Boarding Pass - Leela Cyd

Today's Boarding Pass features is one of those connections that fell into place. Thanks to the blogosphere, I was connected to Leela Cyd when she commented on a post a couple weeks ago. Professionally Leela works as an art and special ed teacher in the States, but is a food writer/eater/aspiring travel writer by night with the dream of eating her way around the world. After getting married on the 4th of July, she and her husband David embarked on a 9-month journey through India, Vietnam and Turkey (a trip four years in the making), leaving Portland, Oregon for a taste of the rest of the world. And while they're on the move (they're 2.5 months into it), I adore that they're taking the time to enjoy and experience the place. Leela is currently working on a cookbook (check out the links to recipes below), while, meanwhile, David is working on an ink series based on the architecture and jungles. {Thanks, Leela!}
last trip taken:
We visited Northern India, “the Golden Triangle,” last week – New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur – We felt that while living in India, we must see the Taj Mahal and all the amazing Mughal architecture of the North. The Taj was every bit as gorgeous and out of a fairy tale as I could have possibly imagined and then some– The most symmetrical, harmonious, lyrical, romantic piece of architecture I’ve seen. We walked around in a stupor, totally dumbfounded by the beauty. The marble floors were perfectly slick for dancing on as well!

next trip on deck:
Vietnam, then Turkey

one place you would go back to again and again:
New York City – My Dad and all of his side of the family are from Brooklyn, so we grew up going there all the time as kids – my passion for the city started with a walk across the Brooklyn bridge at age 6 (I thought the distance was almost insurmountable – my teeny feet hardly made it!) into the city with my Grandma, Aunt and cousin… the river and the wind were so exciting to me, even then. From this point on, I was hooked – the art galleries in Chelsea – my husband Dave and I spend days on just a few streets… the museums – PS 1 is worth the hoof up to Queens, the Temple of Dendor is the most magical place to chill out and think about Egypt in the Met . . . the shops—I always buy some wacky tennies (I recently had to retire my gold and red patent-leather asics) from a David Z on Broadway and the food, oh the food! – We worship the red spicy sauce at Vincent’s on the corner of Mott and Hester (my Grandfather used to go here when it was just a food cart), the pretzel croissant at The City Bakery will make you die and reborn a happy little fat kid, Magnolia Bakery cupcakes will do the same, I love all the Jewish delis – Katz’s is the best for an egg cream . . .
place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Laos, Northern Thailand and Myanmar – I traveled to this end of the world as 12 year-old girl and the people, traditions, culture and food made a huge impression on me. The temples were so beautiful and all the young monks and school kids were outgoing and talkative – they were so open with their life and way of doing things . . . and very curious about me, an awkward White girl with “bracelets and decorations” on my teeth (I had braces.) The chanting, singing and daily life of the Buddhist monks struck me – so different than my life in the States – peaceful, simple and beautiful. Watching the sunrise behind Mt. Popa, near Bagan in Myanmar, while munching on a flavorful papaya was an incredible feeling . . . Another great part of this trip I’d recommend would be to get on a boat in Laos and buzz down the Mekong River, stuff bread in your ears to block the sound of the crazed motor!
preferred method of transportation:
In India, we love the trains – we’ve been on every class imaginable, including no-seat-have-to-sit-on-luggage-rack class. I love trains for the conversations you have with your neighbors. Around town, I love to walk—I have a horrible tourist/Teva suntan on my feet from all my walking here.
place you've never been but dying to go:
Istanbul (we are going in the Spring! Hooray!) and Denmark, looks so chic, stylish and bicycles galore!
place you'd never go back:
Anjuna Beach, GOA – lots of people hustling you to buy their goods while you are trying to take in the beach . . . Crappy flea market . . . really hot. I don’t think I’m a beach-all-day person.
most memorable trip in 2 sentences or less:
The epic 9 month trip (India, Vietnam, Turkey and Paris—hopefully, Paris. . . ) we are 2 ½ months deep into RIGHT NOW is by far the most intense travel experience I’ve ever had – so much different to live abroad, rather than passing through. This time-line changes the way we think and experience every country, in a good way.
how do you prepare for a trip?
I decide none of my clothing is good enough for the non-tourist look I’m going for and ponder shopping (and wind up going with my old digs and splurge on a nice new journal, sensible girl that I am), I poll all friends, family and co-workers about the place I’m going, trying to get a little scoop or sense of the place, I read novels that take place in said country – I went through a HUGE Indian literature phase before this journey – Shantaram, Death of Vishnu, a Fine Balance, White Tiger are a few great books that take place in India. I stress about all the preparation and packing. When I get on the plane, all my worries melt and I relax about traveling and get super excited (and then commence snacking on chocolate of some form – it’s my flying tradition.)
how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
As a kid, my Dad made my brother and I keep a journal everywhere we went – He’s a photographer, so we went a LOT of places as kids, lugging his equipment and keeping notes as assistants. This habit stuck with me and now I look forward to journaling (drawing, collage, writing, pasting found items) as a way to process new experiences and think about where we’ve been/what we’ve seen. When I was 14, I received Dan Eldon’s journal book, The Journey is the Destination, got me thinking about journaling as a high art/personal art form – his work showed me the infinite possibilities of what a journal could be—best friend, narrative, collage, photo, family album . . . He was so awesome. I also keep a cooking/thought/travel blog, Leelacyd.com, which I love for gathering my thoughts in a cohesive way—treating my written pen-to-paper journal more of a rough-draft space – full of sketches, lists and ideas/quick writes and the blog as more of a final draft space – keeping it helps me hone my ideas, test and post recipes. Lastly, I take a ton of photos.
what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
As a cook and an artist, I love to photograph food in its natural environment, it is a wonderful subject, as it never moves! – I also love to photograph small details about a place – a little shrine in a tree, a weird phone booth, a cookie – lastly, I love to take pictures of Dave, my sweety, looking ridiculous (climbing trees, posing with monkeys, enjoying a cup of perfect tea with blissful expression, etc.)
on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
Too many!
what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
A small backpack, mine is black and made by Ben Sherman, I love my moleskin journals and my camera for this trip is a Canon G10, super compact and easy to carry but takes high-res photos and video – I love the low-commitment of a camera this small and unobtrusive compared to our old, and much larger, Nikon D70. And, we bring a serious art-supply kit – brushes of varying size and quality, gouaches, pens, pencils, glue stick and I insist on glitter because I love sparkly, shiny things. I like little notebooks of graph and lined paper to jot down recipes, which I test later, then post on my blog. This is a habit I picked up by my ever-prepared, former newspaper reporter Mom. She also has an insane amount of writing implements.

