My first comicon tomorrow!

I am so excited! Tomorrow is my first comicon and my friend Akira will be performing tomorrow, which makes it even more special. I spent the last three and a half hours putting together my cosplay outfit; a little messy but totally worth it. Here's a peek! 

Ttfn! 

Intentions

So what do I want to do here on this blog I've come to love? I think I'll be talking more about my studio life (art, pottery, etc). But I still want to talk about beauty/hair things and food and adventures and DIYs. Is that too much for a blog? should I separate them? 

I think blogging about my studio time would help move along my process; plus it's fun to geek out over ceramic stuff. 

I should probably have a post like "Ceramic terms 101" or "Ceramic terms for dummies" except I don't like calling people dummies.

Eventually there will probably be a few wedding related things on here; I haven't decided how I'm going to work that out.

I might also want to do more reaction posts to things in the news or other happenings, since those sorts of things tend to relate back to my work. I worry that it might cause some unwanted/unnecessary tension but we'll see.

I think managing more than one blog is less fun, so I suppose my readers will have to deal with the myriad of topics I'd like to explore.

TTFN :3

Good Vibes

I just got back from a party at a friend's house. It was luau themed so I got to wear the dress I got from Hawaii :). This couple is all about celebrating life and it's truly infectious. It's important to surround yourself with positive people like that. Short post from a tired and slightly inebriated blogger :P

Ttfn! 

BEDA Challenge: Welcome Back!

I have a terrible habit of running myself to the ground. I become too busy, spread too thin, and as I'm sure many you fellow bloggers know, the blog tends to be what suffers. I love this blog and I've thought about it multiple times a day, every day. I'll think to myself, "what can I write about after not posting in so long?" "Should I go back and post things I was planning to after a long time?" "I should just stop hiding" "BUT IT'S BEEN SO LONG"

These thoughts just go round and round and round but really, I shouldn't keep holding myself to some standard or pressuring myself to be some amazing perfect blogger. I realize every blogger has a post like this and readers around the globe are like "ugh another haitus post." But there's something therapeutic about posting it.

I've decided to return to blogging by blogging every day in August to get myself back into the habit. It'll be a challenge and probably more personal rambling than anything, but I am so looking forward to it.

So what have I been up to?

1. I started locs in October of last year! they looked pretty good until...
2. I took out my locs! they were pretty much almost mature, but my scalp was suffering and I'll talk about this more in another post. I still have like 20 something more locs to comb out too >_>
3. I graduated college! and my degree came in the mail sooner than expected. yay! 
4. We set a date for the wedding and that has commenced the planning :O
5. My senior show was pretty awesome, the pictures of the exhibition are on my Facebook.
6. I made it into my first nationally juried art show and I couldn't be happier about it.
7. I've been driving an art bus for my summer/second job that I cannot wait to end. The kids are wonderful but 6 days a week is not easy.
8. NCECA was rad, as usual. Milwaukee was pretty dope.
9. Grad school is a definite next step assuming I get in; I'm looking at fall of 2015 to start towards an MFA in ceramics.
10. In the mean time I'll be working as a studio assistant at my university (yay studio access!)
11. I cannot wait to throw again
12. I'm also in the process of moving! So exciting! So much stuff! I'm definitely going to be getting rid of a bunch of things
13. Did I mention I cannot wait to throw again?
14. I've been trying to eat better. The more I read about our food supply in the states, the more I know how crucial it is to pay attention to what goes in our bodies.
15. I've also taken a women's studies class that totally opened my eyes even wider to the importance of feminism. 
16. I got new glasses!! I've had those cateye ray bans for almost 4 years. It was a scary process since I realized they were a bit of a security blanket.

I'll stop there because I really like the number 16, and I think that just about covers all the important stuff. Fore those of you who have stuck around after supporting my blog in the past, I thank you so much! I'm not sure which way I want to go with this blog, but I'm happy to be back.

