Please forgive the amount of pictures I'm about to share

So with my new lens I haven't been able to keep myself from lugging my camera around and click-click-clicking. I also haven't posted in a few days so we will consider this a multi-post post.

So, I never thought that I would care in the least bit about taking pictures of flowers (much less that I would own flowers). However, I certainly never cease to surprise myself... and as you can tell by the above photo, I have a new hobby... I love how you can manipulate reflection and the contrasting colors and sharpness it's just never-ending. You'll definitely be seeing more of this.

Last one I promise! Isn't it beautiful???

The other night I needed to get out of the building I live in... unfortunately for me it was about 0 degrees and 45mile/hour winds. I could barely hold the camera at all, much less steady. I looked up and saw the moon and tried to take a picture (for my mother) and it took probably a dozen tries before I got one in focus and I absolutely love this picture. I love that you can see the "dark side of the moon" and every time I look at the moon I know that no matter how far away my mom is she will always be looking at the same moon as me.

Sorry for that little anecdote moving right along....

An incredible shot of the downtown skyline!

If you happen to be one of the three people reading this please click on this picture. It is so sharp and one of my favorites that I've taken. You can really see the depth of the photo and I love the bridge and Empire State Building. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do...

Lauren luckily was patient enough to take a walk with me (the long way) to her house... and I just begged to take a picture of her eye! (please don't judge me)

She has the most beautiful eyes. They are icy blue but unlike other people that have similar eyes, think Bradley Cooper, I don't find them distant or cold or anything like that but rather inviting and cheerful. I also like that I replaced her pupil with a reflection of me taking her picture.

On the walk to her boyfriend's work (yes I have posted about this marvelous place before) I realized with all of the quaint stores that I would be living in Brooklyn for as long as possible. Then I made it to D'Amicos my mecca. This is one reason why I have fallen head over heals in love with BK. The atmosphere of this one coffee place sums up what I want in life. Great food (I mean great! and I have pictures to prove it), awesome people, locals, aromatic heaven, and I have to say the best coffee in NYC. Oh yeah, and Zagat agrees with me. I started with a yummy yummy izze pomegranate sparkling drink... oh man.

Bubbly, crisp, tangy, refreshing... oh help me.

There is never a shortage of neat things to discover in this place. I mean, come on, mason jars filled with goodies. How could you not love that?

Dear God,

Thank you for all of the wonderful things that you have provided this world. Above all, this bagel.

Thanks,

X

Probably the best decision I've made in a very long time! I had to take Lauren's lead (as I usually do) and get an everything bagel with cream cheese. That would have been good enough but before I could stop myself I looked up into the glass refrigerator and saw pruciutto. The words came pouring out of my mouth in a flood of babel, "Do you think that maybe, just maybe, I could get that with pruciutto on it?"

And it was too late. I died and went to best-decision-I've-ever-made heaven. The crunchy outside with all those "everything bagel" flavors... garlic, salt, poppy and a smooth doughy inside with soft and spreadable cream cheese and the diva of it all pruciutto! Delicate, moist, flavorful, powerful... oh please take my word for it. I love lox and I would never leave lox for another beautiful meat... but, from time to time I may "accidentally" say pruciutto instead.

Speaking of diva...

Only kidding! This is the only thing that could possibly make this place better. Big smile, big laugh, big personality... and boy do I love it! The hair, the glasses, everything, Joanny just has it.

I'm so sorry I caught you mid-sentence! How could you not love those glasses? I am such a blessed and lucky person to have the life I do. After visiting my new favorite place Lauren and I went back to her apartment.

She was making this awesome "thread tree" on her wall.

I think this is the neatest idea and it looks so great in her studio! Lauren, why are you so cool?

After this wonderful time I decided to try and get how without getting lost, for the first time.

So I passed the park.

Then I realized that I only had to walk down one road to get home. Now I know why Lauren always laughs at me and how I manage to get lost... something about Brooklyn just confuses me.

If you'd like to see more of my pictures please take a look at my flikr

New Lens #2

I have been hanging out with some pretty cool cats... Alyssa and Stephen.

In fact,

They both went with me to purchase my new lens.

(60mm f/2.8... love it!)

Seriously they are amazing... and we always have such a great time together. I spend almost all of my (very limited) free time with them. We eat dinners together, work out together, watch movies all the damn time, and romp around this great city. The day we went to get my lens we actually went on a little errands run together.

Our first priority, starbucks. Alyssa and I ran like crazed lunatics to the sbux on nassau and fulton, it was my oasis. Then we could get on with our very important day... next stop fabric store so Stephen could decide in 10 minutes that he didn't want to get anything.

... Even Elvis was there! Oh wait, not that's just me having fun with Alyssa. I was actually imitating Phil Shane. After a few virgin mango mojitos he swiftly won his place into my heart.

I heart you Phil!

So we just wondered out of this store and conveniently into the money pit, aka Macys on 34th. If you need anything, I literally mean anything, literally... go to this Macys. "Excuse me Ms., where are the domesticated ligers?", "pardon me sir, where did you say the trapezes are?", "eh hm, my friend I need to find a baby blue tuxedo with a bright purple and yellow polka-dot tie... got one?" You catch my drift. We probably walked a total of 50 steps and spent over an hour and way too much money... that's the magic of Macys. So to lick my wallet wounds we left after I got my much needed cologne and Calvin Klein underwear (in all seriousness I never realized how necessary these underwear were... the most comfortable article of clothing I have ever worn in my entire life! ... thank you Alyssa for making me buy them!)

