Off-the-Clock Speakeasy

out with the old

2010-12-31T18:38:00.005-06:00

Today is the last day of 2010. It will also be the last day of the Speakeasy. I started this blog when I moved to St. Louis in 2006. I end this blog today, from my new home in Lima, Perú. I've redesigned my website and started a new blog that is more integrated with the site.

I took this photograph of my friend Lindsay's necklace while in the Galápagos Islands this past summer. I though, wow, that's simple wise advice. In the months following I thought about what I love, and I believe here in Lima working as a freelance multimedia journalist I will be able to make what I love what I do more than ever before.

With the click of this post I say out with the old, in with the new. I welcome 2011 and all it will bring. Let the beauty of what you love be what you do in 2011. Feliz año nuevo!

a piece of perú in toronto

2010-10-23T22:31:00.005-05:00

As most of you know, I love chocolate and I love Perú. Sooo...you can imagine how I felt when I walked into a chocolate factory (Soma) in Toronto selling mostly Peruvian chocolate. Heaven. Cielo. Yum. I sat down with a cup of their specialty Mayan hot chocolate and even the shaft of light hitting my mug was supernatural.

i'll miss you, steve

2010-10-23T22:21:00.005-05:00

I don't believe I officially announced my "big news" here on the blog (it's also why I've been so scarce!). I'm moving to Lima, Perú! That's why I'll miss Steve, as well as many other Tower Grove joys. One night I came home and Steve was sitting on his front porch (normal) rocking a sombrero (not so normal). We shared a good laugh and then he started pulling out other hats, including the one with the skunk tail. More on the move soon.

ward's island

2010-10-23T22:14:00.002-05:00

Luisa Milan lives on a small island just across the water from Toronto. Luisa assembled beautiful panels of fabric, half of them stitched with words inspired by water, as part of an outdoor exhibition called Rogue Wave. Each in a different shade of blue, they blow in the wind and mimic the sea just beyond them.

swing

2010-09-25T19:59:00.002-05:00

Photo by Bridjes O'Neil

I love artistic photos. I love them even more when I'm surprised by them. Today I gave a student (not a photo student) my point-and-shoot camera, and she brought this back. She was working on a piece about being a mom. To me this photo has such nice, quiet symbolism. Go Bridjes!

frog legs

2010-09-25T13:40:00.002-05:00

I dedicate this post to my favorite herpetologist, Patrick McLaughlin! Can you identify this one for me?

klondike park

2010-09-25T13:29:00.001-05:00

So it's not exactly the most rugged camping experience, but Klondike Park is beautiful! It's also right on the Katy Trail and within minutes from several wineries. Wish I could have discovered this place sooner!

ode to the sea lions of san cristóbal

2010-09-23T11:54:00.003-05:00

They waddle down the streets, sleep on park benches and howl and bark all night and day. I guess I'd do the same if someone invaded my territory.

overstimulated

2010-09-22T22:21:00.003-05:00

Blogged about this amazing little fish market in Puerto Ayora, Galápagos Islands for the Post-Dispatch. Check it out. One day I'll go back and make an even better picture. Fish, sea lions, birds...don't you go anywhere!

free public art

2010-09-22T22:09:00.004-05:00

The Eiffel Tower was stunning and the Louvre inspiring but equally as impressive to me was a beautifully edited and printed set of pictures on display at Luxembourg Garden, home of the French Senate. As a photographer, I love checking out galleries and art shows, but often they cost an arm and a leg to attend. Here in Paris was an outdoor gallery. Free of charge, and photos as stunning as those you pay to see. Big photos. Dozens of photos. Good photos.

