Tuesday, December 29, 2009

A girl can dream, can't she?

We've been busy squirelling money away lately to save for a new home. Its all very exciting (for us city dwellers, at least) thinking that we may own our own single family home... wow. we've lived upstairs, downstairs, next to, across from people in all kinds of apartment and condo buildings here in the city. to think we may actually own our own home that isn't attached to anyone else's is all very exciting. so, while we keep saving, i linger occasionally on real estate websites, looking up fun new places.

Most days are pretty much the same. but today was different. Today, i found my dream home. they always say location, location, location.... well, I think this location might just be pretty good.







and, the finishes look pretty nice too, so no renovations there.





i'm pretty sure that i wouldn't mind waking up to the view, either.



(Thanks to Rees Roberts who designed this gem of an interior... its so lovely.)

if you have some time, you can check out casa finisterra ... there are many more lovely images to drool over.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

MGMT

Okay, I thought I'd share another link to one of my recent favorite groups. They've been around for awhile, but I just love some of their songs. They make me want to get up and dance, so I just had to share. And, we've finally gotten our record player replaced over here... so I even have some new records (this being one of them). I love owning records. There is something very retro, but kind of lovely about them... its like taking a trip back in time.
Enjoy the tunes!




Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Happy Holidays!

Wow - its been a long time, hasn't it? Sorry about that. I've been really overwhelmed at work lately. Although I have spent the past two weeks in North Carolina, which would usually mean that I'd enjoy warmer weather than here in Chicago. But, no such luck. I was there earlier this week when the huge snowstorms hit - 6-12" across the state. In Chicago, no big deal really. In North Carolina, this is a BIG deal. A really BIG deal! Our hotel shut down all of its restaurants and bars, which left us exhausted and pretty much starving after our final day on the photo shoot. But, all in all, it was a great trip. And, its always fun to see the models and watch the retouchers take 20-30 pounds off of them on the computer. (if only someone could do that to my photos!)

I'll be putting out a few new posts over the next several days, but did want to send out some happy holiday wishes to everyone. I know its a busy time of year and this year we weren't able to get our Christmas cards out on time. But, I wanted everyone to know that we are thinking of them and wishing them love and friendship. Thank you all for being a part of our lives. We are lucky to have such wonderful friends and family.

Happy Holidays!

Love,
Alexis & Jamey

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Cool Shops

I love to share new Etsy shops when I find them... partly because its a small business and its creative, but also because they have some really cool stuff! I just was introduced to a few new finds and I thought I'd share them with you.

Elemental Threads recycles those old t-shirts that you love, but probably shouldn't wear anymore, into a brand new bag. You can choose one of their already made bags, or even send in a tshirt that you love to be repurposed. How cool is that? most recycled t-shirt bags are a steal too - at only $19

PataPri sells the cutest hand towels and aprons. What great inspiration for the kitchen. Wouldn't it just make you happy to cook if your hand towels all looked like these?!

SilhouetteBlue has the cutest personalized notecards and stationary. Isn't it wonderful when you actually get something in the mail these days? I'm hoping I have a use for these someday soon... because they are just too cute to pass up.

ChromaLab makes the best clocks. I'm not usually a fan of the wall clock... I suppose it reminds me of all those years of school spent staring at the wall clock, willing it to be 3pm. But, these clocks just might make me change my mind!

Bumblebelly Designs has some really fun pillows (plus some really cool other items). I especially love the Old MacDonald series of pillows that say "woof", "cluck", or "quack". Definitely a touch of whimsy.

If you've got any Etsy recommendations, send them along. I'm always on the lookout for new ones to peruse.

Happy shopping!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Great Site for Giving

I just got word about a new site called www.Kiva.org. What an amazing idea - you can help fund a micro-loan to someone around the world. Here's what Kiva says
The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on Kiva, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else.
Check it out sometime when you're in a giving mood.




Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Another special birthday!

I have another special birthday wish to make (I know, all of a sudden, I'm back on the birthday post bandwagon).


Happy birthday to my husband and best friend Jamey! Thanks for everything that you do all year to make things special for family and friends. Here's to another wonderful year (and that special part of the year where you're 2 years older than me -- old man!) and lots of fun surprises. I even found a special birthday tribute that's just your style... I love you! Happy birthday!



I'm stuck traveling this year on Jamey's birthday (boo hoo), so I'm sending him happy thoughts from afar... but for those of you who get this and have a minute... give him a ring and say hello!



