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On Location: Spend the Day Painting a Mask in Venice, Italy
Whenever Carnevale di Venezia time comes around, I always think of the great experience my family and I had in Venice painting our own mask. It was our first trip to Venice, and although we were going to be there during the summer, I could not get the lore of the magical masks worn at Carnival time out of my mind. Before we left on our trip, I did a few searches and was excited to find a place called Ca’Macana in the heart of Venice where they conducted educational classes and mask making workshops. Ca’Macana is one of the oldest mask making workshops in Venice and has a rich tradition of…
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Wanderlust Bookclub: Travel to the Jungles of New Guinea in Lily King’s Euphoria
It’s the early 1930’s and you are on a small canoe paddling alone through the jungles of the Sepik River in New Guinea in search of a native tribe you plan to observe. Some of the tribes in this area of the world are notorious head hunters, and most have never seen outsiders before. Now this is definitely adventure travel! Euphoria, by Lily King is loosely based on the early 20th century anthropologist Margaret Mead and her relationship with her first and second husband. The story follows anthropologists Nell Stone and her Australian husband Fen into the jungles of New Guinea (now Papua New Guinea) to research and observe native tribes and discover the details of their cultures that…
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Culture: Food – Cioppino A San Franciscan American-Italian Fish Stew
Although San Francisco is typically known for it’s incredible cracked Dungeness crab and sourdough bread, there’s another San Franciscan original that shouldn’t be missed – Cioppino, a delicious stew filled with the catch of the day swimming in a flavorful tomato based broth. Cioppino is said to have been originally created by Italian fishermen (mostly from Genoa) who settled in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. It is said to have first been made on the boats for the fishermen to eat while out at sea, but quickly became a staple in the growing number of Italian restaurants in the area. Cioppino can still be found on many menus…
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Culture: Provencal Garden Inspiration
The smell of sweet lavender, the sound of tiny pebbles crunching beneath your sandals, the taste of chilled Rosé wine… I have such fond memories of lounging away warm summer afternoons in the Provençal garden of my parent’s mas they rented in St. Remy de Provence. We had many outdoor meals at their stone table (covered in Provençal fabric), and enjoyed cooling down from the blistering summer sun in their cerulean blue pool. The garden was by no means overly manicured, in fact it oozed with that carefree charm Provence is so well known for: the random stone pot planted with lavender, an ochre urn bursting with sun ripe tomatoes, an old olive…
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Culture: Spiritual – Discovering Traditions at a Shinto Shrine in Japan
Like many travelers, I find one of the best parts about exploring a new country is learning something new. Experiencing new traditions, religions, ceremonies, and rituals can not only be educational but also a perfect way to reflect on my own culture’s traditions and perhaps bring some new insight home with me. Before traveling to Japan, I did not know anything about the indigenous Shinto religion, the largest religion in Japan practiced by nearly 80% of the population. I was aware of the many shrines I was told to visit, but did not know of the varied rituals that take place within a Shinto shrine (jinja.) Fortunately, I was lucky to be toured through some…
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On Location: Exploring Stateline North Lake Tahoe
Stateline North Lake Tahoe is one of my favorites spots on Earth! I’ve been vacationing summers and winters here since I was a tiny baby. I even lived at Lake Tahoe for 2 years and worked as a designer just inches from where this map depicts. Many come to visit Lake Tahoe and only visit South Shore (the more built up and commercial side of the Lake.) Although South Shore Lake Tahoe offers great attractions, the North Shore should not be missed. This side of the lake is filled with old Tahoe charm, incredible beaches, natural hot springs and even old fashioned casinos reminiscent of the 1950’s. Below is an itinerary…
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Culture: A World of Flavors – Irish Pickling Spice Mix Recipe
The art of pickling foods has been around for over 4000 years. The process has been instrumental in history by providing a way to preserve foods for longer periods of time yet also gives rich flavors to otherwise common foods. This cooking method allows for meats and/or vegetables to be eaten on long journeys. This was especially common during sea exploring days and/or times of war. During both World Wars, corned (or salted) beef that was then pickled was very popular because of both meat rationing and long months at sea. Corned Beef made in Ireland was heavily traded from the 1600’s through the 1800’s. It was a high priced exported commodity that ironically not…
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Art on the Go: Art School – Line Weight
Experimenting with line weights in your sketching can open up a world of possibilities to your drawings. There’s something quite clean and straightforward about a line drawing that is created using one single line weight. It’s one of my favorite go-to styles when creating a travel sketch. But playing with different line weights can also allow for a whole host of effects (subtle or bold) to enhance that same sketch. So, how does one achieve a varied line weight in a drawing. Well, it’s quite simple. You can use varied weight pens, or a brush pen. Just as pencils have many different types of lead that vary in softness (that change…
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Type+Place: A Free Font Inspired by Ireland
I’ve been working on a few projects lately where I would love to use a Celtic inspired font. In the spirit of creating something everyday, instead of downloading one of the many on the internet, I decided to create my own. The wide lettering and calligraphic elements were fun to draw. Below is a sample of the font I created used in a famous Irish toast. Such a wonderful saying! Here is a sample of the font. Feel free to download it on iFontMaker’s website and be sure to use it on for your next Irish inspired project.
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On Location: Experience Italy – 10 Creative Adventures to Discover the Essence of Italy
Seeing the top tourist sites when traveling to a country is definitely important, but it is not the only way to experience a new destination. I love the idea of living creatively by traveling creatively as well. Trying out new things, tasting new foods, learning a cultural tradition, these are all things I seek out when exploring a new locale. Below is a list of 10 creative adventures to help you explore Italy beyond visiting the famous Roman Colosseum or Leaning Tower of Pisa. 10 Creative Adventures to Discover the Essence of Italy 1. Shoot photos on the streets of Milan and spot the latest fashion trends. Pretend to be…
