Penny and the Park: a fine day in August.

I wrote about Miss Penny in a previous post where I was marvelling at her growth...

I recently hung out with Miss Penny and her sister Chloe, her mom Lena and her dad Jason.  Penny is equal parts sweet and sass and I love her oodles. Here are some photos from a sunny Sunday in August. I love the way the light coming through the trees perfectly surrounds Penny and her Pops. Then again, when you're dealing with a cute thing like Penny...any sort of background only serves to enhance her spunk. and her pink nail polish.

Continuum Studios: Taking photos. That just make me want to get a massage.

I went to Continuum Studio to take photos for their website. I had a great time and everything but, to be honest, the whole thing just made me want to get into a Continuum robe, turn down the lights and demand a massage. The whole place is so calming, so lovely and peaceful--nestled at the height of Andersonville. You can check out the whole photo stream here.

"Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded."-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

A nice visit. With a friend.

Before embarking on a new beginning, I think it's important to clear one's head, take some photos and reconnect with the past a bit. During a recent weekend visit to Madison, I had a chance to brunch, walk and coffee-clutch with my ol' pal Amanda. 

Anda has truly evolved into a photography mentor and lovely artistic colleague. Her images are always interesting and though we hadn't seen each other in nearly 10 years, it was as if we had known each other for all that time in between high school and now.  

We took some photos, we ate some amazing breakfast, chummed around with my brother, walked beneath umbrellas and laughed a lot.

>

A quiet moment. Just a tiny moment. In Chicago.

If I didn't know any better, and didn't know that this photo was taken in the midst of a great time, I would say that perhaps I am the Dorothea Lange of hard times in Chicago.

I took this with my point-and-shoot after a traditional Sunday baseball day.

I just love the light in this photo. And I love the way the ketchup looks. Is that weird?

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... at a Minor League Baseball Game in Gary.

Well, it happened. (!)

After months and months of planning and finding the perfect date for 4 downright impossible schedules, my friends Kim and Kaitlin and I made it to Indiana to meet up with our pal Monica in her home state.  I don't know the last time I've been part of a "girl's night" where my best girl pals and I dedicated our social time to us and us alone. We met up with Samuel, Monica's eager pup and saw a game of the Gary Railcats (insert the very loud sound of a train passing here), where the loveliness of minor league baseball was all around. The park was small, the giveaways many, the beers were cheap and the nachos were everything we wanted our processed cheese encounter to be.  Though Gary itself is mildly depressing, it is mostly amazing.  You'll find photos from this nigh of magic below.  Special thanks to Monica and the gals for being so darn special and dear to me.

Enjoy:

I had to post this photo because, believe me when I say, I LOVED that the screen's dysfunction gave all the players the tiniest, cutest, pixelated mustaches.

Minor league baseball is terrific. I sort of wish that Uptown Chicago would have a minor league team. Kim and I had discussed the possibility of the "Green Mill Jazzers" as the minor league team for my own neighborhood. It should be noted that we mostly say that so that the possibility for a giant saxophone as the mascot exists. 

I'll leave you to imagine what that giant sax mascot would look like...and I hope you get a little giggle...

This is product placement. in earnest.

I might suggest the creamer that looks like this for your tomorrow morning. What a delightful way to start a day. 

I don't get any money from coffee-mate for saying this...I just really was just that delighted. I also am delighted with just about any packaging that features cute little honey bees.

Pitchfork: Day 3. Scary Lightning Bolt! Cass McCombs phones it in. Pavement rules.

Day 3 of Pitchfork was the most intense, jam-packed, sensory-overload experience and days of them all. We hustled on our bikes through rain (a downpour even) to see Cass McCombs who, by all judgements, may as well have spit on the audience he was so not actually invested in what he was doing. Then we saw BeachHouse, feared Lightning Bolt (!!!!), marveled at Major Lazer and Big Boi (amazing! I never thought I would get to see "Rosa Parks" LIVE!), swooned over Pavement and called it a day...and a weekend.

There were bikes, there was plenty of sun, friends, beer, lemonades, new records bought, new posters that are ready to be custom framed and adored and just a heck of a weekend.

Pitchfork: Day 2. The Day of Keytar, Tiny Break Dancers, A Blues Explosion and a Dance Send-Off.

Yesterday was hot. Like really, really hot. 

Day 2 of Pitchfork brought super duper hot temperatures but also some super duper hot performances. We took in Dam Funk (the last Keytar player?), The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (a stand-out performance), Raekwon (who brought up Chi-town Finest Breakers), Panda Bear (a snoozer performance, in my opinion), Wolf Parade and finally LCD Soundsystem took us out of the parade with their super duper Depeche Mode/New Order vibe. LCD ended the show with their song with the song "New York I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down" and even put in a riff from the Alicia Keys hit "Empire State Mind" toward the end of the performance. It was pretty magical. 

Why someone didn't write a song about the hate part of the love/hate relationship of living in a big city (especially in the beginning of this life) before now...is beyond me. It's so natural. It was so touching. It was a great way to leave Day 2. 

Pitchfork: Day 1. The Day of Robyn.

Friday started the 3-day Pitchfork Music Festival and, for me, was the day of days to see Robyn.  This little lady (we had bets on how tall she'd actually be) is from Sweden and had a mainstream hit years back. Since those hits, she has ditched the record label and done things her own way. She was fun, fierce and I wished I had more room to dance dance dance. 

Kim, Tony, Ian and I had a great time...but, let me just say, I'm hoping that when I go back today (Saturday), that I can relax a bit more into the scene. I hope that I can just smile when I see headdresses, super short skirts, ray bans and novelty t-shirts.*

There was Heineken, there were friends, there was a smokin' hot Swedish pop star and there was happiness.

*It should be noted that I love good style. I love when individuals dress as an expression of who they are.  What I don't dig is people who dress up in things they see in an urban outfitters catalog just because...well, just because. The style is not grounded in an sort of actual influence beyond corporate retail influence. I'm not saying you need to think about Roy Orbison every time you put on your ray bans, but....well, gee...I guess maybe I am saying that. Ultimately,who am I to say what people can wear, of course...

but ultimately, I just throw up a little in my mouth when I see oodles of women wearing shirts as dresses and wearing bandannas as shirts. That's all.

Happy Anniversary, friend.

Last night, my friend Kim and I biked home from rehearsal together. Riding along the lakefront, I turned my head back toward Navy Pier and saw that there were fireworks going off the Pier, a Wednesday occurrence. Kim and I pulled off to the side of the trail and watched the fireworks, naming them as they went...

Some we named after people we know, some we named after bugs and animals and we realized that just about this time last year is when we first met each other!

We then declared that, clearly, these fireworks were in celebration of our friendship.

Well, of course they were!

A year ago, Kim came into my office at work and our friendship began. Now she is a dear friend, a city sister and The Plagiarists' first paid employee! I can't believe it has only been a year. It seems like I've known Kim my whole life.