1500 Miles + 5 days = Road Trip to various places in Canada

My friends, Matt & Marcella do a big road trip every year and try to gather their friends to join them in on the adventure... The past few years they haven't been as successful getting people to join, until now!  

Thursday, August 20th, Matt, Marcella, Alyssa, and I piled into Matt's Tahoe with their pup, Dixie, and headed to Canada. 

North Thompson River Provincial Park, Pocahontas campground in Jasper

Due to the many miles that needed to be covered there was a lot of sight-seeing done through the car windows.  Along with great music, yummy snacks, stories shared, fingers pointing, and the counting of waterfalls....it was picture perfect! 

A day of Waterfalls!

Athabasca Falls (above) Sunwapta Falls (bellow)

After a wonderful day driving and all the sight seeing we arrived to Lake Louise campground to set up camp for the night.  

Our last two days were hijacked by smoke from local forest fires.  The visibility was low, and the air quality was slim to none.  So, we arrived at our campground in the Okanogan Region early and set up camp. Smoke aside, the last night of camp was a blast!

Bromley Rock

Ended our last night with games and doodling in the air.

Till next time' thanks for the memories and wonderful memories! 

Jenni & James Wedding {Nashville}

It is hard for me to put into words how special it was to be the photographer for this wedding.  Jenni and I have been friends for over a decade, and she was one of my bridesmaids in my wedding.  To return the favor by being a part of her wedding day was such a blessing.  

Seeing the love these two share through my lens, was so inspiring. I hope these images do their wedding festivities justice- because it was picture perfect from start to finish!

To Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell !  I think you have an incredible love.   Wishing you the best!

Love you guys. 

The day before the wedding we gathered family at Historical Cedarwood to take some pre-wedding family shots.  This was the prefect opportunity for us to explore the grounds at this amazing venue and just have fun together!

                                                                                                                          The future Mr. & Mrs.

The joining of families

The Big Day is here!  

Due to rain..."good luck showers" we had to move the ceremony to the tent.  A quick regrouping- but just as beautiful!

One of my favorite parts at the reception is the time when those who love you stand up and share stores & blessings for you and your partner. 

Patio Feature : Seattle Magazine

Again, this summer I was asked by Seattle Magazine, to capture some images for their Patio Feature.  In the process of shooting the list for 'outdoor dining', I got to meet some wonderful people, see stunning views of my city, and revisit some restaurants I have had the pleasure of shooting in the past.  It is always an honor to be a part of Seattle Magazine and stay in the loop in the restaurant world!

For those of you that love outside dining, this list is for you!  Enjoy

 The Best Outdoor Dining

Westward & Little Gull

Rays

Terra Plata

Six Seven

Manolin

Marination Ma Kai

Brimmer & Heeltap

The Pink Door

Sorrento Hotel

Whale Wins & Joule

The Hollywood Tavern

Agua Verde Cafe

Uneeda Burger

On the Road for 1 month

From mid-December to mid-January was spent on the road with my wee-little family... this post highlights some of our adventures and beautiful areas that were explored during that time.

 My husband had just left his job to focus on his music, and my work had slowed down due to the holiday's ... so we decided to hit the road and drive coast to coast.

After visiting Arches National Park, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, random coffee shops in passing cities, Vegas, Colorado, and our family on the East Coast & Midwest, we had to start heading back home!  

Due to the bitter cold we endured in WI we decided to hit the coast on the way back to Seattle.  What was a couple extra days at this point?!?  

Hello California  

We found this adorable little motel in LA.

After spending a day in LA and Venice Beach we drove to Palm Dessert to visit my Grandfather.  We ended up staying with him for two nights, and took a day trip to Joshua Tree before hitting up HWY 101 to Seattle!

Joshua Tree

HWY 101 and Big Sur never disappoint! 

Then we enjoyed our last sunset on the road and finished our drive home.  It was such an amazing month full of so much exploring, seeing family & friends, and new discoveries.  I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to be able to leave for a month and be on the road!  It's where I feel most alive. 

Resources :

When tackling a long trip like this I love to do some research. I found that the app RoadTrippers was especially useful and fun to use as well various articles showcasing highlights when planning out your route. Check out Your RV Lifestyle for some tips!

Best Restaurants : Seattle Magazine

Over the last few years I have had the pleasure of contributing to the Best Restaurant's issue for Seattle Magazine.  

As April approaches I get very excited to see what establishments I will be documenting and food dishes I will be discovering.  Without a doubt I end up with a list of places I wish to return and dine at.  

Here is the list of the Best New Restaurants of Seattle, April 2015.  

Damn The Weather

Single Shot

Trove

Taylor Shellfish

Trend We Love

1. Fishy Fish : Mashiko
2. House-churned butter : BottleHouse
3. Ramen : Hokkaido
4. Yogurt : Sitka & Spruce
5. Over-the-top, High-end Burgers : Loulay
6. Growler-filling Stations : Beer Junction

Manolin

Bourbon & Bones

Lark / Bitter Raw

Dough Zone

Pizzeria Gabbiano

Mammoth Sandwich

{In the running}  Stateside