Saturday, November 28, 2009

Happy Birthday!

A special shout out to wish our cutie pie nephew a very special birthday. Happy Birthday Roman! We hope you have a fun time celebrating and opening all of your special gifts!



p.s. Auntie Lex & Uncle Jamey will see you in a few weeks when Santa comes... we hope you've been good! :)

I've been bad about doing these birthday posts lately -- sorry, new job stress, I guess. But, I also am WAY overdue on a special birthday message to a great sister-in-law. Happy (overly belated, OMG I can't believe I'm finally posting this I'm so embarassed) belated birthday Sheilagh!


Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Turkey Day!

We're heading off to Ohio later today, but I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We couldn't celebrate Thanksgiving without this song, could we? (plus, its just entertaining to watch this really strange video along with it...) Enjoy!


Sunday, November 22, 2009

Recipe of the Day: Quick & Spicy Tomato Soup

Another great recipe, courtesy of Giada over at the Food Network. We've been making this a lot recently... and its great to have in the freezer for a quick dinner or lunch on the weekends. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
- 3 TBSP olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 26 oz jar marinara sauce (recommended: San Marzano brand)
- 2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth (we use vegetable broth in ours)
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
**you may be tempted to add more, but be careful, this really blows up in the soup
- salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, this usually takes about 5-7 minutes at our house (depending on how large you chop your carrots, it may take longer). Add the jar of marinara sauce, broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve. Goes great with warm crusty bread!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

OMG... Oprah Quits!

I thought something funny was going on when I walked home from work on Thursday night. Several local TV channels were broadcasting from the corner near our house... but, I completely forgot about it when I actually walked in the door (a new job will do that to you).

Then, as I was getting ready for work on Friday, I had CNN on in the background and heard the big news about Oprah. (oh my gosh - she's quitting?!) Of course! Now it was all making sense... So, when I left later that morning, I did a doubletake when I saw the same CNN reporter out front of our apartment, doing a live broadcast. For those of you who don't already know, we live across the street from Oprah's studios. Its always a hubbub of activity in the neighborhood and we have the rare pleasure of seeing armies of midwestern women dolled up for the show, carrying bright green bags from the Oprah store (yes, she even has her own store), and taking photos day and night (literally around the clock) out front of the Oprah sign. Its quite a sight to behold.

Thought I'd share the pic I took on my phone friday morning out front of our apartment. I'm really wishing that I would have run behind her to try to get on camera (hey mom! i'm on CNN! how fun is that?!). ... maybe next time!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Looking forward...

to our visitors this weekend!
hope you enjoy yours too!


Check it Out!

I just found a new blog I'm adding to the links on the page. If you've ever been looking for a cheaper alternative for a special item you've been coveting... this is the blog for you. Check it out here.... A-MAZING!

by the way, if you haven't checked out some of the great blogs here on the right hand side... you're missing out. there is some great inspiration out there!

Enjoy!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

John's making amends...

I'm soooo not a fan of John & Kate (either one, ever... they're both ridiculous... seriously). But, this video is making me laugh ( a little bit...at least).

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Keb Mo at the House of Blues

we just saw keb mo on 11/13 -- and it was a great night! if you're not familiar with keb mo, he's a great blues singer. you can check out his music, background, etc. here. jamey had seen him before at another venue in the city, Old Town School of Folk Music. Definitely a more intimate venue than the HOB, and he played more acoustic. Last night was more of a jam session with the band behind him rocking out. They played a ton of different instruments - ranging from mandolins to steel guitars, to stand up bass, ukelels, and harmonicas. At one point the pianist was playing piano, organ, and a harmonica... all at once. AMAZING! I wish I was that talented...

Thought i'd share a few photos of the evening from my iphone as well as some great videos from You Tube. Though it looks farther thanks to the lousy camera in my iphone, we were actually really close to him -- about 60 feet or so from the stage.



at one point ,women from the crowd jumped onstage and started dancing with the band - kind of hysterical (though some may have taken the sexy dancing a bit far... I'm talking to you sequin dress girl!). here's a funny shot of the moment!







and one of my favorites -- House in California (ah, how I miss CA!). I can't find it on You Tube, but you can listen to it for free here.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Recipe of the Day: Feta-Mint Dip with Yogurt

this is a great appetizer or dip to put out when entertaining. and, its easy to make. just pop most of it into a food processor and you're all set!


