Category Archives: Photography

Trip Report :: Holbox, Mexico

Holbox has been on our radar for a while, as we’d long heard it was one of the best spots to swim with whale sharks. (Ironically, we didn’t actually swim with them, as it wasn’t the right time of year. Next time!) So, when we were trying to find a beach spot for spring break this year, we dug a little deeper into this small, sleepy island town.

Turns out, when it comes to our preference for quieter, more remote, less developed beach spots with lots of local color, Holbox checks all of the boxes. That, coupled with the fact that we found really inexpensive tickets to Cancun, made it an easy choice.

Getting to Holbox isn’t exactly easy, though, but that’s one of the reasons why it is special. Here’s the thing: if a place is convenient for you, it is also convenient for lots of other people. Convenience isn’t in and of itself a bad thing, especially when traveling with kids, but we’ve often found that, if you’re willing to sacrifice a little convenience, the pay off will be worthwhile, and that was absolutely the case with Holbox. I’ve said it before on this blog, and I’ll say it again: pick a popular beach destination, like Cancun, and drive an hour or two away, and that’s where you’re going to find the sweet spot.

To get to Holbox, we took an Uber to the airport, a flight to Cancun, a 2.5 hour van ride to Chiquila (we had a private transfer with Miguel’s Holbox Transfer Service, and they were great), a 20 min. ferry ride to Holbox, and then a golf cart taxi ride to our rental house. To be honest, we’d underestimated the length of the travel day, mostly because the flight to Cancun seemed so quick and easy, compared to most of our flights, but the boys took it in stride, and they enjoyed checking off the various modes of transportation on a travel day to-do list they’d made.

We arrived in Holbox after 9PM, not having eaten dinner. Luckily, our AirBnB had an on-island concierge of sorts, and she was AMAZING. She helped arrange all of our transfers, had our rental golf cart waiting at the house when we arrived, had already ordered us pizzas, and was happy to show me how to get a few groceries from the market just 3 minutes down the road.

When I got back from getting the pizzas and some necessities, Sona had a look of horror on her face. “What?” I asked, worried. “We can’t stay here,” she said. Turns out, unbeknownst to us, each of the 3 bedrooms at our rental house had its own external entrance, meaning that the room the boys were sharing was basically it’s own little house, connected to our room by an external hallway. It certainly wasn’t ideal, especially with a pool in the back, and the AirBnB ad didn’t disclose this info, but we decided that, since the door locked from the outside, and since we’d brought the baby monitor with us, we would make do. (It ended up being fine, and we’d absolutely stay in that AirBnB again.)

I tell this story because it’s important to note that travel is often unpredictable, and when we go to places that aren’t as “easy,” there are almost always some sort of hiccups: bugs in the kitchen, external entrances for bedrooms, showers that don’t get hot, etc. At first, especially after long travel days, those things can seem overwhelming. By the end of the trip, they aren’t even blips on the radar.

Our days in Holbox were slow and wonderfully restful. We didn’t do any cooking at the house. So, each morning, we’d wake up, hop on our golf cart (no cars allowed on the island) and take the bumpy 10-minute ride along dirt roads into town for pastries or a quick breakfast at one of the many good restaurants. Inch for inch, Holbox has some of the best food of any island we’ve been on, btw.

We spent a few half-days at the beach near our house, Playa Cocos, which we really loved. We got there early, usually by 9:30AM, and we paid around $15 to rent beach chairs and umbrellas from the local vendor. Then, we’d spend several hours sipping mojitos, walking out to the sandbar in the water that seemed to never get more than knee-deep, and eating mango after mango from the couple who sell them from a cooler under one of the mangrove trees.

After we grew sun tired, we’d ride back to our house, each lunch by the pool, take long naps, and then head into town for dinner and exploring.

Although the island is small, we found plenty to do:

We explored a lot of the island’s beaches, of which there are many.

We “checked out” puppies from El Refugio animal shelter, taking them for walks around the beach. (Did this twice, actually, as the boys LOVED it.) If you want to do this, make sure to check the times they allow walking. When we were there, it was at 10AM and 5PM, and there were always people waiting at both times.


We paid like $2 to let the boys jump in the trampoline in the town square, which was TOTALLY questionable, but which they also loved. Did this several afternoons.

We booked a half-day AirBnB boating experience with Alonso, touring Bird Island, Paradise Island, and Mosquito Point. This CANNOT be missed, IMO. And, although there are many larger tour operations offering this same excursion, we really appreciated the intimacy and respect with which Alonso, a local, approached the tour. Punta Mosquito, in particular, had some of the most beautiful turquoise water we’ve ever seen. (You can walk to Punta Mosquito, but it takes about an hour each way, and requires wading through waist-deep water. All of the locals said they would NOT recommend doing this with kids.)

We ate LOTS of gelato, loads of fresh-cut fruit on the beach, marquesitas in the square each evening, and as many tacos as we could stand.

You’ll find this block of local food stalls just outside of town, and it 100% has some of the best food on the island. We were bummed that we waited until halfway through the week to try some of the stalls. Our favorites were the fish taco place (also had a great whole fried fish), the juice bar, and the very last stand all the way down on the left, which had some of the best tacos in Holbox. The boys LOVED their black bean and cheese tacos, and we loved the steak tacos.
Get a cajeta and banana marquesita from this cart and thank me later.