{my current kitchen}

what do you do after a trip?
I recoup with foods I miss – usually a giant salad (oh how I long for this in Asia!) and a slice of the perfect chocolate cake, I shower aggressively . . .Then, I show my parents and close friends my journal (then it goes on a shelf forever!) and print a book of photos/musings using Blurb or a program like it – It’s amazing how quickly we all tend to move on and get back to “regular life” after a big adventure. It’s hard for me to describe a trip adequately . . . Having the blog has helped with this – keeping myself and everyone else updated on current state of affairs and what I’ve been cooking. This is the first big journey since I started my blog, almost 2 years ago. . . so this is a new documentation tool for me.

how long after a trip does this happen?

I do the book pretty quickly, or else it won’t ever happen. I like the feel of a little photo book in my hand.

{cooking class in Goa}

favorite souvenir/thing to bring back?

I’m obsessed with paper, stickers, envelopes, postcards, stamps and mail – anything you can buy at a stationary/office-supply shop or stand—I love to journal this stuff or use it for little packages/gifts—It’s a fun souvenir because it’s very budget-friendly and I can be a bit reckless while shopping. Also, recipes are a great way to remember a place – I always try to re-create what I’ve been eating; it always comes out different at home. My parents collect signs, so I always try to find some obscure sign for them. The best souvenir I ever got was a crazy white/gold and bejeweled turban for our friend, Juilen.

My question to your readers and yourself is : How do you stay self-motivated for projects (i.e. travel writing, a cookbook, a blog, a series of artworks, etc.) while on a long-term trip? Do you carve out a work routine in a new place? If so, what does it look like?

links:
blog: Leelacyd.com
David's site: Davidkilpatrick.net

A few recipes:

• Lady fingers, Indian style
• Aloo gobi, Palolem Goa style
• Fall Veg Stew

Click HERE for past Boarding Pass features!

