Not Nevada.

Let's be honest, 90% of my Google searches are food related. From gluten-free recipes* to videos on cutting a butternut squash to restaurant openings; I'm all over it. So as soon as I saw a main restaurant front close in my neighborhood, I knew something had to take its place. Enter Reno. Although they just opened about a week ago, I had been drooling over food rumors of wood-fired bagels, pizza and pasta for the past month. With a menu that changes morning, noon and night - this was my third visit and oddly, in that exact order. Things got serious pretty quickly when suddenly our table was cluttered with plates of shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, a carnitas pizza and a fennel sausage pizza. The word "legit" was thrown around a couple times to describe the crust. Hell, everything was beyond legit and I'm glad/nervous that such a great eatery is only a 5 minute walk from my place.

 

* I don't follow a gluten-free diet, I just tend to like recipes that are gluten-free/vegan/everything most people don't like.

Logan square.

Besides downtown, Logan Square was my first introduction to Chicago. It's hard to argue against the abundance of lawn space on the boulevard that you don't see in many other Chicago neighborhoods. It's been two years since I began exploring the "square" and one year living in it. Often prefaced with "up and coming," it's exciting to see new restaurants and stores opening all the time and feeling a sense of ownership and pride; the community vibe is ever present here. Of course we're still lacking a few vitals (Trader's Joes, call us) and it's not immaculate but it has a lot of history and character and trees and I like that.

The Self.

My to-do list had included "buy wireless remote" for quite some time. I have a penchant for photographer's who do a lot of self-portraiture. Sometimes it's hard to find someone who is willing to wait patiently behind the lens while you try and translate your ideas. As your own subject, you know exactly what it is you're trying to capture.. or at least don't have to constantly apologize while you figure it out. There is something a little funny about moving from behind the lens, into your own frame. I think there is something to learn from doing so.. but I don't have that answer yet. While these images are merely test shots with my remote, I hope it evolves into more studies in front of the camera.

Campground.

Instagram is funny place where you can make connections with people solely based on a filtered snapshot posted semi-regularly. Chris' Instagram feed (@thehydeparker) caught my attention when I started following people posting Kansas City sights after I moved to Chicago. Coincidentally, Chris used to live in Chicago so it was like the old Parent Trap switcheroo, minus being twins separated at birth. Through his photos, I got to see a glimpse into this fantastic space Chris and his wife, Cristin, were building in their backyard— a speakeasy of sorts with an old-style camping vibe, thus The Campground. I knew the next time I was in town, I had to see it for myself. And I did. They would say it's still a work in progress but I was in awe with how charming it already is. Oh, it should come as no surprise that their home was part of Kansas City's Hyde Park Homes Tour because these two have an eye for well-arranged interiors.

 The Campground

Block party.

 If Longman & Eagle doesn't ring a bell for you, I suggest you familiarize yourself as soon as possible. I am lucky enough to live a hop, skip and a jump away so I like to pretend we're those neighbors that take time to talk about our latest gardening endeavors on the weekends. Recently, Longman held their second annual block party. The number of trendy parents and their equally stylish children was overwhelming, so of course I snapped a couple deceptive photos. Up until this particular day, I had been on the Vegetarian train for about a month, but after I saw the special for evening, I fell off. Pork belly, beans, corn pudding, coleslaw and potato salad-- see? It did not disappoint but I had to bow out shortly after due to a gluttonous food coma.

Hope & Heart.

This fair-haired siren is the sister of a good friend of mine who recently relocated to California. Grace Weber has a voice like honey and when I found out that she and her brother would be passing through Evanston for a show with Ben Taylor at SPACE, I didn't hesitate. In 4th grade, Grace joined an inner city gospel choir and it shows; the girl has soul. I spent my early years as the shy "white girl" in an inner city public school so in a strange way, the juxtaposition between her delicate appearance and soulful vocals remind me of my upbringing. But Grace is a force and her expressive gestures kept me on my toes with my camera.

reflection in the mirror behind the bar.

Bang Bang.

 The descriptor "sweet tooth" comes up a lot in life. While I try and fight it, there's really no use as every Astrological Birth Chart I've read clearly makes note of this weakness. Or at least this is my excuse for ending up at this little pie shop almost every weekend. There is enough online press that elaborates on how fantastic this place is; instead I will simply visually reminisce my latest trip involving: a biscuit, a slice of Oreo pie, a slice of plum pie, and a slice of banana walnut toffee pie. Don't worry, this wasn't a lone venture.

Inspired by Frida.

My mind wanders a lot in a day and one thought will take me to another and another leads me to Googling images for a good thirty minutes. A podcast on Debbie Millman's 'Design Matters' made mention of some Bulgarian traditions which somewhere down the line brought me to Mexican headdresses. I ran across this editorial from Maria Claire Italia that takes inspiration from Frida Kahlo and her iconic hair full of flowers. Reveling in the perfection of these photos, I can't help but want to channel Frida in my own wardrobe. See the entire spread here.