My friend Sophie says the exhibit changes frequently. I think every city ought to have a place like this. Photos have such power. Sometimes they are just beautiful. Other times they stop us dead in our tracks, make us laugh, cry or even challenge our perceptions. Thank you Luxembourg Garden for dedicating space (and a cleaning crew!) to such a lovely form of art.

a nice pair

2010-09-20T15:50:00.001-05:00

Delmar Loop

getting funky at fro yo

2010-09-20T14:19:00.007-05:00

Grabbed some yogurt at Fro Yo with a friend on Sunday, and she was showing off her Hipstamatic fantasticness. Made me get a little artsy as I sat and ate my yogurt. Also made me miss someone who always gets a kamikaze mix of flavors and covers them in fruit. Me? I'm all about the Original Tart : )

the colors of ecuador

2010-09-18T00:09:00.004-05:00

San Cristóbal, Galápagos Islands

Mindo

On walls and in the skies, the colors of this country catch my eyes.

belly beauty

2010-09-17T23:55:00.002-05:00

Festival of the Nations

Sometimes I don't have to walk very far to feel like I'm in an exotic place. When Tribe Ayaka took stage there was no need for a spotlight. The sun was busy working its magic, just like the ladies performing. Beautiful.

abandoned cats of lima

2010-08-27T11:54:00.007-05:00

Iglesia de la Virgen Milagrosa | Lima, Perú

As I walked through Parque Kennedy my first night in Lima, I noticed cats - gatos - everywhere. There are a few different stories about how the cats got there, as well as a variety of opinions about the presence of the cats. The park itself is lovely. An ordinary park full of extraordinary stories.

andean warmth

2010-08-27T11:48:00.002-05:00

It comes from the people, the burning fires and the sun.

where my heart lives

2010-08-27T11:28:00.004-05:00

The first time I visited Cotopaxi, high in the Ecuadorian Andes, I was stunned. The magic lived on for me this summer. This is a place that calms me and energizes me a la vez. I wake up early and go to bed late. Days filled with hot tea, the smoky richness of wood burning fires, horseback rides through the páramo and majestic views in all directions. This is Cotopaxi. It gives me the feeling of home, and, when I think about my rural childhood, it's not that different. Take the flat canvas of my North Dakotan roots and give it peaks and valleys, throw in some Spanish and you might get Cotopaxi.

sibling love

2010-08-22T15:39:00.007-05:00

Kate

Johnny

Paris? Probably the last place I would expect to travel with my sister and brother, so of course, it's where we ended up! One of the best Paris memories I have is waking up under the Eiffel Tower. After walking through what seemed like the entire city, we crashed in the grass near the base of the Eiffel Tower. I actually fell asleep and woke to this site. Magical.

sun and fun

2010-08-22T15:31:00.003-05:00

Menaggio, Italy

Tremezzo, Italy

After a day in the sun, my mom and sister play the part of Italians while we wait for dinner.

in between

2010-08-20T16:07:00.004-05:00

Paris

We spend our lives in between, on platforms and planes, rails and roads. Always ready to get where we are going, never wanting to leave where we're at.

TGV Paris to Lausanne

memories of maine

2010-08-20T15:44:00.002-05:00

Northeast Harbor

Islesford

Southwest Harbor

Beal's Lobster Pier

if...

2010-08-20T14:57:00.001-05:00

Quito, Ecuador

landlocked

2010-08-12T23:32:00.001-05:00

the louvre

2010-08-12T23:00:00.000-05:00

ancient love

2010-08-12T22:55:00.002-05:00

Etched into the stone of moats from the 12th to 14th century, love lives on in Paris.

dinner for 4 or 44?

2010-08-12T17:11:00.002-05:00

Napoleon considered both viable options. I would kill to host a dinner party at that table.

wine

2010-08-10T20:24:00.001-05:00

Paris without wine? Unthinkable.

balance

2010-08-10T20:19:00.000-05:00

An important skill for break dancing and life in general.

no flash

2010-08-07T17:24:00.002-05:00

Loved the signs at the Louvre. The great artists and I agree on the "no flash" concept : ) Rock on.

mona pandemonium

2010-08-07T17:18:00.002-05:00

As interesting as the Mona Lisa itself is the mass of people elbowing, photographing and neck-craning to see the famous work of art. The tiny painting on a massive wall.

french hospitality

2010-08-07T17:03:00.004-05:00

Sophie

I'm not sure where the French get their bad rap. The two French women I know are bright, gracious and fun. Many thanks to Sophie (AKA Sophine!) who introduced me to Nespresso, the hidden corners of Paris, French Basque food and the Claire's of Paris. Who knew you could have a backyard in Paris or that napping under the Eiffel Tower could be so sweet.