The Amélie Project

Le Fabuleux Destin de . . . my final project for my Color as Communications class.
I'll spare you the 10 page paper and 20-minute presentation on color in Le Fabuleux Destin de Amélie. The format is really designed more for a larger powerpoint style presentation, supplemented by verbal explanation, but you can click on the image to enlarge (and actually read the text). Essentially, this project was inspired by watching the Amélie Director's Cut [disk 2] with interviews with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel. Merging Jeunet's ideas and mine, I created the notebook you see below using screenshots from the film and images (bordered in white) that I've shot over the past few weeks.

While color is everywhere in the film - costumes, sets, props, etc. - I chose to center on Paris itself.
Jeunet was very disappointed in the way the colors turned out in the 1991 film, Delicatassen and sought to remedy that in Amélie.

The film Jeunet created immediately before Amélie was the mega blockbuster, Alien: Ressurrection. Turned off by the idea of the global Hollywood film, he wanted to create a film as a contribution to French cinema. Amélie would become the first film he shot digitally.

The paintings of Brazilian painter Jaurez Machado (who currently lives in Paris) are cited as inspiration for the color palette in Amélie. A lot of his work features two colors of prime importance - namely red and green - and a punch of a third lesser used color as an accent.

Amélie is a happy, positive story. The colors and telling should reflect that.

Amélie was the first (and probably last) film Jeunet shot on location, which provided immense challenges one typically doesn't face on traditional sets - weather (20 days out of the month of May when they shot were rainy), people, traffic, the unexpected...




Jeunet is not so much interested in reality (it's boring to him), but rather a heightened reality. He loves having control over every element of his films.




After the film was shot, they went in during post-production to adjust the hues and saturation to create the desired effect.


In certain scenes such as in front of the epicerie, a "power window" was used to pump up the color and saturation, such as one is able to do with Photoshop these days. In fact, one is even able to download a Photoshop "action" in order to replicate "the Amelie effect."

In other cases large saturation and the adjustment of levels creates almost super human effects. Conversely, the use of black and white imagery tells its own story and acts as a system for memory.

These days fans of the film still flock to the locations made famous by the film. It's just a pity that the cafe not only decided to remove the famous tabac and wall where Amelie writes the plat du jour, but they've also recently decided to paint the ceiling a hideous purple color! (Oh, and don't forget to visit the tourist shrine in the bathroom when you go!).

And in Montmarte, some clever chap has decided to mark blue arrows around to guide the average visitor up to Sacre Coeur.

Next step: Turn on Yann Tiersen's La Valse d'Amélie and re-read :)

Happy Thanksgiving #1

Eight years ago I was a student studying abroad, I'd walk through this garden a couple times a week to get to my photography class at Studio Vermes and make my way to this lounge as I'd prepare myself to go hide myself in one of the darkrooms for hours on end. My family came to visit me for Thanksgiving of that year, and I brought them by the studio on Thanksgiving day. And on a complete fluke we ended up having a photo shoot right there on the spot. It remains one of my favorite - and most atypical - Thanksgiving memories ever. And last Saturday, now 8 years later, I found myself returning to the very same spot for a very different Thanksgiving celebration.
Meet Philippe, photographe francais extraordinaire. Here he is pictured with a postcard from the current Irving Penn show going on in Paris. Of course in Paris the turkey for dinner came complete with head, so Nancy and I (ok, it was all Nancy and I went and hid in the corner) took the cleaver to it. Knowing Philippe all too well, Nancy knew he'd see the head and want to photograph it. So we hid it - until everything was ready - and then we took this picture. Philippe, if you're reading this, I hope that head isn't still hiding in the studio to be photographed like your rotting fish!
Meet Nancy, the delightful, fabulous exuberant wife of Philippe. Although she's American, I'd argue that she cooks just as well, if not better than any French woman. She's also my new cooking mentor these days and we slaved away together in the kitchen all day. The other wonderful thing about Nancy is her passion. Recently, or later in life as she describes, she discovered her love of singing. She's been working with a professional teacher, and before dinner she put on a magical performance for all the guests (which even involved a cross-dressing performance by Philippe, but you'll have to click on the extra images below to see that!).
The kitchen became a bit of a comedy routine from the start. Nancy said is was something right out of a Woody Allen movie. If so I need to be watching more Woody Allen movies!

The most important lesson: Cook with Love.