The Food in Philadelphia

...Deserved it's own post. Zack and I ate so well, it's easily the one thing we both miss about Philadelphia. We became avid yelpers on this trip; writing reviews, checking in, and looking up ratings before we decide. Although it was annoying at times, it was definitely worth it.

Philly cheesesteaks at Geno's

Of course, when in Philly we had to try the cheesesteaks. We wanted to try Pat's too but time escaped us. I'm convinced there's better cheesesteaks than theirs, though. I'd have to say of all the food we ate, this was the most underwhelming. They were so quick to get out orders it wasn't very welcoming.

Rybread

This little cafe really packs a punch! it's about a block away from the Eastern State Penitentiary. We had breakfast AND lunch here it was so good. Everything on their menu is super creative. They're all named after places and the flavors follow suite. I ordered an Austin salad, my first time having avocado and tortilla chips in my salad. Needless to say I had no idea what I was missing.

Alma de Cuba

This was a beautiful find. Alma de Cuba is a bit more upscale than Zack and I are used to, but it was suggested by one of his relatives and we had to give it a try. The ambiance is, for lack of a better word seductive. I ordered the chicken imperial on top of a bed of rice and fiancé got the honey mustard glazed salmon. Both of us can agree that when we visit Philadelphia again we will absolutely be returning. The food was mind blowing--everything was fresh, the chicken was juicy and tender, the rice was soft and pillowy, and although it doesn't look like much food when first presented, it was just enough. For dessert we split a peanut butter bombe, which is a chocolate and peanut butter mousse covered in dark chocolate ganache, with marshmallow ice cream and caramelized bananas. Pure. Bliss. This restaurant really made us want to find food this good in our area.

Reading Terminal Market

Excuse our partially eaten pieces of heaven I mean doughnuts. This place is an absolute MUST when in philly. My cousin along with several others were pretty adamant about that. The best way to describe it is a huge indoor farmer's market with every food imaginable. The Amish have a very strong presence here and everything they made was glorious. I could assume it would be because everything they made truly is "farm to table." It's easy to spend the whole day here just to eat everything. My suggestions would be to definitely try Beiler's Donuts and Famous 4th Street Cookies (which you can order online whaaaaat).

Marrakesh

This place is definitely for the adventurous foodies. You should know that the front door doesn't have a knob and you have to knock and wait for the owner to let you in. The idea behind this whole experience is this is how you would be served if you were to have dinner at a Moroccan home. This includes seven courses of delectable traditional Moroccan food. You get to choose the meat for two of the courses, but otherwise everything is already decided. Make sure you're starving, and you go with at least one or two other people since you will be served tons of food to be shared amongst everyone. After the owner seats you he goes over all of this with you as you wash your hands under the elaborate kettle he provides. Why you may ask? because you eat everything with your hands. The decor is also elaborate and inviting, surrounding you with vibrant colors and patterns. Everything I ate was like nothing I've ever eaten before. It was so tasty we were disappointed that we couldn't finish.

So not only was our time in Philadelphia fun, but it was quite delicious. Zack and I are definitely interested in finding more local foodie experiences after this venture. I never realized just how good food can be! 

From Philly to D.C. - Summer Vacations

This summer certainly has been a whirlwind for me. I've had the opportunity to go to both Philadelphia and Washington D.C. After these two trips back to back I certainly feel more patriotic. Philly was Zack and I's vacation to celebrate his first teaching job. DC sort of happened coincidentally because my mom had a conference for her job conveniently close to Washington :3

So how was Philadelphia?

It was jam packed with awesome adventures. We purchased a CityPASS and utilized everything but the aquarium ticket. Definitely a money saver. We also went to a the art museums and enjoyed some amazing food, which I'll be saving for a separate post. Onward with the photos!

Our first stop was the Liberty Bell. Definitely put us in the right mindset to appreciate some history.

This was taken outside of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Obviously Rocky is everywhere. T'was only fitting to pose in front of his statue.

