Miscellaneous

Tuesday Tip: A Wondrous Photo App

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When I first began this blog I decided that for this medium I wanted my pictures to look natural and in their true form; without a whole lot of juj and bedazzle. This is espcially true for my pictures of food.  Naturally I was curious about what type of camera I should purchase to take the best pictures.  Then I got an iPhone 3G.  Wow! Does it take a good picture.  In fact most of all the pictures I’ve taken on this blog have been with my iPhone.  And I haven’t felt too limited by it.  Maybe this is inexperience but so far so good.  That said, I did want to learn about new ways to shoot and edit with my phone.  So, I took a photography class especially for the iPhone. 

And this is what I learned.  There are a tons of iPhone apps you can purchase to help you shoot, edit and use special effect for that perfect picture.  We studied 10. 

Since class I’ve been playing around with them and quickly have realized that there are a few that I’ll use all the time.  The one that I’m absolutey hooked on is Pro HDR.   Your pictures come out with phenom resolution.  Shooting towards light and getting the backlit dark/light constrast will be a thing of the past.  You only need to touch the screen to take your picture.  And you have the ability to edit and add effects.  You do have to be still when it’s analyzing and taking both pictures (you’ll see how it works).  But you’ll get the hang of it quickly. 

The picture above is the first I took in class. I moved when the 2nd picture was processing.  Therefore, there’s a blurred effect. Then I added the word look.

Above is exactly how the app works.  It takes 2 pictures - one back and one forward, analyzes, processes each and then combines.

It’s a wondrous app and one I recommend for this week’s Tuesday Tip. 

A Good Friend, Coffee, Paper & A Blueberry Scone

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Have I told you yet how much I love the summertime? Come June everything just slows down a bit. Traffic is less tiresome. Neighborhood noises abound with kids voices, lawnmowers, sprinklers, cicadas and dive bomb splashes into the pool. And maybe you can sit down each week and read the New Yorker cover to cover in time for the next weeks edition. Here at Casa de la Pav we enjoy it all plus, what I like to call, the ubiquitous revolving summer door. Where family and friends come, stay, eat, drink and play with us all summer long. Ok, we work too!

So this past week we’ve had some dear friends in from Boston - Max & Shari. Shari and I have been going non-stop. Therefore, even though I have hundreds of recipes “in the vault” , I’ve been racking my brain on what to post for today’s Friday Food Find. So today, we went for a 2-mile run and stopped by Starbucks to pick up a coffee. Since it wasn’t a drive-thru we had to take our sweaty selves in to the counter. We purchased our coffees, The New York Times and a blueberry scone.

Once we situated ourselves outside, sippin’ on our coffee, Shari began reading the Friday movie reviews (aloud as I didn’t have my old girl’s peepers with me) and I dove into the scone. I’ve had Starbucks scones before and they’re pretty good. This one was especially yummers. It was crumbly, lightly sweet, crunchy on the outside and had just the right amount of blueberries. I thoroughly enjoyed it! That said, I probably gained back all the calories lost whilst running. But isn’t it just the best to indulge sometimes? Especially on a great Summertime morning with a good friend over coffee, a paper and a blueberry scone? I think altogether that makes a very good Friday Food Find.

Halloween Decor

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While I wouldn’t say I’m a Halloween lover there are a few things that I do like to keep in fashion around my house, Casa Pav.  And that is the decor that in itself demontrates the holiday.  

When I first began picking up pieces for my Halloween decor I had kids in mind.  My husband and I were working on the “task” of having children and I felt like I should start preparing by buying all sorts of fun holiday decor pieces.  Which goes right in line with my MO; not being too practical.  I was all about the surface decoration rather than the real inside preparedness of having a child.   

Living Room

Sadly, the kid thing didn’t work out for us.  However, the decor did and still does.  It’s sure not a replacement.  But it does make me feel good to have a few designated pieces of Halloween or that which demonstrates it placed around my home.  

Dining Room Table

Each piece has it’s place whether outside or inside.  One of my favorites is the candy corn man that sits outside greeting people when they visit.  Another is the witchy pumpkin cat that sits upon the counter in the guest bathroom.

Guest Bathroom

So, for not having a pure love for Halloween I think I’m doing pretty good.  I keep the decor simple; a little elegant and weirdly somewhat full of smiles.  

Happy Halloween from Casa Pav - sans kids!

Musing on Why I'm Going to a Writer's Retreat

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Today I find myself on a 2-stop airplane ride to a bloggers retreat, http://www.eatwriteretreat.com in Washington, DC.  I decided to attend this retreat for several reasons:

1. I’m committed to growing the blog I already began several years ago.
2. I need to be in contact with other bloggers; to meet them and hear their stories.
3. Find out the future of blogging, specifically for food oriented blogs.
4. Get a clear understanding of how to run a successful blog.
5. To see old friends and make new friends.
6. To write about it.
7. To visit DC & have a hotel room all to myself!

When I first began my thought into blogging (and that’s just what it was) many years ago I was attending another writer’s conference at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, http://www.greenbrier.com/event-detail/symposium-for-Professional-Foodwriters.aspx

I had been a writer and producer in television and for industrial video.  While I had just begun to make some serious money I decided to change careers and moved to the service hospitality industry.  I went to culinary school, worked as a cook in restaurants and catering companies, worked catering sales and eventually became a culinary instructor, a personal chef and boutique caterer.  I ended up putting all these jobs together and building my own business called http://www.cookingbydesign.com.  Proudly, and with the help of my husband, I built a commercial kitchen and business from the ground up.  It was utterly exciting! 

By the time I found my way to The Greenbrier, though, I was ready for a change.  I wanted to bring all my experiences, talents and thoughts together; round it out bringing it all full-circle.  How was I to do that? Cook, write, teach and or lecture?  Well, I found myself intrigued with this new concept of putting your thoughts, experiences, expertise on-line and in your own voice for the mass to see.  At that time it was relatively new, in other words there weren’t thousands of food blogs.  It seemed we were just defining what a food writer was and in course what a food blogger would be? 

I rubbed elbows with some very well-respected cookbook authors, cooks, writers (in every medium) and food bloggers.  One person I met has and will continue to be a true inspiration for what writing a blog (in my mind) is. Her name is Heidi Swanson http://www.101cookbooks.com.  What she said during her presentation really stood out for me.  While I can’t remember her exact words, she said something like, “I began this blog as an outlet to share the things I enjoy,  natural foods and photography. “  Now she is one of the leading food bloggers in the world. 

That was several years ago.  I thought I was ready then but alas I still had to experience some life, not be afraid and believe in myself.  This led to the timely close of my business and a journey which I now embark on beginning with this cross country trip to our nation’s capitol and a writer’s retreat all about food blogging.  Here to writing a food blog!

p.s. this photo was taken by the wonderful Cory Ryan http://www.eyecandyaustin.com