Lesson two: Always make extra! The 30 guests multiplied to 38!
But it was a jolly good time of merriment for all and a wonderful spectrum of lovely guests! (pictured here "dining room" aka the photo studio!).
Final lesson as many of you celebrate Thanksgiving with loved ones today: limit yourself to how many desserts you have. I had to try three different kids, and I practically had to roll myself home at the end of the night!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all! More to follow from my Thanksgiving celebrations #2 and #3 later this weekend. Vive la France - I love the enthusiasm for Thanksgiving here, and I already have had to turn down two other T-day invitations. (By the way, you can pick up all your American supplies at a store that conveniently is called Thanksgiving in the Marais).

Click here for more images from my marathon THANKSGIVING #1 :)

Nomad Ink

Tyler Johnson from Nomad Ink from Leonardo Mercado on Vimeo.

From now until December 18th, my life enters a black hole time warp. I've never worked so hard in my life as I have this fall (trust me, that says a lot), but I've also never felt so rewarded as I do these days. Little pieces from every aspect of my life seem to be coming together, and it's magical and inspiring. While massive papers, research, and projects may not sound like lots of fun, I'm having more fun than ever, and feeling like I'm exactly where I need to be these days. And while I'm living in the moment and letting spontaneity happen, I'm also always looking ahead and thinking about what's next. Everyday I encounter something that inspires me. This week, Flavia and Tyler of Nomad Ink, who I "met" through a post I did on my blog several months back, sent me the link to an interview Tyler recently did for a conference in Argentina (the two are based in Curitiba, Brazil these days). I have plans to feature more from them and their work in "cross-cultural design" (so cool!). But for now, as someone with very little free time in their life, you have to trust me and watch the video :)

Boarding Pass - Jen Altman

It is often said that you learn a lot about yourself through travel. Well, in the case of my Boarding Pass series, I find that I learn a lot about others through their own travels. I never would have guessed that the beautiful, soft eye of photographer Jen Altman had spent time in the United States Navy (aka her ticket living in Europe! - read on below). Originally from California, but growing up for a time in Japan and smack dab in middle America (Omaha), I think I can relate to Jen's life growing up a little bit of everywhere (although mine was all domestic), and made it extra fun putting together today's feature. Even more fantastic are the new travel-inspired projects she's putting together these days :) Enjoy! {Thanks, Jen!}
last trip taken:
I just returned from Boulder, Colorado last week - but that was work related. My last foray out of the country was Tuscany last summer in which my dear friend and I shared an old farm house in a tiny village outside of Lucca for two weeks.

next trip on deck:
The only trip I have on the books right now is to Stockholm in May to shoot my cousin's wedding. I am so excited not only to be a part of that special day, but it will be my first time to Sweden as well. In the meantime, my mom and I try to take an annual road trip with my daughters to see family in Atlanta, Georgia. I have a major crush on the south and traveling by car is the absolute best way to indulge in that part of the country - so many equally quirky and breathtaking things to see.

{a little collage of adventures over the last ten years...}

one place you would go back to again and again:
Sardinia, Italy - again and again. It is my favorite place on earth. I lived in Sardinia for three years and I reflect on that time often - it was the first time I lived on my own - it was a soulful, almost spiritual experience and Sardinia itself is bewitching. Once it captures your soul, it's hold is eternal. It was also my first experience with slow food - everything you consume comes from the land and sea outside of your door - I truly believe that is part of the islands power - as you consume - it consumes you.

place you'd most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Such a tough one! That would truly depend on the person and what they would like to gain from the experience. I had an amazing time traveling through the Highlands of Scotland; walking the streets of Paris; shopping the souqs in Turkey... Greece and Israel were both very spiritual journeys. That is the beauty of travel - there is a place in which anyone can feel like they have found home.

