Atlanta Artsy and Fun, May 2009.
I am so completely smitten with Atlanta, that I decided to share some of my pics and finds with you. (This way I’ll pretend I’m not slacking big time over here, by combining my ‘links’ and ‘gypsy life’ posts.) Deal? All right then.
It’s been so fun to mix my photography work with travel. It is a dream to finally make this happen. While in Atlanta I not only shot shining star portraits, but also had the chance to walk walk walk everywhere, take pictures and taste amazing food. I really can’t complain… Good times! =D
My friend Hula gave me a list of all the great spots to check out and my top favorite area/ street was N.Highland Ave (starting at Poncey-Highlands and going towards Virgina Ave). There I found Young Blood Gallery and Boutique, which is such a fantastic spot for affordable and beautiful indie Art. Miss Hula sure knows what’s going on ;) I discovered so many amazing artists and crafters there! Within my favorites:
Dolan Gaimen, who is actually a Chicago artist featured at the YB boutique. I was so tempted to buy one of his paintings!
And omg I’ve been missing out on Jessica Gonacha, who is a lovely artist and designer living in Atlanta. Found her work at YB as well, and I am in awe of her talent. I want a whole wall with her conceptual, hip and colorful paintings! Please check her blog for a broader look at her talents… She seems great!
I was also especially happy to see YB featuring work of my fellow SCAD buddies. Go SCAD!!
So much indie fabulousless… But I’m afraid too much to share in only one post…
Right next to the Young Blood there are two cutsie shops.
The Atlanta Cupcake Factory. Yum! Oreo Cupcake, I miss you already.Probably the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. Not kidding! I think they’re even better than NY’s Magnolia and Crumbs. Yes. I did have two. Ooops!
“Vacation”- At the door it says: “Have Love, Will Travel”. Got me at hello, of course! Great vintage, crafty, indie boutique.
Other than that, besides stopping at every single shop in the Virginia/ Highlands, (being the coffee snob that I am) I couldn’t pass on trying out Cafe Aurora… And it did not disappoint. Perfect capuccinos… And… You guessed! More indie art on the walls! They also have a CD listening station, which I thought was a nice touch. And did I mention puffy clouds hanging from the ceiling? Yep. Coolness all around.
Then there’s the Belly General Store, which is a modern take on the traditional neighborhood store. This place is amazing. I’ve never seen so many colorful sodas lined up on so many shelves before. They also have olive oil bagels made fresh daily, cupcakes in a variety of flavors, fresh produce, sandwiches and salads. It’s just a great vibe of a modernized old pharmacy in there. Love it.
Well… More window shopping and it’s finally time for a gelato, don’t you think? Paolo’s… Oh my! I don’t know, peeps. Haven’t been to Italy in a while, so not sure if it is as authentic as they claim. But darn it’s good gelato! Especially delicious on a hot day in the South!
You get the idea… You can hang in the area all day and everyday.
However, if you like to walk like I do, I suggest you burn off some of those cupcake/ gelato calories, by hiking all the way to Little Five Points. It’s a nice walk through Freedom Park. I did not spend too much time there, but I enjoyed the graffiti walls, some hippie shops and two great little stops:
Criminal Records: music, comics, magazines, all kinds of good stuff.
Porter: It’s okay to end the day with beer once in a while, right? They have an amazing selection that will please any beer geek (like my hubby, hee…). Also, the food is pretty amazing for a pub and they have dinner events with food/ beer pairings.
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That’s it folks! I hope you enjoyed the tour as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you. I highly recommend a weekend in Atlanta! And I can’t wait to go back….
If you are in the Atlanta area, you cannot miss the Indie Craft Experience coming up on May 30 & 31 at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta! Two days of fun & indie crafts!
ps: Readymade featured this area in one of their recent issues. Check it out for some other tips, if you are interested…
Archive for May, 2009
Links & Gypsy Life: Atlanta
Studio Life: Infinite Layers
Peeling walls, River Street, Savannah, GA.
I’ve been obsessed with layers and textures lately. In NY, Atlanta and Savannah, that was all I could see and photograph. Finally, I understand why.