As much as we loved our time in Holbox, it’s not the kind of place you want to go to without having done your due diligence. Here are some things to know before you go, some of which we’d researched ourselves before going, and some of which we found out while there.

First, lots of people say you don’t need a golf cart for the full week, but we disagree, especially if you have kids. Our AirBnB ended up being about a 10-15 min golf cart ride outside of town, which would have been a 30-45 minute walk down dirt roads in fully exposed sun. I can’t imagine doing that trip several times a day with a whiny toddler, to be honest. I don’t even know if I’d want to do it myself. Bikes would be an option for older kids, but finding kid-sized bikes on the island is tough. There are also plenty of golf cart taxis, but we paid around $10 each way to get to and from town.

The golf carts are pricey. I think it was around $650 for the full week, but we used it CONSTANTLY. With it, we were able to explore much more of the island, and we were able to make multiple trips into town a day without feeling guilty about paying for a taxi. Plus, zooming around on the golf cart is just a blast. Both kids say it was their favorite part of the trip.

Next, as I’ve mentioned, all of the roads in Holbox are made of dirt. When it rains, many of those roads become literal streams–I’m talking knee-deep water that can be impassible with a golf cart. We saw one get stuck while we were there. We got really lucky, as it only rained on our last day, but I couldn’t believe how quickly the roads flooded.

In fact, not only did the roads flood, but halfway through nap, we awoke to the boys screaming bloody murder, and ran to their room to find that their bedroom was also flooding. The rain was no joke!

Honestly, we could barely get out of our driveway, and we couldn’t even return our golf cart before leaving because it was stuck. Sona and I both said that, had it rained our entire week, it likely would have ruined the trip for us.

BRING CASH. This was one thing I’d read before going, and we came to Holbox with a lot more cash (both dollars and pesos) than we’d ever traveled with before, but it still wasn’t enough. Very few places on the island take credit card, including the golf cart rental place, and there is only 1 ATM on the island that dispenses pesos, and it regularly runs out of money. Let’s just say that there were a few hours spent trying, anxiously, to get our hands on some cash.

Even with these–challenges?–we would go back to Holbox again in an instant. During another time of year, we could see whale sharks and flamingos and even a bio bay! If you’re family is the kind who needs non-stop excursions and amusement park-like activities to be entertained, then this probably isn’t the place for you. However, if you like to slow down, get your feet a little dusty, and have an adventure? I can’t recommend Holbox enough.

Not only were the people beyond kind, but we felt very, very safe on the island. Honestly, I felt safe in Holbox than on most of the Caribbean islands we’ve visited. And because the water is so calm and shallow at most of the beaches on the island, it makes for a great destination for the littles!

Holbox felt special, and it felt like a secret. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will be a secret much longer, and there’s talk of big resorts moving in. Alfonso, our boat guide, assured us that the island has laws protecting 80% of the land from development, and they don’t allow any structures higher than three floors. I hope they can continue to protect the beauty of that place, but I worry that it will be a completely different island in 10 years time.

All the more reason to go there now.

Our Holbox faves and recommendations:

  • stay on the quieter side of the island, near Punta Cocos
  • book a boat tour with Alonso through AirBnB
  • walk puppies at El Refugio–and make a donation to help them continue their good work!
  • watch sunset from Punta Cocos
  • spend evenings in the town square, eating at the various food carts, and watching the locals
  • eat dinners at La Tapatia (go when there’s a band playing), Roots Pizza (trampoline + live music), Barba Negra, and Viva Zapata (worth noting that there were many “nicer” restaurants we didn’t try, because kids)
  • get cheap tacos al pastor at Tacoqueto
  • eat breakfast/brunch at Tierra Mia, Painapol (go early!!!), and Restaurante Naranjas
  • get gelato at El Mangle Blanco (I loved the maracuya)
  • look for the lady selling tamales out of a cart on the street–fantastic!!
  • eat your way through the locals’ food stalls just outside of town
  • drive around and check out the abundance of really wonderful street art and murals
  • if in season, snorkel with whale sharks, find the flamingos, and visit the bio bay at night
  • find one of the many hammocks on the various beaches and plant yourself there for as long as you possibly can

Trip Report: Cartagena

The last time Sona and I really got away without our boys was our trip to Venice and Florence the summer before Finn turned 2. He turns 4 next weekend.

So, to say that a kid-free adventure was in order is an understatement. Luckily, Mimi and Pops were willing to sacrifice a week of their own summer vacation to make it happen.

We’ve tried to remember how and why Cartagena landed on our radar, and we can’t quite pinpoint it. I’m sure it has something to do with an awe-inspiring Instagram photo, as Cartagena has been a hot spot for travelers over the past couple years–and for good reason.

Nonetheless, with only a week to travel, we knew that we didn’t want to waste time going all the way to Europe. We also wanted to be budget-minded on our trip, which can be difficult to do in the Caribbean. Therefore, when the colorful old city of Cartagena presented itself, and we found relatively quick and affordable red-eye flights, which meant that we wouldn’t have to sacrifice a day of fun for a day in an airport, we jumped.