One of my favorite pieces inside the museum was this Caulder mobile.

This is the Eastern State Penitentiary. It was beautiful and creepy all at the same time. There was a guided audio tour that really jolted the imagination, placing you right in the times when it was in operation. It was a new model for prisons at the time it was created. They revamped some rooms to display what it was like at certain time periods while others were left others untouched. 

The medical wing.

Al Capone's cell.

I didn't get too many good pictures at the zoo, but I definitely wanted to mention the gorillas and orangutans as well as the monkey tunnel system they have. The gorillas and orangutans have this special indoor/outdoor living space and were the most enjoyable animals to visit. All throughout the zoo they have tunnels in which they open up to different monkeys at different times. These tunnels are right above zoo pathways! 

Of course, how can I talk about Philly without talking about Ben Franklin? The man is EVERYWHERE. This is him at the Franklin Institute, which is not just for kids (ok well maybe it is but still, SCIENCE!) 

My favorite exhibit was this huge human heart. You get to crawl inside and follow the path that your little blood cells follow with every beat. How cool is that?

Found the Robert Indiana Love sculpture in the aptly named, Love Park.

This is where all of the gents who made our nation met up. The chair up front is George Washington's original chair :O)

The African American Museum in Philadelphia had this amazing and informative display that highlighted important moments and people in Black history through stories. I wish I could explain it better. They also had an exhibit showcasing the Supremes involvement in history as well as their outfits through the times.

And how was D.C.?

It was great! The trip actually started in Annapolis, MD since that's where my mom's conference was. I think my favorite Part about it was the Starbucks we stumbled upon. It was in the basement of a historic building and featured this tunnel here!

Easily my favorite Starbucks location. 

Amorphophallus titanum, one week after it bloomed. This flower is HUGE.

Behing the capitol!

Although the Wasthington Monument is under construction, it is still beautiful. It's visible from practically every angle in Washington D.C.

My favorite monument in the park was the Lincoln Memorial. This is where Martin Luther King Jr. stood for his speech.

The night before we visited, Lincoln was vandalized. They we quick to remove it though!

Little known fact about this post office: you can go up to the top of the bell tower and see all of DC for free! there's also an awesome food court in the basement.

The Lincoln memorial was awe-inspiring at night. By the time we came back all of the green paint was removed. I would highly suggest visiting memorial park at night. There's much less strollers and screaming children, allowing you to really enjoy the monuments.

This was at a gift shop in the train station. Perfect ending to our trip! There is so much to do in D.C. and the best part is it's all free.We squeezed as much as we could in the three days we were there but there was no way that we could go to every museum or site. I will definitely be back soon to experience more of Washington D.C.!

Wedding Woes

So it's been over a year since Fiancé has asked me to marry him. the next few weeks right after were all full of excitement and joy and thoughts of wedding planning bliss...key word is thoughts. I have totally been avoiding it because of school and building up myself to become an entrepreneur and such. Now that the semester is over I didn't have the free time I thought I would because of a myriad of other obligations. But enough of the excuses! That's for another post...

I'm finally ready to start looking at some venues after getting a little nudge from my friend who got engaged a few months ago and is already booking a place for 2015. I feel a wee bit behind if I plan on having it next year. The whole process seems so daunting; especially since she told me of the prices she has been quoted for venues which was enough to make me cry; $10,000 - $25,000 just for venue and food. lol wut

Is a party to celebrate love really worth being that much in debt? (to which my answer is no, ha) Not to mention the college loans looming over our heads. After hearing that I was just about ready to call my aunt Sally in rural VA and tell her I'm having my wedding in her backyard. I did find a few contenders that fit within what I think is a fair price, so Zack and I might actually be able to look around and book a place by the end of the summer!

I'd like to here from you about your wedding or your dream wedding; was it worth it in the end? Do you think no price is too much? I'm looking to stay within about $15,000 in the state of CT. wish me luck.

