Portraits of my people

How has it already been a week since I moved back to Pittsburgh? Time is going oddly slow and fast at the same time. I feel like I am already used to being back here and my life in Chicago seems so far away. I really like it!

Below are pictures of some of my favorite people...I love taking pictures of them to try and capture why they are so special to me. This has been an ongoing project of my mine and I thought I would now share a few tips that I have found helpful over the past several months while taking/editing portraits on iPhone!

1.)  Always use burst mode when taking portraits! My best shots are usually during the inbetween moments. I feel like I always read online that those moments are the best but never quite knew how to capture them myself and burst has helped me tons! 

2.) Once you find the backdrop you want, make sure to have your subject stand a couple of feet in front of it to create depth. This was the first thing I learned from photographer Dan Rubin during my photography workshop with him! 

3.) Once you have your favorite shot, I primary edit using the VSCO and ColorStory app. My favorite filters are: A6, F2, and HB1-2 (VSCO) and Road Trip, Clear, and Everyday (ColorStory). 

4.) One of the last things I do with my photos is to make sure I always adjust the contrast and sharpness of my photo. To me, adjusting those elements on each photo keeps my photos consistent with a similar feel no matter if it is a portrait, cotd shot, landscape, etc.  

Alright, alright, alright...that's it for now! I know these tips were pretty simple but I feel like sometimes the simplest tweaks can make a photo magical! Let me know if this was helpful in the comments below! 

Live Fast, Die Young

Since our first month in London, my friend Tiff and I have been talking about making a video to the song "Bad Girls" by M.I.A. Somehow, don't ask me how, it slipped my mind and I totally forgot about it! Luckily, by the end of the semester we had plenty of footage so all I had to do was do some fun editing and VOILA...a hilarious video (at least, I think it is haha)!




Let me know what you think in the comment below!!

Good Eating: Melt

How do you top the best burger you've ever had? You eat the best grilled cheese in the world the very next day. 

For my second day in Columbus, my friend and I went to Melt. It is in the Short North, which is one of my favourite sections of Columbus that Sophia has taken me to. The main street is lined with cool bars, quirky restaurants, and stores full of unique finds! 

Oh right, back to the grilled cheese at Melt. The huge cartoon mural, tons of neon lights, the giant bar, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows gives Melt a cool and fun feel!  

To avoid a long waiting time, Sophia and I got there right when the place opened. We were seated quickly and began to explore the menu (each is on the back of a vintage record case, coolest place ever? I think so!). With so many options to choose, I chickened out and got the basic Kindergarten sandwich but spiced it up with sharp cheddar cheese and avocado! 

After about 20 minutes with no service, we began to worry. Were we seated in the wrong section? Was the kitchen not open yet? Finally, the bartender came over to our table and apologized for the long wait and explained that he hadn't known that he was in charge of our table. To make up for it he gave us two root beers on tap free of charge! 

Despite the extra-long wait to order, our lunches came out quickly. Similar to the day before, as soon as they set our plates down, we stopped talking and began to dig in! The bread was thick and crispy, the cheese was perfectly melted, and the avocado gave it an unexpected twist. Not only was the sandwich better than I expected, the fries were uhhmazing!! 

What made this meal even better was that I saved half for my dinner that night and it was just as good warmed up! 

I don't know how Sophia did it, but she took me to two of the best restaurants in Columbus that weekend and I couldn't have been more satisfied! 

Interested in spending a weekend in Columbus? Here are some of the spots I've been to and loved! 

Outfit of the day!!

Dress: Forever 21 Socks: Normstrom Rack 

The streets of Columbus!

Probably my favourite building in the Short North area of the city

It was beautiful from every angle! 

I loved all of the street on the sides of the restaurants.

Sophia and I wore our favourite shoes! 

Good Eating: The Thurman Cafe

Exploring unfamiliar cities is one of my favourite things to do! So, when my friend asked me to come to Columbus for the weekend, I just couldn't refuse (plus I got to see her, obviously)! 

To start off the trip right, she took me to The Thurman Cafe that claims to have the best burgers in the city. At first I was pretty skeptical, but as soon as I walked through the door I knew the food was going to be good...there was a 45-minute wait and it was 2:30 in the afternoon! 