AirBnBs are plentiful and CHEAP in Cartagena. Even though we booked our trip pretty late in the game, meaning the majority of rentals had already been nabbed, we were still able to find one that was super nice, affordable, and in a great area. In fact, we paid around $85/night for our place in Cartagena, which is the cheapest lodging we’ve ever booked for a trip.

From the second our cab pulled into the old walled city of Cartagena, we fell in love. Everything Sona and I love about travel, Cartagena offers in loads: authentic and interesting cuisine, lots of local color, plenty of small streets to wander through, just a touch of exoticism, and more photo-worthy nooks and crannies than I could possibly account for.

We spent the majority of our time in Cartagena either eating our way through the street vendors in the walled city, sipping cups of coffee, and surveying the unbelievable street art in Getsemani. We also took a boat out to Tierra Bomba, where we spent the day at Blue Apple Beach Club; it was fantastic!

Despite the heat and humidity, which were oppressive at times, we fell in love with the little slice of Colombia that we experienced–and the people, all of whom were so genuinely friendly! Cartagena made for a great first impression, but it absolutely won’t be our last trip to Colombia.


Epoca was one of our favorite cafes–and we ate there three times! Ironically, the owners also own the AirBnB we stayed in.
Abaco Libros y Cafe is a must visit!
In that heat, a pool is a must!
While it’s true that there are a lot of street vendors, selling hats and headbands and bracelets, they are all really pleasant.
The neighborhood of Getsemani, which is just outside of the walled city, has the best street art of anywhere we’ve been in the world.
One day, we did a 3 hour street food tour through Cartagena Connections. It was awesome–and we got to taste so much yumminess!

This guy–who was SO NICE–had the very best pineapple and mango with tajin and lime. We went back several times throughout the week!
I had a love affair with arepas throughout the week, and we tried over a dozen. Our very favorite was from Mona, who operates a street cart near Parque Fernandez de Madrid. She was there every night, and we ate them every night!
Though, this particular cart, which is at the end of Calle 38, is often thought to have the best arepas in town.
The rooftop of the Muvich hotel has the best view in the city!
For around $60, you can go spend the day at Blue Apple Beach Club, which has beautiful grounds, delicious food, amazing service, and $30 massages!
Our favorite breakfast from Epoca: passion fruit juice, arepa con huevo, and calentado!
Every “must do in Cartagena” list will include sunset drinks on the wall at Cafe del Mar. However, we much preferred the quieter, less scene-y El Baluarte, and we regretted not spending more evenings there.

Our Cartagena Faves and Recommendations:

  • Rent an AirBnB in the walled city. The further you get away from the historic city’s entrance, the more local the vibe. We stayed near Plaza de San Diego and really loved the area.
  • Eat calentado and limonada de coco at Epoca
  • Get breakfast and pastries at Mila Postres
  • Watch sunset from the rocking chairs at El Baluarte
  • Book a street food tour through Cartagena Connections
  • Skip Playa Blanca and spend at day at Blue Apple Beach Club
  • Thumb through the vast book collection at Abaco Libros y Cafe
  • Search for the sloths and monkeys in Parque Centario
  • Roam around Getsemani, checking out the street art and the local galleries
  • Grab drinks at Demente (head to the backyard) and then enjoy the lively atmosphere of Holy Trinity Square at night
  • Get dinner at El Arsenal and Alma
  • Splurge on the tasting menu at Carmen
  • Grab some cocktails and ceviche on the rooftop of Alquimico, which is has a hip tiki vibe
  • Check out the view from the rooftop of the Muvich hotel
  • Eat as many arepas con huevos as possible, especially from Mona’s cart near Parque Fernandez de Madrid. While you’re there, keep an eye out for the amazing Michael Jackson impersonator!
  • Hang out in as many parks and plazas as you can, eating mango and drinking limeade from street vendors nearby

Trip Report: Antigua

It’s pretty obvious to everyone that our trip to Antigua didn’t end well. What with cancelled and rebooked flights, two cases of food poisoning, and an ER visit on the other end, we didn’t exactly get to ease out of the island in the same way we eased into it.

Still, before things spiraled, they were actually pretty great. For the boys, at least, the trip was full of only good memories. Finn, especially, seemed to really hit his vacation stride on this trip, and I know his memories of Antigua will only consist of the happy things: donkey kisses, water bottle fights with local kids, and more pool time than he could ever want.

Antigua was a beautiful island, and though we’d worried that it would be too developed for our taste, we managed to avoid most of the cruise crowds, and it ended up being just our speed.

It was our 10th island, Finn’s 3rd, and Elias’s 1st. All things considered, I’d say it was a pretty good inauguration into Caribbean life for our little guy.

Here are more photos than you probably want to see from our time there.

Our Antigua Faves and Recommendations:

  • stay in a villa at Tamarind Hills
  • get avocados and Antiguan pineapples from Clemie’s fruit stand
  • grab a passion fruit daiquiri from the bar at Carlisle Bay resort
  • make a day of going to Long Bay beach (the end opposite the Pineapple Resort), eating at Mama’s Pasta, and seeing Devil’s Bridge
  • eat lunch and then reserve a daybed at Jacqui O’s 
  • visit the donkey sanctuary
  • eat a trendy meal at Sheer Rocks
  • spend a day (or 5) at Ffryes Beach, renting chairs and umbrellas from Dennis’s 
  • go to the Sunday night BBQ at Shirley’s Heights 



Trip Report: Exuma, Part 2

Cramming a week of fun on Exuma into two blog posts hasn’t been easy. I shared our first batch of photos on Tuesday, and today I’m sharing the rest. We did so much exploring on the island–hitting up something new each day–that it’s hard to recap it all. Even still, just last night, we found out about another beach that we missed. “Damn!” I exclaimed as Sona snuggled in beside me in bed. “Turns out, we missed a really beautiful beach in Exuma.”

