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Okay, not counting prom attire (which clearly is always top notch) and graduation cap & gowns (because what's more special than a cap and gown?)- these are my favorite outfits my clients choice for their sessions, in no particular order...  Courtney chose this flowy, sheer champagne-pink dress that worked perfectly with both her skin tones and the location. The beach is almost always windy, so a structured ensemble just doesn't move like a flowy, loose fabric. Her outfit choice allowed me to know exactly how I wanted to edit my skies-- bring out those creamy pink tones. So in love with the results!  Not to be biased, since Kelly is my daughter, but I love this outfit in this setting! Kelly is an artist with a unique fashion style & loves patterned "bowling" style shirts. With such a patterned top, we needed a plain, neutral, urban background. This top level of the Old St. Augustine parking garage gave us the perfect backdrop. This outfit wouldn't work as well in a woodsy setting, but it's perfect in an urban area. If your style is bold, choose your location with your wardrobe in mind!
Lucy brought so many cute outfits, but these two are my favorites. For beachy casual, you can't go wrong with a crocheted tank! It adds so much texture & the tassels added some playful movement. The colors complement her golden tan skin perfectly, and her accessories are spot on for that beach-hippie vibe! Of course she had to sport her cheer uniform, too. I love capturing seniors in their various uniforms. I know they bring in the big company to photograph teams, but there's nothing like a natural light option for your uniform images.  Again, not to be biased because two of my kids are Knights, but David's shirt change during this session was so fun. He clearly also likes the bold patterned button-ups, so it was the perfect way to advertise his school of choice after graduation. I encourage seniors to add some college flair to their sessions, whether it be their clothing, a pennant, an acceptance letter, etc.  Okay, this is a cheat because this image comes from a family session, and she was a recent college grad. But I wanted to show an example of shiny clothing. I love a pop of shine-- satin, silk, even leather or vinyl can all give some shine to your outfit. Do be careful with these fabrics that tend to hold wrinkles & steam them prior to your session, storing on a hanger on the way to the session. Also note how the jewel tone teal complements her skin and hair. If you're not sure what color season you are, you can find a consultant, app, or even just pay attention to what you're wearing when people give you a lot of compliments.
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Once you book with me, I will send you this PDF to print and guide you as your prepare for your session. My goal is to reflect YOU and your personality rather than you fit MY aesthetic. That said, I'm here to help you make the best wardrobe choices possible to flatter your skin tones, the location, the vibe-- all while making sure you feel comfortable and like yourself.  
Day 4, Friday: still not the greatest sleep, because for some reason, Ry has become a snorer. Or maybe I just sleep through it at home with my medicine. Whatever the case, I’m just grateful that my body has risen to the challenge of operating on less sleep. I won’t go into great detail of the rest of this trip, because the solo part is over. And that was the main feat and challenge for myself. The highlights: we finished that fried green tomato sandwich for breakfast, & it was tasty even cold. We got to hit both the NC History Museum and the Science Museum, with some electric scootering to the Beer Garden in between– I was really tense and fearful at first, riding an electric scooter with no helmet along hilly city sidewalks- but I did it & got to find & photograph all the murals on my list. And, get this miracle, I found a beer I like! Okay, it was a cider. But I found it at the Beer Garden ;) Rhize Up from Bull City Ciderworks, a spiced/herbed/hopped cider. If you’re not a beer girl but going to the Raleigh Beer Garden, I highly recommend that one.
https://theraleighbeergarden.com
I also made a dinner reservation weeks in advance for Tamasha Modern Indian near our hotel, so we got dressed up for that & celebrated our 28th anniversary again. We got the Tandoori Paneer Tikka (really delicious) for our appetizer, as well as some garlic naan with mint chutney (my favorite!), and for entrees, the Yellow Tail Red Snapper Coastal Curry (which was incredible!) and the Butter Chicken (which was solid but the smoked tomatoes somehow made it taste a bit like Chef Boyardee ravioli, so it wasn’t my favorite butter chicken I’ve ever had). I tried a new white wine, a Torrontés from Argentina, and it paired well with both entrees. Finished the day with an evening walk & some more Olympics watching.
