Love Letter Life

Well it's been an interesting month for project. I'd classify it more as superb. It began with discovering I was a finalist in the Canon Photo 5 photography contest, was followed by the release of a video project between myself and a good friend, which ended up going viral on the internet, and was capped off by finding out last week that I won the photography contest, along with a new camera, lens, and a trip to Queenstown.



The photo contest win has been incredibly unexpected and incredibly flattering. I never had any intention of receiving any attention for my entries, it was merely for a sense of accomplishment and an excuse for Haej and I to take some fun pregnancy photos. What I ended up with was an honor that I am still trying to process.

And the Wellington Love Letter, which was a joke video I directed and created with a friend of mine before he moved to NYC, was sent out at work on his last day. It quickly went viral, and made its rounds in NZ, and the US. There were even rumours of it closing down the London Stock Exchange on their big trading floor monitors. There was a week of news paper articles (front page!), radio interviews, and other attention. And what has resulted is Wellington Tourism board, and potentially NZ tourism board, seeking me out to create media for them. Again, this video was meant as a fun project for Jesse and I, and turned into something so much more than expected. It has been a surreal experience to say the least.

And with November behind me, I look forward to Dec. and onward, as many new adventures await...

...reise...

Next up on the Euro Trip 2010 was a little stop off in Switzerland. We were headed down to Italy, and had some friends living in a small town called Stansstand, Switzerland, and thought we would pay them a visit.

And I must say, having friends in new places is absolutely the best. Plus these friends were some of the best hosts we have ever been hosted by. They just made everything fun and exciting for the short 3 days we were there. We went hiking up a mountain that their family owns (yes, this is for real, they OWN a MOUNTAIN!). We went to a glacier, went swimming in a lake, had some incredible meals both in town, and home cooked, watched our friend win a film festival, and all the while got to soak in the ridiculous beauty of the country. It is really second to none. I thought New Zealand had the crown for most beautiful country? Boy was I wrong. Switzerland is what New Zealand aspires to be. It is no wonder that Walt Disney modeled the whole world of disneyland after this part of the planet. All you want to do is smile and play. As you can see Switzerland receives my highest recommendation.

And naturally the photos that came from such a place were hard to get wrong. When I look at them, all I can think about is wanting to go back to this wonderful place.

...voyage...

The next stop on our Euro travels took us to Paris, France. After a nice, leisurely half day train ride up from San Sebastian (1st class, spared no expense ;-), we found ourselves in balmy, busy, Gay Paree. I had been here once before, and it hadn't been one of my favorites the first time. Haej on the other hand had fond memories on the place. So seeing as my first visit had been also my first foreign travel experience altogether, I gave it an open fresh mind.

I did find some things worth being fond of, but for the most part once again I was not struck by the city the way so many other European cities have impressed and hypnotized me. It seemed that most of what I could find in Paris, I have found in other, smaller, more intimate cities around Europe. The irony, is that one of my favorite European cities has always been Rome: one of the monsters of all European cities. So I can't attribute my mediocre feelings on Paris to simple "city girth". I mean, I am a once New Yorker, and I love that city, so size is not the issue.

I guess it really just comes down to your initial experience with any given city. Haejin's first experience with Paris was memorable, romantic, and full of excitement. Mine was short, tiring, and full of congestion. My first visit to Rome on the other hand had so many of those "magical European" moments of happenstance and right-place-at-the-right-time moments of joy, that it is irreplaceable in my mind. And therefore, so is the city. But the Rome photos will come later. In the meantime, direct your gaze to the short but sweet set of Paris photos below.

viaje...

Took a trip to Europe in June. Our first stop was San Sebastian, Spain. We spent only 3 days there, but in that time has some incredible food, awesome weather, and even a trip out to Bilbao. And as you will will see, I was very inspired by the Guggenheim. In fact, I would say it is the single most impressive building I have ever seen, behind St. Peters Basilica. I brought my camera. Here is what passed through it.