The Home Stretch

My emoticups! they're already glazed and I can't wait to show them off.

ONE MORE WEEK AND I CANNOT WAIT

I have finals and then I'm done DONE DIDLEYDONE. The past month was insanely busy for me and all I want to do is hibernate in my room and catch up on my anime. Last I posted was a recap of NCECA. Since then I've had a couple of fundraisers, the Dragball, a Popup Gallery show, the wet clay deadline, glazing deadline, a field trip to Storm King, my friends' senior exhibitions, a couple of bonfires, and now I'm helping out with the Westville Artwalk...oh yeah and class and work.

I have a couple of posts planned that I haven't gotten around to, unfortunately. I'm hoping this week with my extra time I can catch up on that too :) till then, I'm still active on my other social media so follow me there!

NCECA Ramblings

NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) was everything I could have dreamed of and then some. I wasn't sure what I would get out of it from the get go, but I knew it could only benefit me. It took (very little) convincing from my peers/friends, but I'm incredibly glad they talked me into it.

As I mentioned in my last post, this trip is in a way "solidifying" my commitment to ceramics. Basically I've been so fickle with my major ever since I've started college. I knew I wanted to do art but had little formal experience with all the mediums. This seriously used to freak me out. When I found out I prefer three dimensional art wayyy more than 2D, I started to gain a little confidence. I realized that I REALLY love clay after my sculpture II class at my community college. This was my second class ever dealing with clay and the community college didn't have a kiln, so we casted and bondo-ed the final piece. (little story: my high school was fortunate enough to have the kiln explode my first semester there, closing school for 3 days. Thus, only 2D work was henceforth allowed) Now that I've moved on to a university with a kiln and chose ceramics (eventually) as my concentration, I feel like such a noob since there's so much to learn about clay and firing. NCECA was the crash course I desperately needed.

It opened my eyes to so many possibilities and venues to take my career and my work. It made me feel confident and apprehensive all at the same time. If anything I know what to tell my mom now every time she asks, "so what are you doing after you graduate?" I learned so much about tools, techniques, and the going-ons of the art world; which is still a bit foggy to me but I'll get it eventually. The crew that I went with were the best and made my trip that much more fun. On top of just being awesome, they answered all of my basic noobie questions like champs and just made me more excited about ceramics.

ANYWHOOZIES on to some pictures of work I drooled over!

This was the first piece I was immediately attracted to. Anastasie by Lisa Clague

Gleaming Antlers Once by Tomoko Nakazato. My first time chatting (sort of) all artsy type with an artist. My friend grabbed her attention and did most of the talking but still!

Ignited States of America by John Runnels. Made entirely of cigarette butts donated by his smoker friends. I got to meet him too; his studio is pretty awesome.

Some cups from the cup sale NCECA holds every conference. There was no name on the black and white cup but I wish there was 'cause I loved it.

The cup I donated to the cup sale. I didn't have too many great options to glaze but I was advised to enter anything just to get my name out there. Unfortunately I didn't get to attend the sale when things were available for purchase, but I hope it sold!

I got the chance to watch a pro, Gerit Grimm, work while talking about her career.

Then there was this guy at the Brent booth in the resource hall like what the hell.

Derailing a bit here but this was on the side of a building near the Mexican/Japanese fusion hotdog truck. It may not be a real Banksy but it was still exciting to see. Also Mexican + Japanese + hotdog = the most confused yet amazing thing I ever ate.

I order the Geisha.

 Not sure of the name for this piece but it was by Valerie Zimany. I stared at her work quite a bit and found my self visiting it over and over again.

My favorite set at La Masa. I just love the colors and the shape and the fact that theres a spoon.


So NCECA was awesome and I'm currently convinced that I should try and attend every conference from now on--at least until I'm a bit established. It'll be a fantastic way to see different parts of the country since it moves every year. Next one's in Milwaukee, see you there?