https://tamashanc.com
Day 3, Thursday: I regretted it with the crazy dreams again (I was informed I was some secret government operative and my memory had been wiped but now I was mid-assignment and had to listen to a bugged call & hyjinxes ensued & then I was told to eat a magic mushroom to wipe my memories again- the most intense dream I’ve had in awhile, it felt so real). And waking up in a toxic sweat. I hate those. I went into DNRS mode half-asleep: I am safe inside my body. I am safe inside my body. I am safe inside my body. When the muscle twitching began, I silently said, stop stop stop. Just stop. This is a strange way to live, harnessing my Jedi mind tricks as a way to manage and mitigate ITs (aka symptoms). But it works pretty well for the most part. Embracing my witchcraft, I drank some electrolytes and got ready for the day whilst watching some Olympics of course- today men’s beach volleyball. USA was in the lead when I left.
I headed first to Oakwood Cemetery, as a friend who lives here (but wasn’t here to meet up) recommended it. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but I came across some plein air painters and decided to explore the area they were inspired to paint. I enjoyed the views of the city from here, the old tombstones, the shady crape myrtle trees blossomed in hues of pink, and playful birds. Twas a beautiful, hilly cemetery with a lot of history.
Next I ventured to the old state capitol building. I helped an older gentleman and his son figure out the parking pay meter, already an expert after yesterday. Suddenly, the loudest smash of metal as two cars collided at that intersection. We all jumped. I could feel my adrenaline on overdrive and took some deep breaths to calm my nervous system. You’d think I was the one in the accident. Why am I like this? Empathy can be a burden. I was grateful the drivers were okay & that it wasn’t me, of course. I walked a few blocks to the Capitol and realized they gave inside tours. Anything to escape the heat! Plus, I’m such a governerd now- it was fantastic to get my own personal tour guide. It turned out to be the highlight of my day. So many brain tingles and goosebumps hearing the stories.
Afterwards, I strolled the mall between the two museums there. And I finally got my sunflower pictures outside the history museum. My parking was on a time limit or I would’ve enjoyed the museum. Instead I soaked up some AC for a few minutes then headed back to my car to drive to my lunch spot: Morgan Street Food Hall. Where I settled on… more tacos, lol! I guess I’m a taco girl. Everything else just sounded too hot or heavy.
https://downtownraleigh.org/go/morgan-street-food-hall
I was so excited for my next stop: CAM modern art museum. When I planned my itinerary, it said it was open on Thursdays. In fact, after walking there anyway after Google maps informed me they were closed, I saw on the door Open Thursdays. Liars. I was bummed because it was the perfect solo activity, as no one else I know enjoys modern art like I do. It’s not that all modern art is amazing. Some of it is indeed not to be taken seriously— a black-painted canvas? C’mon. But usually there’s something that moves me or makes my brain explode a little, and that’s what I’m hunting for. It’s kinda like thrift-shopping. You gotta sort through the junk to find the treasures. Alas, all I could do was stare inside. And take some photos of the nearby murals. I slid into the Urban Outfitters for an AC break, pretended I could actually pull off any of their mini-skirts and lacey halters, and came across Monchhichis, a classic stuffed animal toy from my childhood that I had completely forgotten about until now. I didn’t realize they were still being made. Further proof of my argument that my generation is the best one.
Time to head back toward my car, with a stop inside the hipster neighborhood market. I noticed the coffee bar and waited for the employee hype meeting to finish for an employee to come take my order. For the first time ever, I had to explain what an iced dirty chai latte was– very unexpected at the hipster store! He bragged that they made their chai special in-house, so I expressed my excitement to try it as he poured it from a pitcher. One sip, and I knew it’d be a struggle to finish it. It tasted like soil. I sat at a table they had inside the shop by the wine aisle, journaled my morning while taking small sips of my drink, trying my best in case the employee looked over to see how much I loved it. I’m such a people-pleaser. I realized as I left, I could try adding a packet of raw sugar. That helped some, but then my paper straw had begun disintegrating- I had taken so long to drink it. I slid into the back entrance of Morgan Street Food Hall, found a plastic straw, and managed a few more sips of my soil-sugar chai latte. I appreciate the efforts being made to make a more environmentally-friendly straw. But the paper straw just ain’t it.