Feta-Mint Dip with Yogurt
makes 1 1/4 cups



ingredients:
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 medium scallions, roughly chopped
2 tsp lemon juice

directions:
1. place yogurt in fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth-lined colander set over bowl. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours; discard liquid in bowl below. this should leave you with a very, very thick yogurt consistency.
2. process all ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Transfer dip to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until flavors are blended, at least 1 hour. serve cold with crudites.

* can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days

Saturday, November 14, 2009

monsters of folk

Jamey and I headed to a great concert about a week ago -- the Monsters of Folk. The name is probably pretty misleading... its not folk like most people think of folk. But, it is a great group of artists who have all done their own thing before and finally decided to come together and record an album. The group includes Jim James, Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst and M. Ward. Maybe you're familiar with them, maybe you're not... if you're not, you should definitely check them out.

Admittedly, I had only listened to the album a few times before the concert... I wish I had listened to it even more. Now, after the concert, its really become one of my favorites. The concert was a great evening - definitely check it out if they come to your town. Ours was at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre (an amazing venue if you haven't been there). Its nearly acoustically perfect sound and is incredibly beautiful - perfect for this type of a concert.

I thought I'd include some of their music videos in the post... Enjoy!








and a cover of a My Morning Jacket Song - Golden... for those of you who aren't familiar with MMJ.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Girls Night Out

Sorry for the lack of exciting posts recently. I've been really under the weather and also just started the new job... so things are a bit out of whack. But, I'm settling into the new schedule, so i'm hoping to keep up the blog as usual. I thought I'd put together a few posts of fun things that have happened recently, but may not have made it up here yet due to my new work schedule.

First up... the Gordon & Rees Women's Event. Jamey's office held an event here recently that was put on by the women in the office, for female clients (and a few lucky wives "wink"). They put together a great event held at a local create your own jewelry boutique. We all got to make a beautiful bracelet from the huge selection of beads in the shop.





And, they had a charity that also took part in the event called, Dress for Success. If you haven't heard of them, they are a wonderful group. They help disadvantaged women enter the workforce by providing professional attire, support and career development. We were all asked to bring either a donation of faux pearl jewelry (given to each woman as she embarks upon her career) or cash. Its a nationwide organization, and if your interested, you can find more about them here.



Being the designated amateur photographer, I thought I'd share a few pics from the evening. It was a great night!





Sunday, November 8, 2009

Recipe of the Day: Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub

I thought I'd include a great recipe that we tried recently. We love to grill fish, and this is a really tasty way to make it on the BBQ. Enjoy!


(a pic of our secret spice rub & cedar planks)

Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub


1 (15 x 6 ½ x 3/8-inch) cedar grilling plank
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
¾ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (3pound) center-cut salmon fillet, skinned

1. Immerse and soak plant in water 1 hour or longer, drain.

2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

3. Place plank on grill rack. Grill 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Carefully turn plank over; place fish on charred side of plank. Cover and grill for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Cut fish crosswise into 8 (4 ½ oz) pieces.

* We use this recipe on all sorts of fish and it would probably be great on steak or chicken too. Its also great used in grilled salmon tacos the second day.

Note: Look for cedar planks in gourmet markets or large supermarkets. Or, you can purchase untreated cedar shingles from lumberyards or hardware stores, and have them cut to a specified size.

Yields: 8 servings

Monday, November 2, 2009

Trader Joe Favorites!

I was just recently reintroduced to Trader Joe's by a friend (thanks, Jenny!). She had some tasty treats at her home and made me curious to revisit the store again. I'm so glad that I did! TJ's has become my go to store for almost everything on my list. I do try to buy most of our produce at the farmer's market, but TJ's is a great stop for nearly everything else. I thought I'd share some of our favorite items and see if it inspires anyone else! Feel free to share your faves too. I'm always looking for new items to enjoy.

Trader Joe's White Cheddar corn puffs
(aka Pirate's Booty @ your regular grocery store)
A great light snack low in calories.


Trader Joe's Edamame Hummus
This hummus is actually made from soybeans, not garbanzo beans. It sounds different, but its delicious!



Trader Joe's: Ready to Bake Pizza Dough
We've decided its so much better and more fun to make our own pizzas at home. We can choose the toppings we want, how much we want, etc. Pizza night is one of our new favorite traditions.



Trader Joe's dried fruits: Chile Spiced Mango and Nothing But... Banana
These are great for snacks, especially when you're on the road and carrying around real fruit just isn't an option. TJ's has an amazing array of dried fruits, granolas, etc. I always see something new when I'm in there.


