This and that

Hi September. I am ready for you, again.
I can't wait to see some projects published,
and starting some new ones.

I am also looking forward to Autumn light,
here in Amsterdam. And lots of brunchs on cold Saturdays.

Some things I have been doing and loving lately...

I am currently reading this book.
I am in love with this handcrafted greenery I saw at a market.
I bought this wool coat, perfect for this summer-winter in Amsterdam.

I have been to this, this and this (again) restaurants.
The second one has the most beautiful view
and delicious pies ever.

I have cooked this tea-poached salmon from The Kinfolk Table,
and asked my father to send me a bottle of this wine from Spain.

A.

One baroque bouquet

Some people ask me how's my path been to get to what I do for a living now. I have always been what they use to call an artist: I studied fine arts, created paintings, sculpted figures and made films amongst other creative things. All of that has lead me and my photography to where we are. When composing a photograph I think of it as if it was a painting, as if I had a blank canvas to fill with all my ideas and feelings.

Having studied fine arts, and having made paintings a lot before taking photographs has definitely influenced me a lot. And I found and still find myself inspired by Dutch or Baroque paintings, by their light, tonal range and sometimes drama.

Winter rituals: pak choi & garlic noodles

After traveling and being away from home for some days, weeks or even months, coming back home seems equally weird and comforting.

One of my favorites winter rituals is making what we call at home "happiness in a bowl". That sometimes involves using all my fridge leftovers, turning them into a soup and adding some noodles. And by doing that, I have found some recipes that are now part of my favorites.

This is particularly one of that. Simple, hot and tasty.

Ingredients: noodles, fish broth, garlic, thai scallions, sriracha, black sesame seeds, sesame oil, salt, freshly cracked pepper and pak choi.

Instructions:
Cook or cook/soak noodles according to instructions but try to have them slightly al dente since you will be reheating them.
Immediately after cooking, plunge noodles into cold water then drain.
Heat sesame oil in a large saucepan until hot and add garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add broth and one teaspoon of sriracha. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in whatever herb suits you and cook, covered, about 8 minutes.
In the meantime, cut pak chois in half and steam for four minutes. Set aside.
To serve, place two pak choi halfs into each of the serving bowls, add soup and then noodles. Then top with black sesame seeds and thai scallion slices, and season with pepper and salt to taste.

just us wedding

This is it. These are all the photos I have from our wedding. No more, no less.
Some people may think it's crazy, some other may like the way we did it. But you know what? It doesn't matter. And don't misunderstand me, I don't mean this in a bad way. The thing is that, nowadays, weddings seem to be more about the fact and less about the people, less about love.

I have always wanted to get married when the time arrived, but I have never had the need of making of my wedding that "big day" they like to call it. And he knew it. So, as I already wrote: he chose the city he knows I love most, the most beautiful and simple ring and a bottle of champagne to just say: I want you to marry me. And that's what we did.

We went to New York's city hall and took a number. Liz, who is my agent and one of the loveliest people I know, was our witness. I chose a blue dress from Reformation, some white roses and my favorite and aged Prada pumps. No hairdresser and nothing else but excitement.

you have to start somewhere

I have always wanted to have a food blog, you know, because I love food. But I have also always loved design blogs, and fashion blogs. I have lost count of how many times I've tried and tried to create, to define and be committed to something (blog speaking).
But hey, I haven't given up yet. This is a promise, to myself, that I would try'n keep this space as a box of memories; at least to be able to remember something in more than ten years from now (something my physical memory doesn't want to do).

And because you always have to start somewhere, I couldn't think of anything else but this: the one and only, New York. Because I don't think there's anywhere else in the world that make me feel the way this city does, and because some of most beautiful things have happened there.