Ah, well. We’ll just have to go back, won’t we? 😉

My parents spent a morning diving while we were on the island. (Truth be told, this was one of Exuma’s pitfalls. We’re not really sure if it is because Exuma just isn’t a great diving location or because there is only one dive shop on the island and they were, shall we say, not exactly thorough, cautious, or conscientious of the divers. Still, even with a lackluster dive experience, my parents have said they want to go back.)

While they dove, Sona, Finn, and I took off to find Hooper’s Bay, which is a semi-hidden beach that boasts a large turtle population. It took 30 minutes of turning around, stopping in local shops to ask for directions, and trespassing in order for us to find the location. And even though it was a windy and choppy day, meaning visibility wasn’t great, we were still so happy to have found this little bay, which was beautiful.

Like most places we ventured in Exuma, we had the whole beach to ourselves.

This photo may not look like much, but I’ll always love it because Finn waited for me at the end of the pier, holding his hand out, asking “You need help, Momma?” (I’m still hobbling a bit from an ankle injury a month ago.)

There were quite a few photo-ops, as you can tell.

That night, we went to Blu on the Water for dinner, which is right in Georgetown and only a 5 minute drive from where we stayed. It was probably my favorite dining experience. The food was good–not the best we had, but quite good–but it was the view that made it so unique. The restaurant juts over a dock, and we saw a couple of sea turtles, a huge ray, and 3-4 sharks circling right under where we sat. Finn really loved watching the animals, and the atmosphere is unparalleled.

Mimi, showing Finn the sharks. (I might have said “Make sure you hold him tight!” a thousand times.)

On Wednesday, we decided to take the water taxi to Chat N Chill, which is a restaurant/beach hang out/bar on Stocking Island, just a 10-15 minute ride from Great Exuma. It’s one of Exuma’s best know spots, as it is the kind of lively beach bar at which you could easily drink away a day–or seven. We arrived early, wanting to beat the crowds, and the place was pretty quiet.

It was great to get Finn out on the water again, which he loves, and I think he enjoyed playing around the beach at Chat N Chill more than any of us.

He made a few island kitty friends while we were there.

He drank a strawberry daiquiri, rolled in the sand, and danced, enthusiastically, to the Caribbean music blaring in the background.

Since the restaurant was on island time–like everything in the Carib–and wouldn’t start serving until later in the afternoon, we decided to only stay a couple of hours and then head out and try to hit up another beach.

Enter what I’m pretty sure all of us would say was our favorite experience in Exuma: searching for sand dollars at Coco Plum beach during low tide. Holy moly–that place is a living, breathing Windows screensaver circa 1998. That is to say: you MUST go.

If you do, make sure you go right at low tide–the lower, the better. That is when the water retreats and gives way to the most gloriously shallow, clear sandbars you’ve ever seen, and you can practically walk to neighboring islands.

Because of that phenomenon, the spot is perfect for searching for sand dollars, which we did. We found 10 in just 20-30 minutes; I’ve never even found 1 on any other beach before!

For some reason, Finn was a little ocean shy this trip. In Grand Cayman, he loved playing in the water. This time, he preferred the pool. However, Coco Plum was so clear and calm, even he ventured out with us, and I’m so glad we all got to experience it together.

You can’t really tell, but we are a good 50 yards off of shore, here.

Coco Plum also has Insta-worthy swings in the water, which even though they need some TLC, make for a lot of fun (and good photos).

Our last day, we spent a lot of time at February Point, playing in the pool and exploring the property. We also hit up two beaches that were left on our list: Jolly Hall and Tropic of Cancer.

Tropic of Cancer is probably Exuma’s most well-known beach–and for good reason. It’s just a never-ending expanse of white sand and water that is dang-near neon blue.

We’d made a stop early in the week, just to take a peek at it, but we didn’t stay. I’m glad that we urged ourselves out of our poolside beach chairs just in time to hit it up once more before sunset on our last day.

 

I think it’s pretty clear that we all fell in love with Exuma–Finn included. There’s so much of the world to see, and Sona and I aren’t the kind of people who like going to the same place twice for that reason, but I have a sneaking suspicion that we may just break that rule to see Exuma, again.

Trip Report: Exuma, Part 1

We’ve been back from Exuma for 4 days, and I think we’re all still secretly hoping to wake up and be right back on that island. Finn is constantly asking, “I go on holiday?” Needless to say, he’s struggling with returning to “real life” as much as the rest of us.

Exuma is a collection of outlying islands in the Bahamas, and we chose that location for a few reasons: 1. It is a relatively quick flight from Miami (just 45 minutes); 2. It was relatively Zika-free at the time we booked and was actually taken off the Zika list in early February; 2. SWIMMING PIGS! We’ve been seeing the photos of their famous swimming pigs everywhere, lately, and we knew that’d be a fun adventure with Finn.

