Washington DC: Party Time

This photo blog post is a little off topic and not really typical for me.  But hey, it's December and I just wanted to share some random photos that I've captured.  Not necessarily any architecture or nature shots.  A few months back, I took a road trip with a few fraternity brothers to surprise our college buddy Josh for his 40th birthday.  It was a very special gathering as the 4 of us are particularly close - a great friendship that has remained strong for over 15 years.  Josh's wife organized the gathering and we ended the night at a warehouse night club that had an 80s rave party.  Great music and awesome friends - that's all you need.

Rome: Highlights of the City (Part 2)

This is a follow-up photo blog post from my vacation in July to Italy.  My sister and I ventured from Venice, to Florence, then on to Rome with a quick stop down to Naples and Pompeii.  The four days in Rome were not enough to really experience the whole city, but we still managed to see a lot.  One of the highlights was a little bar owned by an Italian guy that spent a stint living in Pittsburgh.  The bar was dedicated to Pittsburgh sports teams and PA teams in general -especially the Steelers.  We were welcomed with open arms.

Philadelphia: Solidarity with Paris

This post is a little late but work has been busy.  Earlier this month Paris experienced a horrible tragedy.  The rest of the world mourned with the French and showed their sign of solidarity in one of the simplest ways possible - with light.  As a lighting designer, this had some special meaning; it shows how much impact light has on us - emotional, story-telling, and insightful.  Our firm manages the design we completed for the Avenue of the Arts here in Philadelphia and we programmed a 'Solidarity' show to run in the aftermath of the tragedy.  Below are some shots that I captured of the programming.

Pompeii: Historic Ruins (Part 1)

Although the vacation with my sister was focused on Venice, Florence, and Rome, I really wanted to make a quick visit to Pompeii and Naples.  Naples of course for the only REAL Italian pizza and Pompeii for the historic significance of the city.  I will warn you that mid-July is probably not the best time to visit, but it was still an amazing adventure with Mt Vesuvius ominously in the background.

Rome: Highlights of the City (Part 1)

This is a bit overdue since my Italy travels in July.  Still, better late than never.  My sister I travels started in Venice but we eventually made our way to Rome.  Wow!  What a huge city.  We only spent three days in the city, and I don't think we saw even a fraction of what it has to offer.  Here are a few highlights.

Philadelphia: Exploring the City

Sometimes it can be easy to take your own city for granted.  You pass through the streets and patronize the restaurants and shops, but we don't always stop to appreciate the nuances.  At least once a year I make it a point to rent some really nice camera lenses and set out on foot to explore Philadelphia thru the lens.  This is something that I picked up from my 3 years living in Dallas.  I found it a great way to really get to know the soul of the city.  So, here are some random shots from all around the city - the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River.  

Florence: Highlights of the City (Part 1)

The second stop on our trip through Italy was Florence.  It was a short stop, we spent just 24 hours in the city.  We heard so many great things about the area but time wasn't on our side for this initial trip.  Still, we managed to see quite a few highlights and take in the unique culture.

Venice: Highlights of the City (Part 1)

In July, my sister and I spent 8 days exploring Italy.  It was a great chance to catch up and appreciate some one-on-one time that is so hard to come by as we get older and move apart.  Our first stop in Italy was Venice.  Of all the cities that I visited along the way, I think that I loved this city most.  The lack of cars and all the narrow twisting and narrow streets made it feel very special.