I got back to my car & decided I still had some energy, so I ventured back to the NC Museum of Art with the intent of riding a bike around the sculpture loop. I was proud of myself. I had just spent a couple weeks fighting off my daughter’s Covid, exacerbated by my FL allergies, and feeling defeated by fatigue. Now, here I was, drenched in sweat and eager to go on a bike ride in what now was a “feels like” 108 degrees! I read the instructions for procuring a bike, went to the website, plugged in all my info, opted for the Pay As You Go, and… spinning. I tried again. No deal. Sweat poured down my neck. Should I give up? No, try another way. So then I downloaded the app and tried inputting all the info again. You know the drill: name, date of birth, life story, billing info. This time, I was rejected. I didn’t qualify to use these bikes.
Clearly, my dreams of a bike ride were not to be this day. Instead, I walked to the West building, as the day prior, Buffy and I had only explored the East building. As I approached the building, I wanted to photograph the text on the window, but I suddenly felt a sting on my left arm. Then another and another! I was wearing a flowy sleeve and began shaking it out like a mad woman. Had a bee gotten trapped and stung me multiple times? Was it some insect that stung when it bit? I couldn’t find the perpetrator, and after vigorous shaking of my sleeve, it appeared to be gone. So I went inside, saw the young men at the front desk and asked if they had a first aid kit. They were bored and happy to help, offering me an alcohol wipe, an ice pack, & multiple band-aids. The alcohol wipe luckily took out the sting & the ice pack brought down the swelling, and I was able to hold it to the back of my neck too. I looked a sight, walking around, taking in the art, holding an ice pack to various parts of my body to cool down. But I was thrilled to realize this building had some modern art! All’s well that ends well! Sadly I only had an hour to enjoy it before closing time of 5 pm. The outside heat had calmed a couple degrees, so I decided to walk the sculpture loop, cutting across to save some steps. It really was a cool sight, and I was grateful for the energy that got me to this point. I made my way back to my car, turned on the miraculous AC, and figured out where to get some much-needed sustenance. I finally decided on Village Deli & Grill at Lake Boone Trail.
My final meal eating solo, & I ordered the fried green tomato BLT with sweet potato fries. It sounded uniquely southern and a twist on the usual BLT. Boy did I make the right choice! Not a healthy choice, in fact, I could feel my arteries clogging as I ate, but for a unique, flavorful, filling sandwich- it hit the spot. The pimiento cheese oozed out. The fried green tomatoes were thick & crisp, the Ciabatta bread easy to chew and didn’t scrape the roof of my mouth (always a fear when ordering any BLT). I could barely finish half the sandwich. I knew Ry would love it, so I boxed up the rest, grateful for a fridge in our hotel room. The owner, or whom I presume to be the owner, noticed me photographing my meal with my Nikon and asked if I was a food blogger. I wish! I did explain that I was solo-adventuring while my husband was on a work trip, eating my way through Raleigh and that I would indeed be blogging for my personal enjoyment. I asked if I could take a picture of him to include in my blog, and he happily obliged (see slideshow below).
As I drove back to the hotel, tummy full and arteries clogged, I basked in simple happiness. In DNRS, a lesson we are taught is to Relish the Mundane. I set out to do that during my trip. Every interaction I had with humans that day was good and kind and wholesome. We really do need to interact more with one another in these simple, everyday ways. I had missed that, living a couch-ridden life. Maybe it’s Raleigh. The areas I chose to explore. But everyone was just nice. The vibe was chill, even on the congested freeway. Maybe it was my own sense of constant gratitude for being up for this trip. Whatever it was, I relished it.