preferred method of transportation:
I think this depends on where I am. When traveling in the States - I love to travel by car. There is something almost nostalgic about stopping at the plethora of strange and wonderful road-side attractions this country has to offer - and I am equally adventurous about road food when I travel. Some of the best meals of my life have been consumed in dusty road side cafes. In Europe, I love traveling by train - there is something heartbreakingly romantic about it - I love writing and simply watching the world smoothly race by. When I lived in Europe I was serving with the United States Navy aboard a repair vessel. As our main mission was to aid and repair other vessels, most of our work was done in port. This was an incredibly unique situation in the Navy as we spent a maximum of about five days at sea before pulling into a new port. I loved traveling through the Mediterranean this way - the sky at sea is unmatched. I was on board when the ship changed homeports from Norfolk, Virginia to La Maddalena, Italy - I have never felt so truly alive as when standing on deck - the salt breezes creating havoc of my hair - in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
place you've never been but dying to go:
Without question, Egypt. I have been obsessed {and I am not using that word lightly} with ancient Egyptian history since I was a child and the thought of walking through the hushed and holy halls of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, standing in the Valley of the Kings, or at the foot of the Karnak sends ripples of excitement through my heart. I remember with utter clarity the feel of the earth reverberating through me when I first stepped foot in Italy, Greece and Ireland - I know that I would be so passionately connected with Egypt as well.

place you'd never go back:
I do not think that there really is a place that I could say I would never return to - though the airport in Pisa comes close. My husband and I did have a rather nasty spell of bad luck when we traveled to Budapest. The city itself was spellbinding. But traveling by bus 12 hours there and 12 hours back {3 hours each way spent at the Hungary/Croatia border} - and then having our luggage and purchases stolen from said bus - not so fun.
most memorable trip in 2 sentences or less:
Standing on the boardwalk in Opatija, Croatia; my husband whirling me around under a full moon while someone is playing "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" on the accordion. I remember wearing my hair in braids; I felt so young and alive - he asked me to marry him at that moment.

how do you prepare for a trip?
A crash course in the language is imperative to me - I do not like feeling helpless or that I could not communicate in an emergency situation. Beyond that, I day dream. A lot.
how do you record your travels when you're traveling?
I photograph and I write. I collect a lot of paper - tickets, receipts, museum brochures - they really help clear the dreamy fog I find myself in when I return.

what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
Everything. Anything that I find fascinating - people, food, land - if I am moved by it, I capture it. And doing so on Polaroid seems to enhance the memory - it is how I felt the moment I pressed the shutter - full of magic and lovely light.

on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
Shooting Polaroid I am only limited by the amount of film I am willing to tote around with me. To me, 50 incredible Polaroids are worth gold in comparison to hundreds of digital files.
what's in your "designer travel kit" ?
I never travel without at least one of my Polaroid cameras. My three favorites are my 680SLR, SX-70 and my 110b Pathfinder. I also love to bring a medium format camera - either my Hasselblad 503CW or Yashica Mat-124g. Loads of film of course. I have a little kraft paper Moleskine that has addresses in it - I also keep a supply of stamps in the interior pocket of the notebook for impromptu post card sending. I always bring my pack of Stabilo Point 88 markers, another blank soft cover Moleskine for journaling and sketching, a Kolo Essex travel book for note-taking and stuffing paper goodies {museum brochures and such} and my Ipod - packed with music that will eventually become the soundtrack to that adventure.
what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen?
Honestly, I go through a little down time - especially after returning from Italy. I feel like I belong there so coming back to the States is always a little bittersweet. I have so much in my life to be grateful for - so I focus on that and once the aforementioned fog has passed, I scan Polaroids into my Mac and share them on my blog - and sometimes, in my shop and online portfolio. This last trip to Italy actually helped inspire my latest venture, Fieryeyed Books whose first publication, "Little Italy" was in essence a visual journal of my time in Tuscany. When I returned from living abroad I found a wonderful project in an old Martha Stewart Living magazine that I wrote about and photographed here.
favorite souvenir/thing to bring back?
I always buy jewelry. I especially love finding one of a kind pieces in the markets and antique stores abroad. I love that I can go through my jewelry cabinet, pick up a piece and tell myself exactly where I purchased it and why - it bonds me to that place forever - a talisman - there is great power in such things. I have a necklace and a stack of bracelets I wear everyday of pieces I have collected throughout the world. The necklace is made up of five coins, stamps and medallions that not only symbolize their origin, but something much deeper to me - my spiritual connection with each of those places. A coin featuring the Goddess Athena as an owl from Greece and a medallion of Kuan Yin from Japan are among the five.


links:
website:: www.jeniferaltman.com
latest project:: fieryeyed.com
blog:: nectarandlight.com
on etsy:: fieryeyed.etsy.com
d*s "sneak peek" :: here and here

Click HERE for more artists and designers featured on Boarding Pass!