... and went straight to H&M.

The only place WORSE than this Macys! That is the positive influence known as, you guessed it, Stephen and Alyssa.

This is me telling Stephen off... "yeah, that's right Steeeeeve, mind your own freakin' business!" No, I could never be mean to him. Actually I was wondering why someone was being mean to me =/ Luckily I was in the presence of greatness and my worry was quelled immediately.

This concludes this ride. However I will give you a taste of the next day, Valentines day. Also known as the best day ever. Let's just say I'm really happy Presidents day gave me the day off that monday.

My awesome mom sent me a Valentines card and I do not care one bit how old I am, that will always be the best Valentines! Why are moms so freakin' great sometimes?

Thank you Mom, that was so nice of you! And the card was this nifty texture...

Love my life. A lot! ... and so does Stephen.

snow day

dusty ledge
Originally uploaded by cspearinca

Today was a snow day...
more like a blizzard day!

I took this right when I woke up (at 1pm) I love the blurred background and the light dusting of snow...

More pictures and stories to come after I'm finished relaxing

=)

A tree grows in Brooklyn

This is my new favorite picture that I've taken I think. I'm not sure why I love it so much but I think it could have something to do with the way in which it was taken... pretty much dangling my camera out of my window... or maybe that it is the lighting? The crisp air? The character of the crooked tree? Whatever it is, I love it.

I also loved that it snowed out of no where... I really enjoy snow because it seems to make the cold worth it... when it's just cold and there is no snow it's like, what's the point?

The view from my room down this quant little street with soft lights and dusted with snow made for another awesome picture.

Don't you just absolutely love it? Oh yeah, these are all taken with my new camera lens that I'm debating keeping... I'm still not sure. It is an amazing portrait lens and I will prove to you why I love it with people that I love spending time with...

Alyssa!

There are so many other pictures that I've taken of her that are amazing and I'll have to post some more of them.

Steve!

I want a rematch in the boxing ring darn it!

We were at this event where my friend Joe's family brought in some Dominican food that I devoured. Twice. I had to take a picture of Steve with some other friends because I wanted to test the new Depth of Field of this lens. Turns out and can take some pretty great pictures!

I just love how Stephen is hunched over like a caveman eating this delicious food. Is it just me or does every post I have contain some time of food? hmmmmm that's food for thought.

Elise! One of the most positive people I have ever met in my entire life and I hope she remains a friend for a long long time to come. She is so beautiful and just emanates life.

Then there is me. I hate this picture but Javi took it and I think he did such a great job. I love passing off my camera to other people and seeing how they take pictures and I must say he got the Bokeh down!

*more pictures to come*

Helen Saga part... something

So I know Helen visited a long-ass time ago but I've been busy! But here is some more of our adventures together... and I promise this wont disappoint.

It starts with coffee. As it usually does with me...

But I mean, legit, coffee! Freshly roasted and brewed and what-have-you.

We went to Lauren's boyfriend's work and it is this amazingly cute coffee shop "where everybody knows your name".

Dear Jesus, is that you? Am I in Heaven right now?

In case you are wondering who the hoodlum in the back is... it's Jeremy. Lauren's awesome boyfriend that (thank God) works at this establishment.

As you may be able to see in the background, I believe the average age of the clientele would be roughly 87. This is just an estimate.

So I'm going to do a little jump from the "morning" coffee adventure to the evening because the middle of the day is still a little fuzzy for me. All I know is I had a darn good time with Helen making Godly choices... In fact, I'm pretty sure during the mid afternoon we served soup at a homeless shelter... or maybe we built a homeless shelter?

This is Helen in all her classical beauty leaving Lo rida's apartment and I just had to snap a picture! I think emerald green should be Helen's new best friend. I'm just sayin'.

A few days before this incredible day I was watching the Food Network and "the best thing I ever ate" was on. I think it was best... pizza. Anywho, Alex Bourneohadhoiuath (sp?) recommended Five Points. If you are within 2,900 miles of New York City please eat there for dinner tonight!

We started with this blue cheese salad with walnuts and... angel tears.

I'm not sure exactly what made it so good but, it was bangin'!

Oh my lordy just looking at this is making me salivate all over my keyboard.

Oh wait, that was the waiter, Joe. (and yes, I indeed left my phone number on the receipt. Class? Who needs it? Self respect... pishhh).

Notice the cocktails in the background... reason number 3 to go here!

(recap, 1=salad, 2=waiter Joe)

and number 4,5,6..... infinity

Potato Pizza with white truffle oil and fontina.

I would like to have a moment of silence.

Please respect the awesomeness of this work of art.

Helen and I took our sweet time savoring every morsel of the salad, the drinks (ex. Lavender Gimlet), and this Pizza. I was satiated to a point of no return. And even though Joe never called me (I wonder why?) I may just go back and order 7 more of these.

After rolling out of five points we walked to Mad Dogs. Yeah... that was an interesting decision on my part.

We met my other half, Senator Colin. AKA Papi. So I realize that I focused my camera incorrectly but given the circumstances I think I did a pretty swell job! Don't judge me.

After 5 hours of out of body experiences my two worlds officially collided (two of seventy-nine)

And with that... what more could I say?

Complete satisfaction.