Holidayz

With passport in hand, this morning I left at the crack of pre-dawn, when most normal people are happily REM-ing – for two weeks to see family in New Zealand.  I was supposed to be stopping for a few days to see friends in Napa but what with Hurricane Sandy doing her darndest to ruin my trip, after changing my flights only had a 6hr layover in San Francisco before flying out to LAX and on to home.  I made good use of my time and high tailed it on BART to Tartine Bakery where I had heard their croissants were legendary.

Believe the hype.

Flakey buttery, dense croissant with superb Four Barrel coffee.  All I can say is thanks Tartine for making it impossible for me to enjoy another croissant ever again…like flying business class it’s impossible to go back to coach.

NY-NP

Just really quickly I went on vacation to New Zealand to visit family and get some sun.  Here are a few holiday snaps:

Waiting with a cortado for my transfer in Wellington Airport

Marlborough Sounds

Starring Brad Pitt...

Mapua Wharf, a few minutes from my brothers house

Jake shakin' it off

Naked Ladies!

A little graffiti

Starring Sarah-Jessia Parker...

Westgate Port - Taranaki

Eye in the Sky fishing

Museum-ing

jfk-mad

It was my last day in Madrid and Sergio and I  trawled El Rastro for antiques, ate some snails and ran around subway stations.  I have to say it’s a lot of fun walking the city with a photographer who took as many pictures as me, at times competing for the best angle and looking dangerously touristy…

Mañana España

In Spain for the next 10 days…dame el chorizo!

Porto

My trip to Madrid was such a treat in many ways, one is that it’s been so long since I’ve spent time in Europe.  When I lived in London every few months a couple of us would pick a destination and take a long weekend.  Florence, Paris, Athens, you know, just really casually…central Europe just has this charm that is unequaled by anywhere else.

I have to say then that I was really jealous looking at one of my friends girlfriends pictures of their recent trip to Portugal.  It reminded me of my lazy days drinking coffee, wondering the streets taking pictures, eating cake, looking in galleries and down side-streets and rifling through antiques.

Amongst all the photos she took, I loved the ones of people.  Which are the ones I’ve posted below.  I’m kind of in awe of anyone who takes good portraits, I know so much is the photogenic-ness of the subject but it is such a talent.  One I’m hoping to learn.  Especially with this new camera, with it’s inherent genius we should be able to produce something of quality over time…

Definitely check out the rest of Crystal’s work over at www.crystalgwynphoto.com.

Mad-Rid

Just a few of my favourite pictures of a wonderful city.  Any place that lets me begin the day with pound cake and coffee, hits me mid-afternoon with cerveza pequena – I know I know they have a real name but it conjures up the exact image and flavour for me – just baked tortilla, salty and viscous boquerones, smoky chorizo and crunchy charred prawns and finishes up with mama-made paella is pretty damn cool.  As I write this my tastebuds are wondering and the fact that I broke my camera the 2nd day I was there means I have no photographic proof of these delights.  But Sergio decided we should take out his old Nikon and these are what we collectively took over the last two days of my trip.

El Rastro, best Flea Market on the planet

Jamon Hotel

Shopping for Saints

Candy!!

Reflecting

One of my favourite poets

Late in the day

Just chillin' in my deck chair

'As a photographer, you can never have enough cameras' much the same theory as I have for shoes...