Trader Joe's Frozen Indian Specialties: Garlic Naan
A perfect accompaniment for those evenings when you want to order in Indian Food (or make it yourself). Its really tasty and it saves you money since you don't have to order it with your meal.


Mochi ice cream treats
Most likely, if you've eaten at a sushi restaurant, you've seen these. They are little bites of ice cream wrapped up in a rice dough. There are several different flavors to choose from, we like the coffee and chocloate flavors.



If you have any favorites that you want to share, send them along or post them in the comments section - I always love new ideas!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Recipe of the Day: Spiced Lentil Tacos

I know this recipe may sound a little weird to some of you, but its a great meatless option for mexican night. And, a low cal one at that. We've even shared it with my parents who are big fans of the recipe also. Bon Appetit!




Spiced Lentil Tacos
1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed

1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning (we use low sodium)

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)

2 tsp adobo sauce
8 taco shells or soft taco wraps
1 1/4 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar


Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute.

Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25-30 minutes.


Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl.

Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula.


Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

happy halloween!

i am so excited for halloween this year and let me tell you why.... living in chicago, we never get to do the trick-or-treat thing. we have never been able to hand out candy to cute little kids dressed up in adorable costumes because most of them trick or treat at the storefronts in the popular neighborhoods. they just don't trick or treat in the neighborhoods... maybe its too hard to organize or its too hard to differentiate neighborhoods. but, either way, we've never gotten to sit at our door and hand out candy.

but
, this year, we live in a building that is hosting its own trick or treat event. YAY -- i am thrilled! we've decorated our apartment for halloween and both kids and dogs come by for trick or treating. i can't wait to see the kiddies and some of those cute puppies in little halloween costumes.
i'm hoping to take some fun photos of the night... so those may be posted soon.

happy halloween to you. hope you get lots of great candy!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Recipe of the Day: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

another great fall recipe... this one's a dessert. i'm a bit partial to pumpkin flavor, if you couldn't tell. enjoy!

pumpkin bread pudding
courtesy gourmet magazine, ian knauer
makes 6 servings



ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs plus 1 yolk

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice

pinch of ground cloves

5 cup scubed (1-inch) da
y old baguette or crusty bread
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle.


whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.

toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat.

transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25-30 minutes.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

harry benson recap

i thought i would provide a quick recap from my evening with harry benson and a quick photo of the night. harry benson was very charming and such a pleasure to listen to. he's seen some really amazing things in his lifetime. he took us through a selection of his photographs and told the stories behind them. all, in all, it was a really fun evening.


(isn't my new iphone app cool... it makes pictures into polaroids... i love it!)

a few highlights:

** harry arrived in the US with the beatles and never left. his photographs capture so many moments of beatles history... when lennon said they were more powerful than god, when they met mohammed ali, paul composing at the piano with stella, their arrival in the US.

** i asked him if there was anyone left that he was interested in photographing... he said putin. and maybe the pope... reading the sports page in bed... to humanize him a bit. :)

** he has a great picture of greta garbo, swimming along in antigua when she just happened to float by the boat that he was on with friends.

** elizabeth taylor allowed harry to take photographs of her both pre and post her brain surgery. she really marches to her own drummer doesn't she?

** harry believes that in the world of photographers versus reporters, photographers are able to understand subtle nuances of things that are happening. photographers are also able to get much closer to subjects through their art. reporters are simply 'too busy taking notes to see what's really happening'. he said that while working at the nixon white house, the photographers could see that something was happening within the staff... but the reporters were missing it for the most part.


** he was there when bobby kennedy was shot, at martin luther king's funeral, in somalia at the refugee camps, at the watts riots, in afghanistan with the army, with the ira in ireland, when the berlin wall went up and when it went down, when nixon resigned, with michael jackson on neverland ranch...

what an amazing life.

what a long, strange trip its been!

after months of looking for a job here in Chicago, i'm happy to report that i'm finally starting a new position. (yay!) i'm really excited about the new job, and lucky for me, its even in the city! hooray - a short commute... no more driving out to the 'burbs for work! i'll be leading the marketing efforts for Baker furniture, a division of Kohler, and can't wait to get started.


i'll be starting in early november, so stay tuned for more updates. hooray for "re-employment" and my own paychecks coming in the door again. i missed those little guys an awful lot! :)
(i'm sure my favorite stores did too...)