The other thing we really liked about Exuma, which has quickly risen to the top of our favorite Carib islands (we’ve been to 10; Finn has been to 4), is that it is very undeveloped. I’m talking it has one road and just a handful of restaurants. No high rises. Hardly anyone on the beaches. Nothing to do after dark. And that’s totally our speed.

We have so many photos from our trip. This is the first of two posts I’ll do, and it highlights our first few days on the island. Here it goes:

We arrived at 1:22, which is the benefit of waking up at 2AM. The travel day was remarkably easy, as someone seemed to have kidnapped our toddler and replaced him with a happy, easy-going traveler who didn’t seem to mind having virtually no sleep.

As soon as we arrived at our villa at February Point, which is a gated community on the island and is in a great location, we hit the beach. (We always prefer renting to staying in a hotel, and we never do big resorts.)

It quickly became clear that Finn is a TOTAL beach bum, just like his Momma. He was meant to be an island boy (something we hope to make a reality, someday). He LOVES the sand. I mean, he literally rolls in it. And who can resist a sandy baby bum? Not me.

We decided to book a half-day excursion to experience some of the stuff on the various smaller islands of the Exumas. Exuma consists of dozens of small islands, and you have to get out on the water to see some of them while you’re there.

Finn did great on the boat trip we did in Cayman last August. So, we felt confident that he’d do well, again. Sona and I briefly toyed with the idea of doing the excursion on our own, leaving Finn with our parents, but then we realized it just wouldn’t be as fun without him. I’m so glad we decided to take him. Once again, he was nearly perfect, and he loved the trip, despite the fact that it was rainy and windy.

As I mentioned before, Exuma is known for its famous swimming pigs. So, we had to see them! They are SO BIG. I mean, like larger than a really hefty man. It was a little intimidating, but we happened upon them at the same time that there was a huge litter of piglets. So, we got plenty of less-intimidating piggy interaction.

This little guy was the runt, and I wanted to bring him home.

My parents came on the trip with us. We love traveling with them, and we did so even before Finn. Now, though, having extra hands makes international travel with a toddler a lot easier.

We also went to a little cay that had a large iguana population. Finn was super excited about all of the “little dinosaurs,” which he fed grapes and chased around. He had NO fear, which actually made me a little nervous, but we managed to escape with all of our fingers and toes. (These guys are actually pretty docile.)

One of the downsides of the island is that, because it’s so sleepy, there’s not a ton of restaurants. It’s not a foodie destination, like Turks and Caicos, for example, but we did find some good eats. Our favorites were Shirley’s at the Fish Fry, Blu on the Water, and Big D’s Conch Spot, which is pictured below. We also had a private chef come cook local food for us a couple of nights, which we loved. (Make sure to find Chef Ann, if you ever head to Exuma yourself!)

Finn pretty much lived on fruit punch and frozen drinks. Oh, well.

We also spent a lot of time at the pool near our villa, as that was Finn’s favorite spot.

Okay, maybe I survived on fruity drinks, too.

Exuma boasts some of the most beautiful beaches we’ve seen in all of our travels–and the bluest water we’ve seen anywhere. We loved exploring the island, finding little hidden beaches. Forbes Hill was one of our favorites, and we had the entire place to ourselves. (Other must-try beaches: Coco Plum and Tropic of Cancer.)

Can you even believe the color of this water?

Santana’s is one of the best eateries on the island, and the operate without any power–amazing! They are very close to Forbes Hill. So, hitting up both makes for the perfect day. They also are on another gorgeous stretch of beach, which you could, happily, send a day at.

More Exuma photos, coming soon!

Summer 2017 Family Photos

A couple of weeks ago, we had family photos taken by the uber talented Ashley Summers of Ashley Summers Photography. We are probably the world’s worst photography clients because: 1. Sona hates photos; 2. Finn is a typical toddler; and 3. I am a photographer, myself.

Shooting a photographer’s photos? Yeah, good luck with that.

But Ashley was so great, and we got so many pictures that I know we will love forever. She worked her butt off to get them for us, too, entertaining Finn endlessly, offering him little bribes, and making sure that he played along.

Clearly, photos are super important to me. And, as the photog in the fam, I’m rarely in them. So, getting some good family photos done once or twice a year is something I prioritize (and stress about).

Here are some of our favorites from the shoot.

Finn’s face here is like, “I’m not so sure about this.”

A photo of me and my son = priceless.

I can’t handle his cuteness.

 

Good gosh, OUR SON IS BEAUTIFUL.

 

Getting some photos of Sona and I is a bonus. We don’t have many of those, either!

By the time we were taking these, Finn was OVA IT. I mean, he was having a total fit. So, we figured we’d make the best of it and just do photos of Sona and I by ourselves. Of course, as soon as we started, Finn ran up to us and was whimpering. That’s what we see out of the corner of our eyes, here. A bag of Twizzlers dumped all over the ground. The book bag emptied. And Finn begging for attention. #momlife

 

I’d wanted to do more photos in the water, but the weather didn’t really cooperate. (Thanks, Chicago.) Still, I’m glad we got one with the lake and the city we love so much.

(Almost) 365 Days of DSLR Photos :: Project Complete!

A little over a year ago (or a little more than that, if I’m being honest), I set myself a goal: I was going to take a “good” photo of Finn, using my DSLR camera, every single day for a year. Even as a pro photog, I found myself relying mostly on my iPhone for photos of our little life, and I knew that, one day, I’d regret not having higher-quality captures of our memories.

Here’s the first shot:

And the last:

KILL ME NOW.

Here were my original “rules” for the project:

  • Don’t be a perfectionist. Every single photo isn’t going to be a masterpiece. Yes, I do covet all of those photo-perfect, carefully-curated social media feeds I follow. BUT THOSE MOMS MANAGE THOSE ACCOUNTS LIKE IT’S THEIR JOB. In fact, it is their job. And I already have one. So, I don’t want to get bogged down in my own perfectionism. This is about capturing Finn’s life–not about creating magazine-ready photos that are the envy of every Instagram mom out there. (Sidenote: I had to talk myself out of re-shooting today’s photo. This one may be tricky for me.)
  • Let Sona take the photo, sometimes. One of my goals for this project is to capture our lives as a family, and I am part of that family. I’m always behind the camera. We have tons of photos of Sona and Finn together but very few with him and I. I hope to get some keepers over the next year.
  • Accept the photographic realities/limitations of our lives. We live in a garden apartment, currently, and we get about 27 minutes of good photographic light a day. That’s just the reality. The lighting conditions in our home SUCK. (Loads of natural light is one of my must-haves as we search for a place to buy, btw.) We also sometimes have a messy house. And our cats have ripped our couch to shreds. And, sometimes, there will be piles of unemptied grocery bags in the background. That’s okay. Again, it’s not about perfection; it’s about reality.
  • Don’t stage photos. Don’t prop Finn up like a doll, teasing him into the perfect, cherubic pose. Those photos can happen, too, but they just aren’t part of this project. My goal is to capture candids–and not staged moments.
  • Aim for variety. Shoot during all times of the day. Capture the morning. Capture bath time. Capture tantrums. Capture everything, especially the stuff I wouldn’t capture, normally.
  • Take my camera out of the house. It’s currently 15 degrees in Chicago, and I don’t see myself taking many outdoor photos in the very near future, but I do hope to, eventually. As we get out and about, I want the photos to reflect that.
  • Don’t let this challenge stress me out. This is supposed to be fun; it’s not supposed to feel like another burdensome responsibility. Keep things in perspective.

Well, today, I posted the last photo on Instagram, and it is more than a little bittersweet. I mean, I’m not so sad that the project is over because, well, it sometimes felt cumbersome. But when I look back at this year+ of photos, seeing how much Finn has changed and how many tiny, magical moments we’ve shared with him is enough to knock me flat.

And here’s the truth: 90% of these moments would likely have been forgotten had I not made the conscious decision to capture them through this project.

(Side note: As I was working on this post, a BOLOGNA commercial came on with a your-kids-grow-up-too-quickly theme, and I started sobbing.)

I learned a lot from this little photo project. I learned that sometimes I should be the momma who is a photographer and not the photographer who is a momma. That is, my primary goal for photographing our lives should be to preserve memories–not to take editorial-quality images like I try to create for my clients. I learned that I need to get in front of the camera more often. Finn will look back at these photos one day, and I want him to know I was there with him–not just behind the lens. I learned that small, quiet moments are just as special as exotic vacations and special outings. I learned that I want to remember the tantrums and bad days and midnight popsicles in bed when we all have a stomach virus just as much as all of the good stuff. I learned that Finn has a million different expressions–ones that most people wouldn’t notice–but ones that Sona and I hope to never forget. I learned that having my DSLR camera out and accessible means that I’m much more likely to reach for it. I learned that it is ALWAYS worth it to lug the big, heavy camera around–to the beach, to the park, to the bathroom during potty breaks.

I don’t know that I’ll repeat this same project any time soon, but I can tell you that in the month or so since it has ended, I’ve hardly taken any photos of Finn that aren’t on my iPhone. So, I’m going to have to continue to challenge myself to preserve memories in a valuable way. Because, if I’m being honest, the only thing I do regret is not taking even more photos.

These photos have seen the purchase of our first home. Crawling and then stumbling and then walking. Turning one and turning two. A very bumpy first year full of ear infections and teething and tired mommas. Four countries. A first trick-or-treating adventure. A magical Christmas.  Swimming. Running. Being naughty. A gazillion parks. Lots of eating. A little bit of crying. So many giggles. And all of Finn’s favorite people.

Let’s take a look back:

 

 

Trip Report: Venice, Italy

Shameless plug: photos from both Florence and Venice are now featured in my Etsy shop, which is linked above.

Last week, I shared our trip report for Florence. After Florence, we headed to Venice for a few days.

We booked our train ticket a month or so in advance through Trentitalia, but that really wasn’t necessary. The high speed train system in Italy is surprisingly easy and efficient, and we probably could’ve shown up and booked tickets the day of. We also got to the train station way too early, and we were those silly tourists, staring at the board, waiting for our track to post.

Even still, the train ride was effortless, and it was actually nice to have a couple hours of down time. Sona slept; I snacked and stared out the window.

When we arrived in Venice, we did the thing you probably shouldn’t do if you’re smart and trying to save a little money: we hired a private water taxi to get to our hotel. There are certainly cheaper ways to go about that, but I really wanted to enter Venice with a bang–and see it from the water, for the first time, in a way that was comfortable and special. But if we did it again, I’d just hop a Vaporetto, especially since our hotel–Cima Rosa–was just a couple of stops away from the train station.

Though, that 10-minute ride was awe-inspiring. I have to say: Sona and I have traveled quite a bit, and we’ve seen many a wondrous location, but I rarely have the immediate mouth-agape, eyes-wide reaction to Europe that I do to places in the Caribbean. What can I say? I’m a gal who is inspired by water. But the second we stepped into the water taxi and caught sight of the Grand Canal, my jaw dropped. Literally.

The water taxi hadn’t even started moving when I started snapping photos. I must have taken 50 photos in those 10 minutes, including all of these:

I must have mistakenly thought that I was getting a limited opportunity to capture Venice’s beauty, but then I realized that there is no spot in Venice–no alley you wonder down, no canal you cross–that isn’t every bit as charming and captivating and lovely as that first 10 minute ride. Venice is, inch for inch, the prettiest place we’ve ever been, and it is a photographer’s dream. You just can’t take a bad photo.

We stayed at Cima Rosa, which bills itself as a boutique B&B. It is housed in a centuries-old building and has less than 10 rooms. It felt really intimate, as there are less than 10 rooms. We snagged a room right on the Grand Canal, which gave us an incredible view and was uber romantic. Probably the most romance-inspiring place we’ve ever stayed, actually.

Cima Rosa is just slightly outside of the tourist-driven area of Venice, which was perfect for us. It is in a neighborhood that is quiet and feels residential; it’s also centrally located, which gave us the opportunity to explore much of Venice.

During our days there, we walked and walked and walked. We explored virtually every corner of the city, branching out to all parts of the islands and walking through every major neighborhood. It was worth all of the blisters, though, because each neighborhood had its own personality, and–as is true in pretty much any place on the planet–the most interesting spots weren’t necessarily the ones the guidebooks told us about.

In fact, our favorite day in Venice–and maybe of the whole trip–was the one designed by the receptionist at our B&B, who wrote us out a walking tour of her neighborhood–Dorsoduro–including her favorite spots to eat, shop, etc. That’s the artistic district of Venice, and it’s also where the university is. So, it’s young, hip, and local. We really, really loved it–so much so that we went back on our last day.

One of our concerns about Venice stemmed from the fact that lots of folks told us how hard it would be to find good eats, as so much is geared towards locals, but we didn’t find that to be true at all. With a little research–and walking–you’ll find plenty of yumminess, including a lot of cicchetti, which is the tradition of Venetian small bites. Most cicchetti are various toppings–spreads, fish, etc.–on slices of bread. ALL of them are delicious and affordable. Venetians eat cicchetti much in the same way that the Spanish eat tapas: as small bites, accompanied by an aperitif, before dinner. We ate them before–and after–lots of meals.

On our last day, we did what anyone must do on their first trip to Venice, stereotypes be damned: we took a gondola ride. We deliberately timed it to be right before sunset, and we asked not to go on the Grand Canal. This left us meandering through the blissfully quiet small canals. It was worth every penny, at $80 for 40 minutes, because Venice was really meant to be seen from the water, and we wanted to have that experience before we left.

 

Do I even have to tell you how much we enjoyed Florence and Venice? I don’t think so. Sometimes, we go to a place and leave, thinking “That was wonderful, but it is on to somewhere new!” And sometimes, you come home from a place, and you find yourself daydreaming about it, wishing you could do the trip all over, again.

I’ve spent every day since Italy wishing that we were back in Italy.

Our Venice Faves and Recommendations:

  • our hotel, Cima Rosa
  • a gondola tour–but not on the Grand Canal
  • the Peggy Guggenheim museum
  • a day spent exploring Dorsoduro, including exploring the artist shops along S. Barnaba
  • cicchetti at Osteria Al Squero and Vino gia Schiavi
  • frito misto and pasta (we loved the arrabiata) at Fried Land (just trust me on this one)
  • dinner at Osteria Anice Stellato
  • an early morning walk through the Rialto Market
  • chocolate souvenirs at Vizo Virtu
  • sandwiches and pastries at Rosa Salva (the one by the hospital)
  • a walk through the Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore
  • wine at Vino Vero, sitting along the canal
  • gelato at Grom
  • an evening spent drinking on one of the local squares
  • pizza at Muro Frari

 

 

 

 

Trip Report: Florence, Italy

It’s been a little over a month since my last post, and I could blame that on being unusually busy, but I’m beginning to realize that being unusually busy is our new usual.

Amidst the busyness, though, Sona and I managed to sneak away for an 8-day getaway to Italy–sans Finn.

It was our first alone trip since he was born, and before I go into too much detail about all the ways in which it was absolutely wonderful, soul-satisfying, and marriage-restoring, let me just give you the short of it: IT IS NOT ONLY OKAY, BUT ALSO TOTALLY IMPORTANT, THAT PARENTS TAKE SOME TIME AWAY FROM THEIR KIDS.

We were very lucky that my mom and step-dad–Mimi and Pops–were willing to sacrifice a week of their own vacation time to come up to Chicago and take care of our little man. We really wanted him to stay in our home. First, because we thought he needed as much stability as possible in the very fragile state we’d assumed he’d be in without us (more on that, later) and, also, because driving to and from Tennessee would shave a couple of days off of our own vacay time.

Italy has been on our must-visit list for a LONG time. And we figured that if we had a chance to escape without any toddler, we might as well go somewhere that would be difficult with him. It’s not that doing Europe with Finn would be impossible (though, the thought does terrify me), it’s just that doing it the way we’d want to do it–wandering aimlessly for hours, drinking a lot of wine, lounging carelessly at a variety of sidewalk cafes–would be impossible with him. Having him would have totally changed the nature of the trip, and we wanted to remember what it was like to be wanderlust-y and carefree–without a baby.

Though, as the trip date approached, Sona and I were feeling so tired and depleted that we found ourselves secretly wishing that we’d just booked a lazy trip to the Caribbean–one in which we wouldn’t feel guilty sleeping on a beach chair all day.

And even though we did run from sun-up to sun-down each day, walking a total of 50+ miles while we were gone (according to our iPhones) and exploring every inch of both Florence and Venice, it was completely worth it. The trip gave us a small glimpse into our pre-baby lives. That was a time that we wouldn’t trade for now–because, of course, Finn is our sun and our moon–but it was nice to remember who we were to each other before we were moms. We felt more connected to each other than we have in a long time, and that was really because we had one luxury that we don’t have very often, anymore: uninterrupted and responsibility-free time.

As for Finn, he couldn’t have cared less about our absence. I mean, he cared so little that we were actually a little hurt. Couldn’t he have just pretended that he was devastated? Thrown just a few tantrums, thrashing his legs and screaming for “momma”?! Truth was, Mimi and Pops did such a good job giving him completely undivided attention that he was happy as a clam and hardly noticed that we were away.

That is to say, I think the week apart was good for all of us.

Now… Florence! We started in Florence and ended in Venice, which when we asked around, were the two Italian cities that folks seemed to have enjoyed the most. If we’d had a few more days, we would’ve crammed Rome into the itinerary, too, but we didn’t want to over-tax ourselves. (And we really wanted a lot of time for wine and gelato.)

In Florence, we rented an apartment, which is what we generally prefer, as it helps us live more like locals for a few days–and is usually nicer, roomier, and cheaper than a hotel. Our apartment was right around the corner fro Ponte Vecchio–the main attraction in Florence. That put us smack dab in the middle of the two sides of the city separated by the Arno river–one that is more touristy and one that is more geared towards the locals. We enjoyed exploring both.

Florence was a great city to wander and eat in–which are the two things we did the most. Walk. Sit. Drink. Eat. Repeat. That was how we spent those four glorious days. We did a good bit of noshing, rather than elaborate multi-course meals, and it proved to be the best way to experience–and taste–much of what the city had to offer.

We also ate gelato at least twice a day. So, there’s that.

It was in the mid-60s most of the time we were there. So, while it got a little chilly at night, I really enjoyed being able to explore all day without getting too hot. We lucked out with the weather, and it was sunny during our entire visit. That made wandering a lot more enjoyable.

Of course, we did many of the requisite Florence things: we went to see David at dell’Accademia, walked through the Uffizi galleries, rubbed the nose of the lucky boar, and explored the Boboli Gardens.

We also did an all-day private tour of the Tuscan countryside, which included stops in the medieval towns of Montalcino and Pienza, a wine tour and tasting, a visit to some Roman baths, and an awe-inspiring lunch at a local farm.

But really, the days we enjoyed most were the ones when we didn’t have anything on the docket–days when we just set out, grabbed a latte (or two), ate, and walked, and ate some more.

Those are the kinds of days we miss the most–and the kind that were the most restorative.

Next stop, Venice!

Our Florence Faves and Recommendations:

  • our apartment, VRBO listing 827364
  • a tour with Andrea from Tuscany Experience Tours
  • a walk through Boboli Gardens (bring a snack)
  • pizza at Gusta Pizza
  • gelato at Gelateria Della Passera, Perche No, and Gelateria Dei Neri
  • dinner at Vini e Vecchi
  • a charcuterie board at La Prosciutteria Firenze
  • anything fried at Il Coccolo
  • a sandwich at Ino
  • breakfast (and lunch and snacks and coffee) at Catinetta dei Verrazzano
  • a nibbling tour through Mercato di San Lorenzo
  • dinner–and a drink on the square–at 4 Leones

Our Halls, Decked!

All this talk of decorating, I figured I might as well show you the final product. What can I say? This little Jew sure loves her some Christmas.

Finn’s first Santa photo–le sigh.

 

Finn needs his own tree, of course.

 

I’m most excited to finally have a fireplace and mantle.

And ceilings that allow me to get a 9′ tree.

And while it’d be nice to have a totally cohesive, department store window tree, there are just too many ornaments that have sentimental value. So, we go for the collected–rather than the curated–look.

My father collected these Norman Rockwell ornaments for me as a little girl.

And we have an ornament from each of our travels together as a couple–or family.

And several to remind us of our critters–both here and gone.

Or just some to commemorate especially memorable Christmases. This year, it’ll be our first Christmas in our first home.

Of course, this time of year means a lot more than a pretty house, but having a home–one that is warm, and decked, and full of cheer–makes me feel very, very grateful.