Nespresso

my favorite chefs

2010-08-07T16:41:00.002-05:00

Kate and Kyle

Italy is a country that has become synonymous with good food. Ironically, some of my favorite meals in Italy (and Switzerland) weren't restaurant-made. They were made by the hands of two Americans, my sister and her husband. In Switzerland they wooed the family with a delicious cheese fondue chased by pear liquor. My sister gave all the gastronomic rules to follow (which included drinking lots of white wine!) to avoid an upset stomach from the mass amounts of cheese.

In Italy we hit a few good restaurants on Lago di Como, but Kate and Kyle gave even those Italians a run for their money with two of their meals. The first was a beautifully prepared apricot and sage pork chop, the second an eggplant Parmesan. As good chefs, they let the available produce inspire the meals. On the drive to Italy, Kyle spotted apricot stand after apricot stand, so we weren't surprised to see the apricot a top our pork chops. Thanks for the good memories and full bellies, you two!

Eggplant parmesean

Swiss fondue

sleep on the seine

2010-08-07T16:28:00.002-05:00

La Seine, Paris

Perhaps not the picture you'd expect of the famous river that flows throw the heart of Paris.

exhale

2010-08-07T16:08:00.009-05:00

TGV, Paris to Lausanne

On May 27 I hit play, I jumped on the train. I didn't get off until today. New York City, Vermont, Switzerland, Italy, Paris, Madrid, Bar Harbor, Lima, Ecuador, the Galápagos. Family, fondue, missed planes, pinchos, love, exhaustion, exploded bottles of balsamic vinaigrette, students, nerves, cosas inesperadas, pictures, thin air, chocolate. Very little processing time in between, no pause button. I sit here now, idle. No students to take to the hospital. No embassies to call. No appointments. I exhale.

I hope to sort through my pictures and share pieces of my trips with you all over the next few weeks. Can't wait.

lago di como

2010-07-07T23:25:00.003-05:00

Falcon in flight

Varenna, Italy

madrid

2010-07-07T23:16:00.005-05:00

A Sunday at Retiro Park

Palacio Real

If you make traveling about the journey and not the destination, you get Madrid. Or at least I did. I guess you could also call it making the most of a missed flight. Trying to catch up to this blog in the next 24 hours, before I head to South America for a month.

jura hike

2010-06-16T16:53:00.002-05:00

From Baulmes to Sainte Croix through the Covatannaz Gorges. The hike starts in a small Swiss village then cuts through beautiful gorges. The sound of water at the bottom of the gorges, nature's music. Cows in pastures. The sound of their bells picks up when rushing water leaves you. The hills are green and soft. Dandelions and wildflowers grow densely where the cows don't graze. The hills are alive.

beautiful accident on a messy day

2010-06-15T14:52:00.002-05:00

A broken bottle of balsamic vinegar in my luggage and a smashed car window. Nice start to my first day back at work. As I rushed down the street at my first assignment of the day, my camera snapped this shot. It knew I needed a little bit of beauty today. Thanks, Mark IV.

rolex learning center

2010-06-09T11:49:00.003-05:00

Amazing place...check it out. My bro Kyle works @ EPFL. If you ever visit, Satellite is a must-visit. Can you say cheap Belgium beer?

swiss sofa

2010-06-09T11:35:00.003-05:00

Rue de l'Ale, Lausanne

Inspired by Bill Keaggy and his book 50 Sad Chairs.

wasp

2010-06-09T11:30:00.001-05:00

I learned that Vespa means wasp in Italian. Cool. Not only does the Vespa look like a wasp, it sounds like one!

"WC publics"

2010-06-09T11:26:00.006-05:00

Lausanne Flon

ciao, italy

2010-06-07T17:47:00.002-05:00

Saying goodbye to Italy was sweeter with a glass of Chianti.

bella

2010-06-07T17:44:00.002-05:00

Shadows on the ferry in harsh afternoon light.

menaggio

2010-06-07T17:42:00.000-05:00

smart

2010-06-07T17:40:00.003-05:00

Small roads = small cars

swiss alps

2010-06-07T17:38:00.002-05:00

Heading through the Simplon Pass from Lausanne, Switzerland to Lake Como, Italy. It was a breathtaking drive. Breathtaking at times because of the beauty, other times because of the fear factor. Fun video to follow.

château de chillon

2010-06-01T16:36:00.003-05:00

Made famous by Lord Byron and The Prisoner of Chillon. Here are the first and the last of its 14 parts.

