Leo Carrillo

This last week, was a rough one for Joe and I.  We got through it but it left us a little tired and listless. We needed a break with an injection of fun, stat!  So we decided to take a two day camping excursion amongst the beaches of Leo Carrillo.  We invited two of our closest companions- Jen & Kerem, packed up the car and that was that.   

It was the peace that Joe and I needed and an opportunity to reflect.  Which is why, when we first arrived, we walked.  We walked alone and then we walked together.  We did a lot of walking. 

I was amazed. This beach was not new to me.  I grew up in this area and spent many summer vacations here but I always find something new.  Amongst its rocky shores and shallow pools I always find a new beauty, hidden and waiting to be discovered. 

This literally looked like another planet to me and as it turns out . . . it is.  This rock is the home to hundreds of barnicles.  During low tide they hide within their hard shells in order to protect themselves from birds.  

And in the midst of all this beauty . . . my man, (the most beautiful of all :o)  As I met up with him, we walked some more.  We walked together until the sun went down and then we walked back to our campsite.

And that's where the silly got started, with great friends, a roaring campfire, an amazing assortment of BBQ, humorous stories, and active imaginations- it made for a fantastic evening.

 

This trip was a two day adventure and only twenty minutes away.  It had a tremendous impact. Life is truly what you make of it and Joe and I both came to the conclusion that we must do this more often- get out of the city, reflect, and be silly.  This small trip brought us the silver lining that we needed.

A quick P.S.- C.C. was mentioned in this weeks "Haute Dog of the week."  So I wanted to give a shout out to Justin Rudd, who sponsors the column as well as the Bulldog Beauty Contests each year in Long Beach. Thank you Justin.

A Farewell to C.C.

We still can't believe it . . . we saw her this morning, her happy, crazy, silly self but I'm sorry to say that C.C. is gone.  The vet wasn't entirely sure but they think it was due to heart failure.  She was very close to us, an immediate part of our family and the most caring and giving soul man could ever hope for in a "best-friend."  C.C., wherever you are, we love you.  Your joy lives on in our hearts and we will remember you always.  She had an amazing seven year journey with all of us, for that we are grateful and as we light our candle for her tonight we will focus on all the love she brought with her and all the love she left.

Baby girl . . . so often we laughed together, it's hard to remember that between the tears.  

We love you. -Joe & Jen

Engagement Session with Becca & Raymond

For this couple, good things happen in two's.  Their love affair began within the dramatic walls of a fabulous little theater known as "The Knightsbridge."  Becca saw Raymond in a play there and instantly they became friends.  They were friends for two years before they became lovers and they were lovers for two years before he proposed.  In August of 2007, they stood side by side, on stage, in a Shakespearean production called "Midsummer Nights Dream."  She played Titania to his Oberon and it was during this production, just after curtain call, that Raymond decided to bend on one knee and ask Becca to be his life's companion.  They set the date for their wedding . . . you guessed it, two years later.

I had so much fun with this couple.  They are, hands down, one of the most vibrant, quirky, and colorful couples I have ever had the pleasure of working with.  I don't know who laughed more- them or me!  Their place of choice was the Santa Monica Pier.  So we headed out just before sunset and played.  We played on the sand, we played in the sun, and when our bellies ached from all the laughter, we took it to the arcade.  There was never a dull moment.  

I look forward to shooting (no pun intended) their wedding this May- bring on the belly ache!  . . . because it's like E.E. Cummings once said, "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."