For those of you who are not familiar with my blog and my story, I first entered the United States about 15 years ago via Atlanta, and then, Savannah, Georgia. I came with a suitcase filled with clothes and one big dream: go to Art School and become an Artiste!
I had long dreamed of life-drawing classes in large rooms of high ceilings, exposed beams, tall windows, and sunlight, gently sipping through, kissing the hardwood floors. In my fantasy there was classical music playing in the background, a nude model with red velvet draping over her shoulder and melting in a hundred folds, all the way to the ground. It must have been an idea from a movie I’d seen, because in Brazil there wasn’t such a thing… Yet, somehow I was fixated in that image, and eventually I managed to gather all I had in money, hope and courage, to buy myself a ticket to that place, where that vision and my dreams were waiting for me.
Have you ever had a picture in your mind like that? A picture can be a map, a direction to follow.
Somehow that picture led me to Savannah, where I found everything I had been looking for and more. I found the dream school in a beautiful historic town, full of gardens. I found amazing mentors. I found a couple of friends for life, and I found some new dreams too!
It originally was meant to be a one year experience, but within a few months, I wished for another year… And then I wished for a Masters Degree. Then I wished for a job and a move to California. And then a career in the Film Industry… And then lots of travel… And in between all that, there were many more dreams and wishes, big and small, all very relevant and close to my heart. All of which have come true in incredible ways – all of them – including the most fulfilling of all, which was to find true love.
So when I found myself a couple of days ago, back in Savannah, with my husband, I realized that a life cycle had come full circle. Never in a million years, I would have thought back then, that all my dreams, imagined and unimagined, would in 15 years, completely come true. And little did I know, that beyond all of its grandness, a day would come when I’d be done with it, ready to turn that page and begin another.
As it turns out, I started there with a ‘dream’… But what I did not know was that a dream has many layers (just like we do)… Some are shiny, others are rough… Some peel off easily and others take time to wear off and reveal yet another surface to explore. Coming back to the starting point, made me face my process and all my choices again, one by one. I no longer feel pressure, guilt or regret for anything. Just huge relief for knowing that I am after all, living the life that is meant to be mine. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I recognize the layering and the peeling of every single layer that led to another, that led to better brighter dreams. I am happy to continue on my path as it is and as it mysteriously unfolds.
Have you ever felt that? Have you owned your life? I don’t think I ever did until this.
We must believe in our calling. Only we know… Don’t let anyone justify a life that is not their own.
A dream has many layers ~ perhaps infinite tiers ~ that lead to possibilities and a life fulfilled.
Believe in the depth of your dreams…
Inspired by Vogue, Sasha, Meisel and Morocco
I’m back… I’m back. Gosh. What can I say?
Gasp for air… OMG!
I got sooo giddy as soon as I saw these. Like… I want to post I want to post! Fast fast… Ah! I need to share asap! C’mon work fast {And the voice in my head was this acute girlie voice that is very unlike mine… oh oh..Do you ever experience this or am I facing a seriously ill condition here?}
Anyhow, but when I came across these images I just had to post them in the Monday “Inspired by” section right away. It is still Monday after all (at least over here!), so why wait another week, right?
Oh my Oh my. The landscape of my mind is so well captured in these gorgeous photos… I live for this kind of imagery. I want to dive in and be one with it.
Fantasy Land, I am yours head to toe!
btw: don’t you guys think they got inspired by lovely Anahata for this pic? Look at this journal art cover, which is one of my favs… I totally thought of it as soon as I saw the photograph above! Pure beauty.
Are you with me still or are you about to lay down too?
So gypsy gorgeous, no?
But they are truly too cool for skool, aren’t they?!
And… Yeah. I feel just like her right now…
Totally overdosed by the magic of these images. ;)
Credits:
Magazine: Vogue Italia, May 2009
Editorial: ‘Moroccan Holiday’
Model: Sasha Pivovarova
Photography: Steven Meisel
Original Post: Photography Link
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What about you? What are you up to? What is inspiring you today?