I

My hair is gray, but not with years,
Nor grew it white
In a single night,
As men's have grown from sudden fears:
My limbs are bow'd, though not with toil,
But rusted with a vile repose,
For they have been a dungeon's spoil,
And mine has been the fate of those
To whom the goodly earth and air
Are bann'd, and barr'd - forbidden fare;
But this was for my father's faith
I suffer'd chains and courted death;
That father perish'd at the stake
For tenets he would not forsake;
And for the same his lineal race
In darkness found a dwelling-place;
We were seven - who now are one,
Six in youth, and one in age,
Finish'd as they had begun,
Proud of Persecution's rage;
One in fire, and two in field,
Their belief with blood have seal'd,
Dying as their father died,
For the God their foes denied;
Three were in a dungeon cast,
Of whom this wreck is left the last.

XIV

It might be months, or years, or days -
I kept no count, I took no note -
I had no hope my eyes to raise,
And clear them of their dreary mote;
At last men came to set me free;
I ask'd not why, and reck'd not where;
It was at length the same to me,
Fetter'd or fetterless to be,
I learn'd to love despair.
And thus when they appear'd at last,
And all my bond aside were cast,
These heavy walls to me had grown
A hermitage - and all my own!
And half I felt as they were come
To tear me from a second home:
With spiders I had friendship made,
And watch'd them in their sullen trade,
Had seen the mice by moonlight play,
And why should I feel less than they?
We were all inmates of one place,
And I, the monarch of each race,
Had power to kill - yet, strange to tell!
In quiet we had learn'd to dwell;
My very chains and I grew friends,
So much a long communion tends
To make us what we are: - even I
Regain'd my freedom with a sigh.

smooth ride, on time

2010-06-01T16:33:00.000-05:00

montreux

2010-06-01T16:27:00.003-05:00

Just an afternoon walk along Lake Geneva to a castle...

lausanne at night

2010-06-01T15:48:00.001-05:00

Chalet Suisse

Chalet Suisse

lausanne

2010-05-31T17:23:00.007-05:00

28 hours and 23 minutes ago I left Vermont bound for JFK. Final destination: Lausanne, Switzerland. After a van ride, two flights, a lovely train ride and an uphill walk, I arrived. As I put my delirious self to bed, I'm still thinking about my souper suisse...rösti! Thanks to the hermanos for playing host and translator : ) What a beautiful place to call home.

À bientôt!

madrid

2010-05-31T17:17:00.000-05:00

shades of spring

2010-05-31T17:13:00.001-05:00

somewhere out there

2010-05-30T07:50:00.003-05:00

Moon + 5D Mark II...I'm in love. No tripod necessary!

night light

2010-05-30T07:45:00.001-05:00

food + drink

2010-05-28T23:49:00.000-05:00

2 hours in nyc

2010-05-28T23:44:00.000-05:00

perú, perú...

2010-05-25T16:42:00.002-05:00

Papa a la Huancaína @ Mango

...thinking of you. Nos vemos pronto.

backyard ribs

2010-05-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

You can't find the best ribs in town in a restaurant.

no looking back

2010-05-24T12:16:00.000-05:00

Thinking of you today.

college days art

2010-05-16T20:46:00.000-05:00

chinese culture days

2010-05-15T13:52:00.001-05:00

You should check 'em out. The New Shanghai Circus will blow you away.

iron beauty

2010-05-14T21:40:00.000-05:00

love is you

2010-05-14T21:39:00.001-05:00

a pint at the pub

2010-05-14T21:36:00.001-05:00

A lovely evening in the neighborhood. Cheers!

pieces

2010-05-14T21:32:00.002-05:00

I wonder where the pieces of my life end up. I throw away old cards, notes and more. Sometimes I rip them up, sometimes I don't. Do they read them in the landfill? Do they make it there? I found pieces of someone today on my walk. Reminded me of Chuck.

first lily of the year

2010-05-14T21:31:00.001-05:00

The most beautiful plant in my yard.

uh oh

2010-05-10T13:01:00.001-05:00

The pad thai was so good that I forgot to photograph it before consuming it. A true testament to its greatness. Thank you, Bangkok!