https://villagedeli.net/village-deli-and-grill-locations-lake-boone-trail
Day 2, Wednesday: Despite the previous long day & a heavy meal and alcohol & a good hotel bed, I struggled to fall asleep without my usual medicine. I finally found myself dreaming strange dreams & eventually awoke with a super fun Charley horse in my left calf. Dumb me forgot to pack my magnesium foam. I may tell myself I’m healed and living my life fully- but truth is Lyme did some damage, maybe long-term, most especially with my muscles & magnesium uptake skills. So I do need to be proactive, & I usually am. Lesson learned. Don’t get cocky. Be confident. But not cocky. And be prepared. Embrace my high maintenance-ness. Packing light is overrated. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to start this day, as I hadn’t planned the tightest itinerary. I contemplated hitting the fitness center but then realized I needed to get out there. Raleigh was in a heat wave, & the day wasn’t getting any cooler. And I wanted to visit the Sunflower fields and the Rose Garden, the first of which turned out to not be in bloom. Still, the butterfly gardens juxtaposed with views of downtown Raleigh were lovely, the shaded hammocks a welcome surprise. I immediately parked myself in the hammock of my choice— I had the whole place to myself for the first ten minutes— and just soaked in the natural beauty around me. Birds of the Raleigh variety sang their songs, crows cawed, bees buzzed, butterflies zipped from aster to zinnia. The heat began to creep up and hit me. I headed back to my rental Cadillac’s amazing AC whilst repeating, “I am healthy and living my life”. This is the brain retraining life. I’ve realized that even though I had arrived, I needed upkeep. My new neural pathways were still babies. I needed to keep growing them.
Onto the rose garden, a quick drive back through NC State territory, which put on a show for me indeed. So many roses in bloom, an enormous bouquet of varieties, and I captured them with my camera so I could remember them all. I sat on a memorial bench beneath a tall, draped evergreen & took it all in. Someday there will be a memorial bench for me. I’ve got a few ideas of where. But I like to think I can live on and be a spot of respite for someone who needs a soft place to land.  Two gardens in the 95 degree sunshine called for an iced dirty chai latte, so I found the hippest coffee shop just a few minutes away, managed acquiring street parking, feeding the modern meter, and basking in the air conditioning of Global Village. Also needed lunch so I ordered the spinach feta danish, tasty but that spinach stuck to my front two teeth like a Titanic survivor clinging to a raft. Grateful I didn’t smile at anyone before checking my teeth in the unisex bathroom mirror- also noticed my eyebrows had gone haywire in the heat. This is a pitfall of solo day tripping— who is looking out for the spinach in between your teeth or the state of your eyebrows? Time to bring back the compact mirror I guess, although I guess that’s been replaced by the selfie camera.  Refreshed, teeth all clear, I reached my car precisely at expiry time- a feat most satisfying- and plugged the next stop into Google maps: NC Museum of Art, where I had planned to meet my long-distance friend Buffy. I haven’t seen her in a couple years, but we picked up right where we left off. Our friendship is of that variety. I value her deeply, as she gives me what I crave: deep, meaningful, thought-provoking conversation and the best, most honest words of affirmation. I tried to balance taking in the art while tending to our conversation. I’m sure I skimped on my fullest attention to the art, but that’s okay. Hours passed so easily.  Finally it was time to part. I felt both lighter and fuller having had that time with her. Had it not been so hot and my belly so hungry, I would’ve snagged an available bike to ride the loop of sculptures. Next time. I drove back through rush hour traffic, rested at the room, then ventured to my second solo dinner at a bar, this time at Stir right across the street. I tried to eat blackened fish tacos as gracefully as possible & failed terribly & didn’t care. I was just happy to be in air conditioning, observing the busy hustle of the bartenders, and eating yummy food. I can’t underline enough how hot it was– even though I’m a FL girl. It was cooler back home! Plus, we have the beach to cool off. I learned that I couldn’t swim in any of the local lakes, so I nixed my SUP idea.  Afterwards, I strolled the North Hills shops on this side by our hotel, photographing more murals. I ambled down to the green (an area of astroturf with a small stage and tiered concrete seating) & honored my inner child by hitting the Kilwin’s chocolate shop. Have I mentioned how hilly Raleigh is? Not San Fran hilly, but definitely hillier than this FL girl is used to, and my Charley horse calf began to ache & remind me of this morning. I made my way back to the hotel to meet Ry and even more colleagues at the rooftop bar. I imbibed one glass of moscato. One.    Hello, and welcome to my first ever blog post on my photography website. Once upon a time, I had a hiking blog on my former fitness website-- alas, I have let that lapse as my health journey shifted my entire life, I relocated to a new state, and I switched gears. If you're new here, let me catch you up. I contracted Lyme disease while doing my first ever photo session back in CT in 2017. It's been a 7-year roller coaster of remissions, relapses, multiple treatments, all while striving to maintain and grow in my new photography career. Both were slow-going. I'm finally in a better place on both fronts after adding Dynamic Neural Retraining System to my healing regimen. Part of this brain-healing program is Incremental Training, whether it be fitness goals, mental health goals, life goals. My chronic Lyme journey gave me a lot of PTSD, causing me to withdraw from life. To get my life back, I had to start with baby steps: go to the grocery store, join a book club, take on more photography clients. Then I visualized traveling with my family to Europe & made that a reality! The next goal: travel solo somewhere new.
