Year of the Dragon: Chinese New Year

I have been wanting to celebrate the Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown (downtown Los Angeles) for some time, but never quite made it out before. I'm so glad this year I was able to. It was a lovely, warm January day. Here are some shots of the parade. If you ever get a chance...Go!

Zugspitze: Quiet in the German Alps - Los Angeles, CA, United States, Travel + Leisure Photo

Zugspitze: Quiet in the German Alps - Los Angeles, CA, United States, Travel + Leisure Photo

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A NEW SITE AND SOME THOUGHTS FOR A NEW YEAR

If you haven't seen my new website, please check it out: Kelly Eubanks Photography. I designed it as well as did all the photography. If you like me on FB and send me an email before January is over, I will offer you discounted design or photo services valid up until May 30th, 2012. May you all have a wonderful journey in 2012. I look forward to all the creativity that lays before us in this new year and may you all live your lives to your fullest potential and achieve your dreams!

Some inspiring quotes to set us all on our journey:

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

-St Francis of Assisi

"All who wander are not lost."

-JRR Tolken

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover"

-Mark Twain

MICHAEL EMERSON: A SHOOT I DID AWHILE AGO

I never posted photos from this shoot I did with for Hollywood to Hollyweird as I had to wait for the images to be released, and then I got busy in my day job, life, etc. So I wanted to finally brag about a really fun shoot I did with talented actor Michael Emerson, director Michael Moutsatsos, and my friend & Videographer David McAbee. Check out the photos on The Michael Emerson Fanpage or on Facebook.

GRAPHIC DESIGN BEGINNINGS + TEENAGE OBSESSIONS

When I was younger I loved making photoshop collages of celebrities, many of whom I had teenage obsessions with. Gwen Stefani/No Doubt was definitely the greatest as you'll see in my earlier post. No different from today's Twihards or the sixties' Beatlemaniacs I needed to express my adoration for these sensorial-talented beauties who inspired me in my youth. Below are some of my earliest, more primitive graphic design & photoshop skills at work as well as a brief look into the brain of an obsessed teenage girl.

A PLACE I CAN ENVISION LIVING: PORTLAND

Like any city, Portland has it's pros and cons, but after my third visit (this time virtually rain free) I have to say I am very smitten. I can envision myself biking to work every day, and am practicing now on the evermore bike-friendlier streets of Los Angeles. I wouldn't mind trying a different restaurant every week and all the unique food trucks scattered around town by the plenty. I foresee myself sipping hot cocoa or coffee at Powell's Hawthorne weekly and walking down my neighborhood streets and taking in all the beautiful gardens that are obviously the pride and joy of their owners! I can envision treasure hunting in thrift stores that thrive on nostalgia. I most definitely can see myself taking many weekend trips to the coast or visiting the beautiful wine country, spending time in the more rural and hospitable parts of Oregon that remind me of my Texan roots. I don't know if I will live in Portland though, as there are many other places I would equally love to live in a heartbeat (most outside the US), and the opportunity has not yet presented itself. So for now I will just admire Portland as a visitor from afar and show you some of the colorful, quirky beauty that enchanted me.

And as a fun additive if you haven't seen Portlandia, it is a great show that takes place in Portland. It starts again in January on IFC. Portland native and Sleater Kinney band member Carrie Brownstien and SNL cast-member Fred Arminsen created and star in this creative comedy series along with many fun guest appearances like Aubrey Plaza and Amy Mann.

NATURE + DESIGN