After a shorter wait than expected, we sat down at a table near the bar and ordered two root beers! The servers were friendly and the menu was huge! I am usually quick to decide what I want to eat but after reading one delicious description after another, I figured I would just get my friend's favourite burger...the bacon, cheddar, and ranch! 

I know, I know...not the healthiest choice, but in our defense there wasn't an item on the menu that didn't have a million calories in it (okay, maybe not that many hehe). While we waited for our food to come out, we got to catch up and look around. Vintage memorabilia, old dollar bills, and photos covered every inch of the place and gave it an awesome, relaxed feel. 

As soon as our food came out, both of us suddenly stopped talking and just dove right in! And I have to say...it was the best burger I have ever had. 

Along with the massive burger, our meals came with onion straws and a crisp pickle! All of the flavors were so perfectly matched that I didn't want to stop eating it. Thankfully, nearly halfway through my stomach caught up with me and I had to take the rest of my meal home. 

I would now like to take this moment to give my friend, Sophia, a shout-out for taking me to this amazing place! I really think it is a must-eat if you are traveling to Columbus! 

*For any of you How I Met Your Mother fans, this reminded me of the burger Marshall searches all of New York City for. All that was missing was a green front door

 Have a good burger recently? Do you remember your favourite one?

Holland Park: Round 2

Recently, I went to Holland Park for the first time! I loved it so much and was so glad that after our final day of classes, my friends and I went back to explore again! 

It was a beautiful, sunny day and the flowers were still in bloom! It was great to look at the same spots from different angles. In my opinion, this park is a must-see when visiting London!

The Phene in Chelsea

Recently, my friends and I wanted to explore Chelsea a bit more. We figured we would branch out and go somewhere besides the delicious Bluebird Cafe, which has become my go-to Chelsea lunch place.

The Phene is similar to the Bluebird but it's a bit off the beaten path (aka not on the Kings Road). Renovations were just completed on it so it is brand new and looks very fresh! Everything is bright and the menu was fully revamped.

We decided to on a Saturday for an early lunch, which I highly recommend! We had a whole corner of the surprisingly large dining area all to ourselves and the service was amazing. 

My Menu Choices:

Drink- A Sunshine 5 (cranberry, pineapple, apple, and orange juices with lime)

Main- Truffle macaroni and cheese, spinach and herb breadcrumbs, and a garden salad

Lovely Spaces: Kensington and Chelsea.

Since attending the amazing mobile photography workshop a few weeks ago, I have been using my iPhone more and more (sorry Nikon!). It's just crazy to see the quality of photos our phones can take with a little extra thought and some editing apps!

One day after class, my friend and I decided to walk straight past the tube station and keep walking until we were tired. We ended up exploring parts of Kensington, Chelsea, and then Battersea Park! It was an awesome spur the moment walk and reminded me just how much I like having no reservations :)

**I have started an "iphone photos" tag to make it easier to see which posts include photos taken on my iPhone 5 and which were taken on my Nikon 

Outtakes

Just a few silly photos :) 

#MondayFunday

Monday has never been my favourite day of the week (at least since Gossip Girl ended) but somehow Tiff and I have managed to make the past few of them fun! 

First, we went to see Jack Whitehall, one of my favourite British comedians, at the O2 arena! It was absolutely amazing. Our seats were close to the stage (and cheap from this website), there were delicious lollipops, and he was HILARIOUS! I actually cried I was laughing so hard. It was the last night of his tour so he pulled out all the stops and was nothing less than spectacular. 

Another Monday we went to the Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust Concert Series. We saw Passenger and Ed Sheeran perform live for a terrific cause in a gorgeous venue! 

Passenger had the voice of an angel! He was the sweetest person and singer I have ever seen perform live. I really only knew one of his songs (Let Her Go) before the concert but since then I have listened to his whole album so many times that I know all the words. Keep an eye out for his new album coming out soon! 

Wow...just wow. I don't even know how to begin to describe the amount of work, effort, and love Ed Sheeran put into this performance. I mean...wow. I went in knowing a good amount of Ed's music and knew he would sound decent live, but he took it to a whole new level. At one point during the show he turned off all the music and microphones and just sang with his raw voice to all of us. How he did it...I will never know. 

Also, he used a foot pedal thingy (I am very technical, I know). This allowed him to play certain parts and then could play them back later while singing another section. I am not explaining it well... it looked very complicated but sounded amazing!! You could just tell he was having the time of his life and at the same time put so much work into it to bring his fans the best music and experience possible. 

