister andrea drew + designed the invites as well as helped me with decorations/plans.
brother joel did the music and sound.
our friends the reckoners played their amazing music during our picnic (and while we ‘walked the aisle’)
catering by the dirty apron (sandwiches for the win!).
picnic blankets by my mother and my new mother (byron’s mom), with help from a few ladies here in bc, and byron’s grandma.
my dad officiated, and byron’s dad mc’d.

and the amazing photos you will see below, were taken by bryan and mae photography.
i fell in love with bryan and mae’s work a couple years ago.
their style echoed what i loved about photography, and their personal style + interests resonated with my own. (mae + i both love the color mustard!)

oh and my dress?
le chateau.
altered by my wonderful mother (who also made my sister’s dress).

it was a relaxing wedding, though i wish i’d had time to play some of the games (croquet!!).
the best thing we did was to hire someone to take care of the day-of details.
(rachele was amazing.)

enjoy the photos.
and be patient.
this is a long, long post.
the longest i’ll ever post. i swear it.

(family who couldn’t be there!)

(my wedding planner with my mom)

thanks again to bryan and mae for the absolutely, fantastically wonderful photos.

spring blossoms in my neighbourhood

spring.
gorgeous time of year in vancouver.
my friend sharon,
who is traveling at the moment
(yes, i’m jealous)
asked me to take photos of the blossoms for her.

et voila:

 

simple

trying to read more.

loving this book: an everlasting meal, by tamar adler

“this is not a cookbook or a memoir or a story about one person or one thing. it is a book about eating affordably, responsibly, and well, and because doing so relies on cooking, it is mostly about that.”  (from page 1 of said book)

i’ve started collecting veggie scraps in a bag in my freezer, to save to make soup stock. this book, though i read it ever so slowly, inspires me to cook and eat simpler.

one day for lunch i had toast with butter, avocado, cucumber, and good shaved cheese (specifically ‘nostrala’ a bc cheese i bought at les amis du fromage). it was simple. and delicious.

(you can also do hummus w/ avocado, or roasted garlic w/ cucumbers, etc etc.)

portland. truly tasty.

took a mini trip to portland end of january.
with the sister and our friend.
(who goes touristing in january on the west coast??)
it’s cold. and wet.
but we did.
it was lovely, despite the chill.

my trip mates.

they thought i was crazy for leaving my camera on a bench.
(whatever)

tasty n sons.
best. brunch place. ever.
(went twice.)

right: polenta w/ sausage ragu, over easy egg, mozza. incredible x 10

demolished.

mmmosa!

barista. nice coffee space.
(good for drawing + instagramming)

heart roasters.
best coffee on the trip.

can’t go to portland without stopping at powell’s books.

root beer float!

the buildings.
gorgeous.

home! only 313 miles away.

true.

one of several bridges.

chilly, foggy, beautiful ‘hike’ up a hilly park.

the loveliest arrangement of flowers to be bought.

–
we went to many other incredible places, unphotographed.
(or photographed, but in a poorly lit situation)
like:
pok pok - amazing thai food.
farm cafe - homemade pasta, deeelicious trout. etc.
salt & straw - handmade ice cream scoop shop!

… without a good breakfast

i quite agree, robert.
“one should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast”

this breakfast is from one we made for some recent visiting guests.
eggs.
french toast (with cranberry bread from a bread affair).
- with maple syrup, blueberries, yogurt.
breakfast sausages (best. ever. from woodland smokehouse.)
coffee. (jjbean eastside. of course.)

i have more than just breakfast photos to share.
but those are for another day.
we had a lovely time showing lydia + brandon around.
lydia is a lovely, talented photographer.
and she took quite a few fantastic film photos while she was here.
check them out here and here.

a fish kind of day

craved fish today.
perused my donna hay ‘seasons’ cookbook.
found a couple salmon recipes.
at least two of them involving fennel.
decided on pan-fried salmon with fennel salad.
bought some salmon.
fennel.
etc.
made some adjustments.
and had my fish fix for the week.
divine.

here’s my adapted recipe (original from donna hay’s ‘seasons’) for 2 servings

2 salmon fillets, skin removed (150 – 200 g per fillet)
olive oil
butter
capers
thyme
sea salt & pepper

1 bulb fennel, trimmed & sliced thinly
handful of baby spinach leaves
handful basil leaves
1 orange, peeled & thinly sliced
handful toasted sliced almonds

dressing
2 Tablespoons mustard (dijon)
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon sugar, or honey
1/4 cup olive oil (i use extra virgin 1st cold pressed)
sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

make dressing by combining all ingredients & whisking together.
slice veggies, prepare the salad, set aside.
heat a large skillet over medium heat.
brush salmon fillets with olive oil; sprinkle with salt & pepper.
place in hot pan, add thyme leaves & capers to pan, along with butter.
cook for 3-5 minutes on each side (or per your preference).
while fish is cooking, toss salad with dressing & start plating it.
sprinkle almonds on top of salad.
take fish off the stove, and let cool 1 minute.
serve & drink with your favorite wine.
(a dry white is probably best. but if you only have red lying around, it’ll work in a pinch

notes: the capers, butter & thyme were my additions. butter is better, and i love capers. also the orange & the almonds. also, there was thinly sliced red onion in the salad, but i decided i didn’t like it. you might, though.

*photos in this post taken with my i-phone. yes. i was lazy.