cottonlike clouds

2010-05-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

chaotic ice cream

2010-05-09T13:30:00.002-05:00

'Twas a lovely CoMo afternoon. Uprise Bakery cookie dough ice cream.

el cinco

2010-05-06T16:48:00.001-05:00

Nothing like a fishbowl full of margarita! (No, I did not drink from the bowl...)

mochi

2010-05-05T11:44:00.003-05:00

Cafe Mochi

Order the Volcano. It's not on the menu, but it's THE BEST.

self-assigned

2010-05-02T13:22:00.003-05:00

Yesterday there was a march and gathering at Kiener Plaza to protest Arizona's immigration crackdown. I was off, but as a person interested in immigration policy in our country, I wanted to be there. So I went with a camera (albeit a point-and-shoot) around my neck and a notepad. I didn't march. I didn't cheer. I didn't hold a sign. I listened.

killing time

2010-05-02T13:10:00.003-05:00

Thai Gai Yang Cafe

The search for magnificent pad thai in St. Louis continues. Nothing comes close to my favorite in Columbia. I'm suddenly excited that I'll be there for the next two weekends!

four eyes

2010-04-29T17:22:00.004-05:00

...are better than two. Thanks, Erik, for taking my original vision (not worth sharing) and morphing it into this better frame. That's what friends are for!

lonely

2010-04-25T23:07:00.000-05:00

country

2010-04-25T23:04:00.002-05:00

Spanish? That's fun.

shhhh

2010-04-24T11:14:00.000-05:00

pieces of home

2010-04-21T00:33:00.005-05:00

From Africa to Springfield, Missouri...home is where you choose to make it. You leave some pieces of yourself behind and choose to take others along for life's journey.

when you give a 3-year-old a camera

2010-04-19T10:21:00.003-05:00

Photos by Lucía

You just might like the result! Let Lucía inspire us all today. Photogs, let's go break some rules.

hecho en casa

2010-04-19T10:02:00.003-05:00

Barbecues are always better with homemade pisco sours. Wait, this was my first homemade pisco sour ever, but it did make the barbecue better, so I guess I'm right. What luck I had this weekend : ) 'Twas a weekend full of delicious food and drink.

flowers for you

2010-04-13T21:38:00.001-05:00

car + wash

2010-04-13T21:33:00.000-05:00

spring streets

2010-04-11T22:44:00.001-05:00

comida nica

2010-04-11T22:39:00.001-05:00

Fritanga

season's first

2010-04-11T22:27:00.001-05:00

$30 steak? For free? Bring it.

37

2010-04-11T14:25:00.001-05:00

yellow umbrella

2010-04-07T23:51:00.000-05:00

joyride?

2010-04-06T13:39:00.001-05:00

bottle + wind = hmmm

2010-04-02T16:10:00.004-05:00

I have an old soda bottle sitting on my bedroom window sill. The other day, a quiet hum startled me. The wind, like a set of pursed lips, played the old bottle. Hmmm....hmmm....hmmm....a fun open window surprise.

evelyn

2010-04-02T15:47:00.000-05:00

More love in St. Louis...

nodak throwback

2010-04-01T22:23:00.001-05:00

Nothing like a Chevy Celebrity with a familiar license plate. Some days I miss you, North Dakota. Stay cool...

spellcheck

2010-03-30T23:00:00.002-05:00

Culinaria didn't win the spelling bee. Ouch. Did you pick up your perscription today? ; ) And who forgot my flowers?

sold

2010-03-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

city museum

2010-03-28T20:43:00.004-05:00

Every time I visit City Museum, I am more in awe of the place. It throws my mind and physical body out of this world. No rules; like being a kid again but without parents. My imagination runs faster than the kids blurring past me. I crawl through holes so small and wiggle through tunnels with my elbows. At some point I feel like a zombie in the commotion. So I stop, sit still.

turkish coffee

2010-03-28T20:39:00.001-05:00

Al Waha

...that will knock you off your feet. Fuerte. Muy fuerte.

moon or martini?

2010-03-27T17:14:00.001-05:00

Do you know where I found this penguin?

the famous bar

2010-03-26T17:02:00.002-05:00

The Famous Bar

full • empty

2010-03-24T20:58:00.000-05:00