That leads us to this blog post. My husband recently had a work trip to Raleigh, NC. And I joined him, doing my own thing for the bulk of the time. This was a personal challenge that only those who've suffered chronic illness trauma can understand WHY it was challenge. Just know, there's a lot healthy normative people take for granted-- the ability to drive & navigate, to eat food beyond saltine crackers, to walk without requiring many breaks. Suffice it to say, this was a big deal. So without further ado... Tuesday: We arrived to Raleigh in the afternoon, settled into the hotel and immediately took a nap! Those quick flights, up-down in a short time span, always do a number on my brain and sinuses. It was hard to leave the bed, with the AC blasting and the mattress so comfortable, and the comforter so heavy and snuggly. But I hyped myself up and reminded myself that I had an itinerary to stick to, and this was a test, an Incremental Training challenge that I was giving myself, and I had something to prove. So I headed out by foot to the nearby shops, in the 95° heat with my camera bag across me and my water bottle in hand. First feat: cross 6 lanes of traffic with a 10-second crosswalk! I immediately realized most of these North Hills shops were way out of my price range— $300 for a single blouse?! But I did find one boutique that had a $300 dress on sale for $30, so I bought it just because it was 90% off, & it would be a crime against frugality if I didn’t. I then began my quest for the mural I knew would be in this shopping area and ventured upon Quail Ridge bookstore. As I entered, the waft of new books filled my nostrils with joy, and I strolled the aisles of the bookstore, bouncing from subject to subject, interested in all the things. The bookstore made me feel inspired, and I settled into the welcoming nook of comfy wingback chairs to jot down some of my thoughts. I felt like I ought to buy something, for all the inspiration this bookstore brought me, so I scanned the birthday cards section. Bookshops always have the cleverest cards. Then I made my way to the mural. I felt silly taking out my Nikon, so I snapped a few iPhone pics, even a couple timer self-portraits, ignoring any awareness of passersby. Next stop: dinner at Coquette’s! Never mind that I just ate some French food a few days ago. No such thing as too much French food, especially while the Paris Olympics were going on. I sat at the bar to not look too much like a loser, alone at a table. But is alone at a bar much worse? At least I got fast service. I ordered the chicken paillard salad for the toasted pistachios of course and a glass of Sauvignon blanc that paired perfectly with my meal. The pistachio vinaigrette was perfection. Everything just tastes better when you’re not battling nausea. Fact. I’d catch myself humming pleasurably whilst eating. I’d eat, then type. The bartender probably thought I was a food blogger, especially after I pulled out my Nikon for photos. That isn’t a bad goal actually. I’m still a lightweight & struggled with one glass of white wine. I’d sneak sips of water and eat more bread and butter to dampen the effects— at least I think it helps. Side note: I wasn’t the only woman alone at the bar. Two different women did the same. Independent, strong women, I’m sure :) After my struggle finishing one glass of wine, I wasn’t ready when Ry told me to come up to the rooftop bar and meet his colleagues, an aperol spritz ready for me. I was proud of myself for socializing with strangers, giving it the good ol’ Christy charm I used to possess, trying it back on like a coat I haven’t worn in several years and not sure it still fits. Luckily I have a husband who metabolizes alcohol like a champ, & he drank the bulk of my spritz for me. |
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