Mackinac Photographers Unite!!!

This weekend is going to be an awesome time to be on Mackinac (I only wish I was there) ... not only is it August, with sunny gorgeous weather for all the usual fun island things to do BUT it is also the 4th Annual Mackinac Island Fudge Festival (complete with Willie Wonka golden ticket contest, a photo exhibition, and of course a lot of fudgie activities).

As part of the festival, for the first time, there is going to be an open air exhibition of island photographers and their more creative works of art. Although I won't be able to be there in person a few of my favorite island images from this past winter will be there---A little bit of cold underneath the hot summer sun.

Saturday, August 23rd
4pm-6pm Art in the Park: A Photographer’s Exhibition-Mackinac Island is home to many award winning photographers. This exhibition is the first of its kind and will take place at Windermere Point with the award winning bluegrass band: Lonesome County, who have been hailed as one of the most diverse and powerful bands in the country.

If you are going to be on the island please swing by, take a look, and support all these amazing photographers. Since it is an exhibition, none of the works of art will be for sale, but if you are interested in any of these 10 x 20 gallery wraps please let me know.

Go have fun on the island for me . . and try to find the golden ticket!!

Love,
A

The island follows me home. . .

I just had to write about this... so I am sitting at my desk this morning. . . and in walks a friend and throws the paper at me... you and that island . . .

Now, look closely .. . yup the LA Times . . yippeee (now my Cali friends will believe that this magical place really does exist)

This past Sunday the Times did a cover story for their travel section on the island. Guess I'm not the only girl in California who loves this place!! I knew it was just a matter of time before Mackinac Fever would be sweeping the nation.

You can read the whole article right here: LA Times Mackinac Island

And for more info on the island: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

Check it out!!

Love,
A

You know your in Michigan when...

So I am now back home in Santa Barbara after ten days in Northern Michigan (my island of course... Mackinac)that included too much to talk about ...so here's just a list and a few pics...

Just a quick overview of my trip...
Over 400 yachts invading Mackinac (100th Anniversary of the Chicago to Mac Race)
2 AMAZING weddings
Fireworks
Several Power outages
Lightening Storms
Gorgeous Rainbows
Sunny days on boats (I just noticed a lot about weather. . . figures that's Michigan)
Biking 8 miles DURING a wedding
Exploring new islands (Drummond) and wedding locations
Shooting one of my favorite hotels (Iroquois Hotel)
A drive over the Mighty Mac (Mackinac Bridge)
A fly over the Mighty Mac (shooting aerial shots... in a very very small plane)
Meeting new people
And spending time with old friends and plenty more...

Here are just a few pics... man I will never stop seeing this place in new and wonderful ways!!

Love,
A

What a day in the Valley!!

I must say after traveling just a short 30 minutes from home for one night, I feel like I've been in another world, another time, another paradise!!

I spent last night in the Santa Ynez Valley... a sunny land of ranches and wine, olive oil and art, . . and even miniature donkeys if you can believe it.

My mom is here for just one more day and so we traveled . .north or east . . .heck I don't know . . over the hills for a relaxing getaway. It was AMAZING. My only request for the day, to not have to look at my watch.

So as we took our time driving through the gorgeous twists and turns of the 154. Mom said to me . . hey by the way I used up all your olive oil . . well, good thing I had heard of this great little spot in Los Olivos (Global Gardens) that does olive oil tastings. Our whole day was like that ... unplanned from start to... well,almost finish . . .(I ALWAYS make a reservation for dinner). From there it was off to a sculpture garden and studio (where artist Blake Rankin tears away at chunks of stone to create beautiful pieces of art). Then is was time for a little "Sol" by the pool and relaxation around the ranch just before dinner . . . (my only planned event of the day) at my favorite favorite Italian restaurant Trattoria Grappolo (where you are always met with a smiling Italian and a kiss on each cheek).

Oh . . the donkeys you ask . . . just another one of the adorable charming parts that make up ranch land. . . take a look

I hope you all find mini adventures and relaxing paradises in your backyards!!

Love,
A

Spring blooms and so does Mackinac...

So here I am at 8am in the morning (Eastern time) after yesterday's two hour drive, 5 hour red-eye, another 4.5 hour drive, and half hour boat ride... I hit "The Island"... (yah!!) .. but then instead of taking a nap like any normal human being would do.. I hit the streets with my camera...

Man I love this place... every season has its reason... and for spring.. its being fresh and new and ready for what's next, whether it's a fresh coat of paint, a new baby flower popping through the ground, or the good ol' local joint opening up from a winter season of hibernation... even the people (my dear dear Mackinac friends) have a new and fresh energy about them... ready for the new possibilities and faces of the upcoming summer..

Over the past year I have officially been on this magical island all four seasons (from 80 degrees of humidity to freezing 7 degrees and everything in between). It is amazing to see how not only the island changes with each degree of difference but so does the wonderful community that makes up this place. Many people only visit this island on a day pass. They see the pretty sites, take the pretty tour, and eat the fudge... but there is so much more... After coming here for almost ten years and having now experienced the middle of winter and the first of spring I see... it's not just the pretty sites and history that make this place so amazing its the people and their hearts that make Mackinac so magical.

To all my dear friends here on the island and to all the residents who make up this place... thank you...

Mackinac is and always will hold a very special place in my heart that always makes me smile...

May all of you find that special place in your hearts as well...

Have a beautiful weekend!

Love,
A

Here are a few of yesterdays' pics of the island getting ready to bloom...
And of course I brought Mom up here for Mother's Day...

A Hike Up a Mountain...

Alright I lied . . .not a hike. . .more like a very very long and winding drive.

This weekend I thought, "ya know, I've lived in Santa Barbara now for seven years and have NEVER seen the wildflowers on Figueroa Mountain.. I think it's time for me to explore." For those of you that don't know Fig Mountain is in the Santa Ynez Valley behind Santa Barbara (think wine country in the movie Sideways).


Now, I didn't quite realize what I was getting into. I pictured a quick little jaunt maybe 20 minutes roundtrip up a hill that would be covered with wildflowers. . .Well an hour later, what I found was a two lane road . . .that turned into a 1 and 1/2 lane road with no centerline . . . that turned into a 1 lane road. . . that turned into a gravel road... that turned into a dirt path (and that was just one way... granted I was shooting the whole way)!!

So there I am in my little old Corolla off-roading up a mountain by myself (probably not the smartest thing, but at least I had phone service ... so don't worry mom). BUT at the top it was completely worth it. . . there were so many beautiful wildflowers. . .and in two of my favorite colors... purple and orange!!

It's so nice sometimes to go out... just me... my camera .... and an adventure!!

May you all find your own personal adventure this week!

Love,
A

Mi Amica . . Mi Italia

Yesterday morning I had my usual "Wednesday Meeting". . . breakfast with G (short for Gianna). This girl is my closest friend in the world (basically my sister and knows all my little secrets). We met at a small school in Michigan, struggled through our turbulent (but crazy fun) years of college together, then realized there's life after college in a great beach town on the central coast of CA... and now ten years later we each have our own crazy lives but make it a point to meet once a week for a breakfast to talk about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness . . . and once in awhile reminisce about days gone by . . . such as our 4 month stint as art students in Italy.

Ahhhh . . Mi Italia--words can't and never will do justice to the emotion I have towards this little country shaped like a boot. There are moments when I step outside my house in the morning and for some really strange reason SB will have the smell of Florence have no idea why (could totally be in my mind) . . . but I love it!!

So, the reason this (Italy) is all is so fresh on mind ---my friend Claire is getting ready for her own travel abroad experience in Florence. I am sooo excited for her, in fact G and I have decided to take Claire out to an Italian dinner (hopefully my favorite place Trattoria Grappolo in the Santa Ynez Valley... yummy). Over dinner I'm sure we'll share all of our favorite little secret stories . . . well maybe not all of them ;)

I returned back to Florence about a year and a half ago to shoot a wedding (my first time back). Here are two pics I shot while there . . I have them both framed and hanging in my living room. They warm my heart everyday. It reminds me of my time as an art student studying abroad and how life has taken me full circle . . . returning me to the place I love, doing the thing I love . . . I never could have imagined then that years later I would return as a photographer!

Hope all the dreams you never could have imagined come true!!

Love,

A

An afternoon in the Haight: Colors, Vintage & Canadians!!

     A couple weeks ago I had to get out of town, get creative and clear my mind.  Whenever this happens San Fran is my destination.  The 5 hour drive in my little Corolla, hair blowing in the wind, and music blaring (good thing no one else is in the car... my voice is not for the pubic to hear) is the best therapy a girl can have.  Plus some of my favorite people in the world live in SF and I always love to visit!

     This particular trip was all about just being in the city: coffee shops, dim sum and the awesome SF vibe.  My great friend Paula decided it would be fun to just wander around the Haight (she's a Vintage queen and I was secretly hoping some of her coolness would rub off on me).  Now, the one thing about the Haight... you never know what you will see.  I grabbed my brand spankin' new wide angle and we started walking.    From the first Vintage shop we stepped into I was in photographic heaven.  I'd never realized how many cool fabrics, colors, and funky people you can run into in these stores.  I loved it!! 

 

     After an hour or two of vintage window shopping (and shooting) it was time for a break.  A classic irish coffee (another SF fav) was calling my name.  While Paula and I sat at a cute irish bar in the middle of Haight we started chatting with three lovely gents... who happened to be from Windsor.  Now being the Michigan girl that I am, I OF COURSE knew where Windsor was (for those of you that don't its the border town across from Detroit).  They on the other hand were surprised to find anyone on the opposite side of the country who knew of their fine land (and were quite excited to chat about it).  Soon after, some guy with a pretty nice camera walks in . . . we exchange glances (checking out each other's equipment, as photographers do) .. and next thing you know we have a New Yorker and his Brazilian Bride joining the party.  From here, our new found posse traveled across the street to a great back patio.  We sat outside as the sun went down and laughed and laughed and laughed.  

     It's an amazing thing when a group of strangers meet for a moment in time and laugh as if you'd all known each other for years . . . kind of gives you hope in the world!!  Thank you my new friends!

And so once again, SF...  you've proved to be my creative muse and inspiration, plus a whole lot of fun!

Love,

A

p.s. Boris, you sure are lucky you didn't drop my camera... 

A little more about me . . . and the places I love

I'd have to say that I am truly a product of my environment... mix together a small midwest town, a magical island with lots of bikes, an obscure Eastern European country, then throw in a west coast paradise . . . and there you have it... Andrejka "girl next door"...

I was born in a small cornfield of a town in the middle of Michigan. From there I traveled north to an island with no cars (but plenty of horses and bikes)... and now I live in paradise... ask me which place is best, I can't say... each has and always will be a significant part of me.

I love my midwest roots... with Slovenian parents to add a twist (hence, Andrejka). This area gave me a deep appreciation for family, simplicity and finding natural beauty in everything, plus the european influence always spiced things up.

Then came Mackinac (from now on referred to as "the island"); the tropical island everyone dreams of ...(only this one forgot about the tropical and got lost in Northern Michigan). This place is more magical and unique then I have space here to write. For some strange reason, this island has attached itself to my heart and will never let go. I discovered this place 8 years ago while running an art gallery for the extremely talented Marlee Brown at the Grand Hotel... every since I've been returning what is beyond a normal amount. Last year I took the 2 hour drive, 2 plane rides, another 2 hour drive, and 30 min boat ride from SB (just for the weekend I might add) ... 10 times. . . and still every time I step off that boat dock I get butterflies in my stomach.

And finally, my home . .. Santa Barbara, California (aka paradise) . . . what can I say . . . it's the American Riviera . . . it may be expensive as all get out but man, ... we got the mountains, we got the ocean, we got great weather, we got great people, and we got GREAT grocery stores (you'd understand if you grew up in the midwest) . . . plus it is one of ... if not the ... top location for a destination wedding ... a great place for a photographer ;)

Love,

A