Outfits of the day!

Which do you like wearing better, dresses or pants? Floral or flannel? Let me know in the comments below! 

The Study Abroad Curse: London Edition

My entire childhood and teens years were spent obsessing over England. When something went wrong I just told myself I was in the wrong country...in England everything was perfect for me. I would fit in and everyone would get me instantly.

So I am guessing most of you can already see the problem I was faced with when I finally came to live in London.

Nothing was perfect...big surprise, right? It was busy, harsh, cold, and I felt like something was terribly wrong. This wasn't the London of my dreams, not the London from my books, movies, and television shows. It was a place that people walked fast, didn't have time to talk to you...they didn't even have time to smile.

And all I could think about was the fact that I had four months here by myself...without my family, without my friends from home, without my friends from Rome. I was completely alone and had no where that I felt comfortable and relaxed. I just rushed in and out of tubes all day. I ate as I walked, I walked faster, I smiled less, and felt horrible every night before I went to sleep. I felt like I was missing something...why did I have this great image of London in my head? I couldn't have made it all up! I had been here for a week in High School with my sister and I liked that London. Where had it all gone? Why did the books and movies and tv shows lie? It couldn't just be fiction...

So, everyday I looked and looked. I knew I could let my sadness bring me down and deter me from exploring but I was too stubborn to accept that, I was too stubborn to accept this city that people called London. Even so, I would come back every night feeling unfulfilled. Don't get me wrong, I had moments throughout the day when I felt good. I began to have little moments that I loved London, but I didn't have anyone to share them with. I felt more alone than I ever.

Then, things started happening. Ever so gradually I found the spots where I fit. I found the London I had been searching for. Not only that but I realized I had been living with my best friend since I got here. My roommate Tiffany and I started to book and plan things to do and it all fell into place.

Before I knew it London was the most amazing city I had ever been in. It had surpassed all of my expectations and everyday I do something more spectacular than the day before.

And that is how I fell hopelessly and magnificently in love with London. 

Outfit of the day: Sophia!

I am quite proud.

One of my new favourite things to do is make videos (#1,#2) here in London! I regretted not taking more in Rome and am not making the same mistake again! 

This one was by far the most amazing to make because my friends and I went out for a day to film scenes for this video rather than me making just a hodgepodge of random clips (which I also like doing!). Not only that but the British television show Skins was one of my biggest obsessions in high school and this is based on the show's intro! 

p.s. get ready for new posts from East London and Abbey Road in the following weeks! 

Flat favourite: Drinks

Tiffany: Strawberry Lime Cider 
Haley: Taylor's Port Wine
Mary: Kopparberg Wild Berry Cider 
Nathaly: Champagne 
Lauren: "Whatever (s)he's having"
Me: Strongbow 

Check out Flat favourite: Tea 

Dinner in Chelsea!

As you can see from my previous posts, I have been spending a decent amount of time in Chelsea (as planned)! But recently I ate my first dinner there...it was AMAZING! 

A coworker suggested this place called The Big Easy  and after looking into it, I realized I had to go there! It is so popular that celebrities frequent the place and is known for their margaritas and lobster! Being that I have never had lobster, I figured why not? They had a special that included lobster, salad, chips, and a margarita for a discounted price so it was perfect! And my recently founded seafood love now includes lobster! 

Not only was the food amazing but the atmosphere was fantastic! There was live music playing, great decor, and cosy tables!

The Nutcracker!

Our last weekend before finals, my roommates and I went to see the Nutcracker in Downtown Pittsburgh! It was a great night! We made a family dinner, swapped secret santa gifts, and then went to see this amazing ballet! 

Our last time together until 2014!

Jan came to visit in the beginning of November! The first night we went to Friday Night Improv! Then Saturday during the day we went ice skating in PGG, saw the Santa display, and got sweets from Prantls.  For dinner we went and got fish n chips at Piper's! It was a great weekend! 

It was weird seeing her drive away though...I just wanted her to stay forever! We won't see each other again until May...I can't believe it. We actually realized that the next time we see each other will probably be when we are going on our road trip (details to come!!)

Exploring!

Holly and I were bored one day, but instead of complaining about it we just walked around campus! We didn't really do anything in particular but it was so much fun! It was similar to the kind of walks I did in Rome. Not really do anything in particular but just taking it all in!