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Recipe of the Day: Pumpkin Muffins

a great treat for fall and its from the "healthy cooking lady" (as I call her). these are really tasty. bon appetit!


pumpkin muffins
courtesy of ellie krieger



ingredients:
cooking spray
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole grain pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp unsulphered molasses
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds (optional, you could also frost them with cream cheese or something else if you like)

Directions:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray

in a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

in a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. whisk just until combined.

pour the batter into the muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. tap pan on counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. run a knife around the muffins to lossen them and unmold. cool completely on the rack.

Friday, October 16, 2009

peace out

i hope you all have a wonderful weekend. i'm hoping to enjoy some beautiful fall foliage at our friend's wedding this weekend.





Thursday, October 15, 2009

my, oh, my!

i just had to let you all in on a little secret. my husband is the best. seriously, i definitely won the lottery in the husband department. i can't say enough about how great he is. and, yet, he just keeps getting better and better... he's aging like fine wine is what i like to say. (wink)

last night, he showed up for no apparent reason with this:



the amazingly beautiful bracelet that i've been eyeing for months on end... waiting for a sale. i've been scouring ebay for it, only to lose auctions at the last minute. i have been to several stores to try it on, but they are always sold out. somehow, he remembered that i mentioned it one time, awhile ago ... and here it appeared last night. out of the blue. just for me. in a beautifully packaged box with a bright pink ribbon and a lovely card. (sigh). it was wonderful!

hello, cool walls!

just spotted: this great Etsy shop! For those of you who haven't been on Etsy, get there immediately. Its the most amazing assortment of hand crafted jewelry, fashion, artwork, candles, pottery, and designs around. Individual artists/crafters open their own shops and you can buy directly from them through Etsy.

check out my latest find -- Decor Designs. They have the most amazing wall decals. Perfect in any home and even with plenty of cool designs for kids rooms.














i know i'm brainstorming options... maybe you are too?
another cool spot for fun wall decals & decor is Blik. They h
ave a ton of cool designs (including some amazing ones for those of you who have kids - how fun in a kids room?!). Here are a few...


i love this faux headboard...




An Evening with Harry Benson

I'm so excited! Friday night, the Chicago Photography Center (where I took my photography class) is hosting an evening with Harry Benson.



Harry Benson is in his late 70's now and has photographed many famous celebrities and world leaders throughout his life. From The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Janis Joplin to Martin Luther King Jr. to Elizabeth Taylor to Benazir Bhutto to the Clinton's. From Bobby Kennedy's assassination to Hurricane Katrina's aftermath and the falling of the Berlin Wall, his camera has seen it all. He's even photographed every U.S. President from Eisenhower to Barack Obama.

I'm really excited for the event and will certainly provide a quick recap if there is anything fun to share after the event!


If you're interested, NPR did an interview with him and you can listen to it here.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Another Photoshop Nightmare




It looks like Ralph Lauren is now following in Self Magazine's footsteps. Following the Kelly Clarkson/Self Magazine photosh
op "weightloss" flub, and the amount of negative publicity that followed, I can't believe another image like this has surfaced.

In this image, Ralph Lauren edited the model's body to the point where it almost looks deformed. Her head now looks almost as large if not larger than her hips.

She was on tv this morning talking about this
incident (she's also been let go from RL)... she's 5' 10" and 120 pounds -- hardly a heavyweight.



For those of you not familiar with the Kelly Clarkson/Self Magazine photoshop disaster... here's a telling image.



The editors of Self, intensely defended their position and edit job saying:
"Yes, of course we do post-production corrections on our images," Editor-in-Chief Lucy Danziger tells ET. Airbrushing images is an industry standard, and the mag stands behind its decision. "SELF magazine inspires and informs our 6 million readers each month to reach their all around best," Lucy adds. "Kelly Clarkson exudes confidence, and is a great role model for women of all sizes and stages of their life. She works out and is strong and healthy, and our picture shows her confidence and beauty. She literally glows from within. That is the feeling we'd all want to have. We love this cover and we love Kelly Clarkson."
hmmm... i guess they think being her best is about being skinny. yikes! SELF magazine... what is going on here?

SELF's Editor in Chief also put a post on her blog talking more about this issue. Read it here.

interested in learning more about some photoshop editing disasters? click here.


Update: Thought I'd add another dimension to this article. Check out this Glamour magazine blog posting based on the picture below.



and here's the story The Today Show did on her photo: