this is samimi-extremie

HERE'S TO LONGING #43

2012-01-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

[#43]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

and the geraniums were outta sight // israel film shots part II

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

there are times when i go back home to israel when the geraniums aren't in full bloom, they're just little guys, still beautiful and vibrant red but not crazy electric red as they were this winter. i mean, it was pretty unreal, how red those outrageously stunning flowers were. my brother at one point, commented, "i mean, lay, they are so red your eye cannot even focus on them for too long or make them out", which then quickly spiraled in to me teasing na'im that he was going to go blind if he kept looking at them, etc. etc. [trust me -- we are quite the comedy duo].

here are some 35mm shots [part II of my israel film shots] that i just got developed and they are not photoshopped. that is how red they were, and even redder, as we all know that film photography kinda mutes the colors a bit...

this collection of photographs really mean a lot to me and i hold them really close to my heart. for all the obvious reasons: the Baha'i Holy Places; my beloved family; 35mm film, etc. etc. but these are really special to me, i think the color and the mood that was captured in these shots was soooo accurate that i feel as though i am transported back there just by looking at the photos. i mean, like, really transported back. it is strange. and awesome. i also feel that the photos are able to humbly capture the "other worldliness" of the Baha'i Holy Gardens, at least for me, and for my experience [which is what's important, anyway, right? when one is trying to document their life, it is most important that it make sense to the creator/documentor...right, am i right??].

without further ado, here they are, in all their ________________.

all of us dudes.

that's my sister, sitting there on the stairs of the terrace!

i love how my sister's tights match the sky. ahhhh.

dougie fresh

one of my favorite shots of all time.

this post is dedicated to my sister, for she was a large part of my inspiration for these shots.
*israel film shots part III+ coming soon.

so it is official!!!

2012-01-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

and yes, it is officially one of my favorite days in the past year: i finally purchased laylisamimi.com and will be building a proper [and bodacious] photography website!!! I'M SO EXCITED!! like, i'm soooo excited and happy.

and it feels so good to be taking these crucial steps to take my art [and craft] seriously. like, sooooo good. and so right. i remember always loving photography, like, since i was 11. and then i remember telling myself, "layli, you really just need to take your love for photography seriously. i mean, you love it so much that you should honor that love and be serious about it." none of this "dabbling" anymore. none of this "wishywashy-ness" about the things i love. and why can't i do something that makes me so happy? a wise friend told me that things that come easy to us as individuals [that we have a true talent in], things that bring us joy, comfort, lightness, happiness and ease, are the things that we are meant to dedicate our time on.

you guys should try it. take something that you've always loved and tell yourself that you are going to fully commit to it - take it serious and give it the respect and honor it deserves.

>> TWO THUMBS WAYYYY UP! :D

HERE'S TO LONGING #42

2012-01-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

[#42]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

israel film shots // part I

2012-01-19T20:48:00.000-08:00

i just got back from the Holy Land and it was soooooo refreshing and rejuvenating to be with my family [minus my older brother and his cute family]. i feel so blessed to be able to be in Israel for a month and to have such an amazingly close-knit, hilarious and creative family. i shot five rolls of 35mm film; i'll be posting throughout the next couple of days. i hope your winter break [if you had one] was super fun and filled with laughter and quality family time.

oh man

2012-01-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

hahahaha!
adrien brody & willem dafoe walking the prada show:

via my grrl shaads:

i love this photo -
willem on the catwalk?? HAHAHAH! he's such a character!

looking slick gentlemen!!

my niece

2012-01-17T22:16:00.000-08:00

is all sass ALL the time. she's a three year old bundle of feisty energy and comedy. this is the latest and greatest story told by her mother, mo:

Me: Elsa, get down right now! (climbing into the babies crib)

Elsa: Mom, if you say that word to me again, I'm putting you right in your bed. (Hands on hips - big sigh). Geez, you are frustrating me! (walks away shaking her head)

man, i miss this kid.

HERE'S TO LONGING #41

2012-01-13T00:38:00.000-08:00

[#41]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

what crazy cocktail

2012-01-10T01:18:00.000-08:00

i was flipping through newsweek this morning to pass the time and i found a "rare jewel".

what do you get when you combine humanitarian & service work with high fashion that promotes greed, privilege and narcissism?

this hilarious, ironic & nonsensical louis vitton ad featuring angelina jolie on a "boat" in cambodia :

note: i don't dislike angelina jolie or the work and service she has provided to the world. but this ad? now, this ad, dear readers, is beyond hilarious/ridiculous.

and again the clouds were beckoning & the sky was supplicating.

2012-01-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

/// so blessed to have a home in Israel

HERE'S TO LONGING #40

2012-01-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

[#40]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

// sidebar: if it weren't for my sweet sister who reminds me weekly, you would not be getting these HERE'S TO LONGING posts every friday - i think israel has made me forget everything about dates and days of the week and numbers and years and solar systems and interweb punctuality. so, cheers to her!

israel shotz

2012-01-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

so we've been in israel for quite some time now. and i have taken millions of photographs. i love my family so much. i honestly have more fun with them than anyone else in the whole wide world. here are some of the my recent favorites.

happy new year.

he totally bit me. not kidding.

HERE'S TO LONGING #39

2011-12-31T02:58:00.000-08:00

[#39]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

// sorry it's a day late, ya'll...i'm in israel drinking too much coffee and eating too much hommos.

and about Wounded Knee...

2011-12-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

shot i took of the Wounded Knee memorial site on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD.

i would humbly like to remind every dear reader about the anniversary of the Wounded Knee Massacre. december 29, 1890 was the day that at least 300 of our Lakota brothers and sisters were brutally slaughtered.

From my Master's thesis:

The Native American people’s history in the Black Hills is one that is equally tragic and courageous. History records the calamitous Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 when “at least 300 unarmed Lakota women, children, and men were ruthlessly butchered by American soldiers” (Valandra, 2005) on what is now the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, just two hours southeast of Rapid City. As Yellow Horse Brave Heart (2000) recounts,

“Wounded Knee Massacre has reverberated through the hearts and minds of Lakota people,” constantly reminding the Native people of the genocide and ethnic cleansing that took place.

the mass grave

my dear friend, Andrew Ironshell posted this great video of Johnny Cash visiting the especially powerful Wounded Knee and he sings his song called "Big Foot":

if you are not familiar and properly acquainted with the history of Wounded Knee, i suggest you get educated in this tragic, unjust, shameful part of our American history.

please take the time to pass this on, and educate others about this day in history.

2011-12-24T13:24:00.000-08:00

HERE'S TO LONGING #38

2011-12-24T07:15:00.000-08:00

[#38]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

// sorry it's a day late, ya'll...i'm in israel hanging with the homies and totally spaced it until my sister reminded me.

if only

2011-12-20T13:09:00.001-08:00

i celebrated christmas.i mean, come ON, LOOK AT THIS BODUM-BEAUTY [!!!]:

found here.

HERE'S TO LONGING #37

2011-12-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

[#37]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

// happy friday ya'll.

the holy land for one month.

2011-12-13T21:48:00.000-08:00

we're going to the holy land for a month to see my family. my brother & his wife are coming from beijing and my sister is coming from brooklyn. its going to be amazing. but three amazing babies and my dear brother jorma and sister in law mo are going to be sorely missed.

the last time baktash and i were in israel together was 2008. this is going to be epic.

yet another reality check - and an important one at that.

2011-12-10T19:48:00.001-08:00

"Be not the slave of your moods, but their master. But if you are so angry, so depressed and so sore that your spirit cannot find deliverance and peace even in prayer, then quickly go and give some pleasure to someone lowly or sorrowful, or to a guilty or innocent sufferer! Sacrifice yourself, your talent, your time, your rest to another, to one who has to bear a heavier load than you -- and your unhappy mood will dissolve into a blessed, contented submission to God."
-Abdul'-Baha

serving others is the key to life. some days i feel down and out, as we all do. and if i were to just remember this quote and this beautiful trailer from occupylove.org i think i'd feel better. its like a reality check. i think once i am reminded that our purpose here is to serve others and gain deeper connections with our human family, i feel more remarkable, more powerful.

my dear friend kya sent me this video clip recently and the trailer was so powerful. it really moved me emotionally. not enough people are speaking out about love, connection, unity & peace. most don't feel comfortable engaging in such topics of dialogue. it's not cool, its too "airy fairy", too vulnerable, etc. f that.
this is the meat of the earth,
this is the anchor of our souls,
this is the light & joy on the chaotic sea.
this is the truth in the silence.

what a powerful message!

these are some of my favorite quotes:

"its really hard to create community if the underlying knowledge is that we don't need each other..."

"joint consumption doesn't create intimacy, only joint creativity and gifts create intimacy and connection. "

"love is the expansion of the self to include the other."

"the heart wants us to be of service."

"the lover knows that more for you is more for me too. if you love somebody, their happiness is your happiness, their pain is your pain...love is the expansion of the self to include the other."

thank you, kya for knowing the language of my soul. this video's message is why i am a peacebuilder. why i got my masters in conflict transformation.

let's never forget to reach out and extend our hearts to people who need love, offer a sincere smile or a conversation to a lonely stranger, hug your loved ones extra long and extra hard, listen to someone's pain and love with all our hearts, unapologetically.

what were some of your favorite quotes?

// for more on the man speaking during this trailer, go to his website here [interesting dude].

HERE'S TO LONGING #36

2011-12-09T11:58:00.001-08:00

[#36]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

// happy friday ya'll.

*do you read HERE'S TO LONGING every friday? if so, i'd love to hear about it in the comments section below!

kristen

2011-12-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

i just had to share with you these strikingly beautiful [if i do say so myself] photos of kristen. i met her about a year ago in LA and she is the loveliest girl and quickly becoming one of my favorite angelenos. we had a blast and may i just say that i love my job as a photographer??

the photos are here to prove it! [and i don't even have the film developed yet!]

kristen and i had a ball.

if you or someone you know needs family and/or individual portraits, i'm your gal.

i do photo shoots for families, individuals, bands, production companies & creative groups. i would love to shoot you [with a camera]! pass it on.

email me --> laylisamimi[at]gmail.com

THREE TINGS

2011-12-03T00:01:00.001-08:00

1 // anything TED related i love. thanks to my dear friend Rox, when TEDxWomen came to Beverly Hills, us 2 lucky suckers gots to go [mega sweetness/radness inducing]:

2. this quote by Abdu'l-Baha is out of this world amazing. like, can i carve this in to my door, so every time i leave my house, this is the last words i see???:

"Havepatience - wait, but do not sit idle; work while you are waiting; smile while youare wearied with monotony; be firm while everything around you is being shaken;be joyous while the ugly face of despair grins at you; speak aloud while themalevolent forces of the nether world try to crush your mind; be valiant andcourageous while men all around you are cringing with fear and cowardice."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in Star of the West)

3 // this daniel johnston cover by beach house:

p.s. oh one more thing -- i did an AMAZING photoshoot today in malibu with a beautiful, dear friend who kicks some serious butt in los angeles. photos/sneak peeks soon.

HERE'S TO LONGING #35

2011-12-02T09:32:00.001-08:00

[#35]

photography by layli samimi and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

// happy friday ya'll.

trunks of vintage memories.

2011-11-28T21:00:00.001-08:00

my grandfather is in the front of the photo

my grandparents are amazing. and i wish so badly that i knew them when these photos were taken. some times we take life and age for granted. once they were as young as me and my siblings and they did things we do now. what i wouldn't give to be able to share a cup of coffee with my grandparents when they were my age and have a real sweet heart-to-heart about things. my Moore grandparents are still alive and i love to ask them stories about their lives, cos they weren't always my grandparents. like they used to ride horses with their buddies. they're badass.

HERE'S TO LONGING #34

2011-11-25T08:53:00.001-08:00

[#34]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

happy friday, ya'll. i don't know about you guys but we're going up the california coast with my baby sister. #sofreakinpumped

on sisters.

2011-11-22T13:32:00.001-08:00

my dearest sister towfigh and i have long talked about this notion of sisters, in fact, she was the one who introduced me to this "name" for your loved ladies in your life. i have since adopted this title for myself, in my life and it make so much sense.

lovely towfigh was visiting in LA this past week, she left yesterday, and it was super hard for me to have her leave, tearing at my heartstrings, and it really struck me again. as it does every time i see one of my sisters. upon reflection, i know how lucky i am, how humbled i am, how happy i am, and how on earth was i lucky enough to have so many strong, amazing, powerful, beautiful, hilarious, intelligent, creative women in my life.

i can honestly say with all conviction -- if i didn't have them in my life, i wouldn't have the support that i have, i wouldn't be as strong as i am, i wouldn't feel as loved as i do.

i don't know how many of you have powerful intimate relationships with your women [and men]. i don't know how many of you share your deepest thoughts & feelings, pain & fear, successes & failures with them. but i encourage each of you, to push yourself a bit farther, dig in a bit deeper, explore the capacity of true friendship, and when you are able to lead with your vulnerability, let your guard down, express the unspoken and engage your loved ones in your truth, your fear, your light -- that to me, is what TRUE friendship is, what TRUE family is - those that will love you unconditionally, goofy or sad, angry or joyfully confident. and always be there to listen and encourage.

i just wanted to write in so many words, about how touched and moved i am by the love i feel for my sisters. and i wanted to share with you these stop-my-breath-heart-racingly BEAUTIFUL portraits, in hopes that their power & radiance will rub off on you, too.

and how lucky am i? i get to see this beautiful baby sister tomorrow. in LA. i'm speechless and excited beyond belief:

lash samimi aazami adventures part 2

2011-11-21T00:35:00.001-08:00

as you may have noticed, my dear friend ryan came to visit from the congo last week and we shot one million photographs. i know you'll get overwhelmed by the amount of photographs i post about our trip, so i will share the part by part. here is part II, part I was the part that i posted below with the 35mm photos.

i have been wanting to shoot in our loved living room since we moved in, and what better opportunity then when ryan can be a part of the photoshoot and take radtastic photos. here are [a lot] of my favorites:

sorry...

2011-11-20T00:00:00.001-08:00

...but what the hell is going on with american apparel??


ummm, what "classic guy" is he?!?

HAHHAHAHAHA!
yep. they've officially lost it.

HERE'S TO LONGING #32

2011-11-18T08:41:00.001-08:00

[#32]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

the slickness of the sickness.

2011-11-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

when my dearest friend, ryan lash comes to visit me, there is no end in sight with the number of photos we take. this trip, we shot with my fuji instax cam, my 2 35mm cams and his glorious DSLR. here are some of the best shots from one of the rolls of film. i love how dark they are, and how they really captured the mood of the day when we were out in malibu. it was magical. and we saw 100+ dolphins. i ain't lyin'.

this one and the one below are some of the best of the roll, in my opinion.

one of the faves of lasher.

possibly my favorite shot in a long while.

hey little guy!

haunting & creepy. just the way we like to shoot.

best seat IN THE WORLD.

my father knows the way of my heart.

2011-11-15T11:41:00.000-08:00

my father sent this to me today saying, "this is very cool, thought of you". well, i watched the entire video, and was so deeply moved by it. i don't believe there is anything more powerful and fascinating than individuals speaking their truth, sharing their intimate thoughts on what REALLY means anything in this world. i am so over surface interactions and shallow obligations. if only all of my conversations could be of great meaning, reaching a deeper understanding and a shared connection [i'm working on it ;)].
WISDOM Trailer from Andrew Zuckerman Studio on Vimeo.

HERE'S TO LONGING #31

2011-11-11T10:11:00.001-08:00

[#31]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

epic for a couple reasons.

2011-11-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

here are some 35mm shots i just got developed. they are epic for a number of reasons. i feel as if the photos themselves are quite epic, meaning, the scale, the place - how the cops were chasing after baktash and i when we were standing on the roof/railing of the griffith observatory. but the main reason that these photos are epic is because - in the next couple of months, i'll be welcoming my fourth - FOURTH [!!!] beloved sister in to my life and family. her name is fiona and i love her very much. i am beyond ecstatic for her and my brother in law bobby. these photos summarize my excitement and grand scale awesomeness that i feel about these two becoming married. aren't these SICK photos?!?!?

day trip to santa barbara with fiona & bobby

the lovely engaged couple!

possibly my favorite shot of them.

cute dudes!!

i love how fiona's hair is blowing in the wind here. so cute!

bobby has his shirt off in this one, you just can't tell. lucky or unlucky?? hmmm

the baybeez. love this one of us.

the security cops saw us standing there and came to hunt us down. needless to say, we escaped. [we're so EXTREMEE!!]

lay loves fi.

damn copycats. hhahahaha!

i am over the moon to have fiona in our lives, she is the PERFECT addition!! all love.

good way to start your monday.

2011-11-06T23:50:00.000-08:00

one of my ultimate favorite holgaroid shots i've ever shot. amanda in malibu. the shot is perfection for me.

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this."
—
Henry David Thoreau

HERE'S TO LONGING #30.

2011-11-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

[#30]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

a year and two days ago, i shot this photograph. a year and two days ago, i had to say goodbye to my favorite tree, my favorite field, my sacred space. it was so damn hard to let go and leave. i had spent so much time in that field, during sunny days displayed in the photo above, on rainy, stormy, windy days...i long for this spot, for this feeling. and crazy how its been almost exactly one year since i said goodbye to south dakota.

i can't believe it's been 30 weeks already kids. dang.happy friday, ya'll.

and who says fall doesn't exist in los angeles?

2011-11-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

so i know it's pretty easy for all of you out there, not in southern california, to believe that there is no such thing as fall here. well, them is fighting words. well, not really- it is definitely more subtle and having it be 85* yesterday is a total stretch for a good ol' apple chomping, leaf stompin', banjo playin' [wait--does that actually happen?? ah yes, vermont] fall for sure.

i went on one of my favorite hikes the other day and was literally oohing and aaahing to myself about the beauty of the land changing and the plants transforming in to rich and pastel colors, a palate of colors so beautifully subtle, yet so striking in the golden light. so i swore to myself i wouldn't let this go by without coming back and shooting it the next day. so i did just that. i felt funny at first, like those nerdy photographers with their huge, long, telephoto/macro lenses literally 2 inches from the flower, you know the ones...with the huge hats that have those long 3 flaps on each side, that look like they should be in the sahara, fighting off sand and wind? and the khaki cargo shorts with loads of things on the belt & black socks? ha! IF ONLY that were actually me, i think i'd have died and went to weird, awesome heaven.

but anywaysssss -- i got out there, with my camera and my hiking boots and shot the heck outta this mountain. it was such a blast, and i felt so excited and wonderful, challenging my eye to see things that it normally sees, but doesn't pay much attention to; i've never shot a full-on nature series like this before, and let me tell you, to mix it up - felt exhilarating!! sometimes i feel i am desperate here in LA to find the solitude and peace that nature so graciously offers, and i feel that you sometimes have to realllly go looking for it. i so believe i was channeling my father in this series, as he loves shooting nature and the intracies of the earth. i only wished he could have been there with me, shooting along side me, being still and quiet, as if they were hushing to us to pay attention and keep watch. it was all so glorious and i am so proud and happy with this piece that i made about four days ago.

i hope you enjoy it and for those of you that hate on LA and say things like, "ohhhhh but i neeeeeed four seasonssss, doesn't it get borrrringgg???" [come on, who are you fooling, with our endless sunshine and beach weather all year round?] -- take a look at this and then tell me i'm lyin'.

you can click on the image to make it larger...

i will be doing one for each season, so stay tuned for the others!

on another note, baktash and i DIED at how amazing this movie was. go watch it.

inspiration for the week.

2011-11-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

i've loved nikki mcclure for years and this isn't the first time i've blogged her work. well, ever since i lived in olympia. so for about 10 years now. there is something about her artwork that really strikes a chord with me; her simple, yet deep reminders to getting back to what is important - getting back to our center. and she would agree with me [and you can see so obviously from her art] that to do this we must exist in nature, live in nature, listen to nature...

yesterday i was referred to an old post on my blog from a reader. it dated back to about a year and a half ago. then i just started reading a lot of my older posts, much as one would do when going through old journals, right? well, i did this and realized what a STARK contrast my life is like here in LA as opposed to south dakota. let's face it. most of you have seen and told me - "it was basically you, or you and your husband in a field, with NOTHING else in sight for MILES AND MILES". yep that was it. and also, "i NEVER would have pictured you in los angeles, layli, never. ever". and it hit me last night -- that while i love LA [and i do], there is something totally lacking in my spirit in terms of this longing, this yearning to be back to a basic way of life, where the quality is ramped up and the life is more simple. there is something so powerful about having a lot of time on your hands to go explore the outdoors, well also frankly, cos there's not much else to do.

i know, in some ways, i sound like an indivudual who is careful to not fall in to the trap of "the grass is always greener"...and frankly, i don't know if that belief/saying applies to me, as i've moved SOOOOO many times in the last 10 years. honestly, i can't even count. i know that this simpler, richer life is possible to a great extent. some of my best friends still live in alaska and really live off the land and sea as much as possible - totally badass.

when i saw this image from her 2012 calendar, i almost died.

she does such an amazing job capturing life in the pacific northwest and the culture of huddling around bonfires till late in the night, in awe of your natural surroundings. there is something so rich and deep about being with your buddies around a fire, on a cold beach somewhere, with nothing to do but visit, laugh, be silent together, looking at the stars, skipping stones, hunting for phosphorescence. and in the later months of the year in alaska, you are extremely blessed to see [and maybe even HEAR] the northern lights dancing above you.

i've always loved hearing about artists' creative/working processes. and this video interview is also really great, i love her simple, yet profound messages/beliefs regarding the self and nature.

Nikki McClure by Dicky Dahl from PatCastaldo on Vimeo.

see all of her work here. and purchase a print or poster or a wall calendar [i've purchased one every year for 4 years]. it'll cheer up your house, for sure.

some delicious treats for your sunday.

2011-10-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

life has been so beautiful lately - from the hot pink fall leaves to the inviting, lonely beaches, i am so happy that i was able to capture some of our recent life on 35mm. i just got a roll developed and these are some of my favorites. i love the delicious colors in these shots, they are so happy and vibrant.

HERE'S TO LONGING #29

2011-10-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

[#29]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

happy friday, ya'll.

wha???

2011-10-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

dude. i'm sorry. i didn't have to grow up in a logging town in southeast alaska to think this photograph is FREAKIN' AMAAAZZZZINNNGGGGG. [i want this in my house -- HUGE].

LISH has officially been rebranded just in time for the holiday season!

2011-10-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

hello dear readers!

i am beyond excited to roll out the re-branding of my beloved jewelry company, LISH. i spent a long time, using really exceptional style & design consultants to come up with this exciting, fresh new look.

here is the lookbook for the holiday season and on to the new year of 2012. i am really excited about changing the branding, particularly because LISH originated from my absolute love and respect for my natural surroundings; i was constantly trying to bring it with me everywhere i went. i wanted to get back to that original source and inspiration with the new look. over the years i have collected stones, rocks, shells, beach glass and wood from my most sacred natural spaces in the world. and since all my LISH designs are inspired by those places, why not have the jewelry and the natural elements coexisting in the photographs? it makes SO much sense to me, and really resonates with the true purpose of LISH -- which is to allow beautiful, lovely women of all ages, shapes and sizes to be able to bring the sacred natural spaces - in which we all cherish - into a timeless, bold fashion statement piece. that way, you can carry [the sacredness] with you everywhere.

you will notice on my online store, that now in the description of each unique design, i have also included the "healing properties" of each of these one of a kind, striking gemstones. i am really excited about this as well - combining my love for healing, nature and fashion all in one. this is what i hope you too, can gleam from the re-branding of LISH. and i would LOVE if you could please give me your feedback, support and pass this on to those that haven't been introduced to LISH! honestly, jewelry makes THE best gifts!

and i also want to take this opportunity to thank all of those that have supported LISH over the SIX [!!!] years its been in business!! your support and dedication to my work has been humbling and flattering, to say the least.

without further ado, here they are, in all their glory:

voice truth

haleh

rose attar

black stealth

dig deep

night arrest

her intention

her intention - side

into the green

cool as ice

the rival

thane

the feisty one

the pioneer

night arrest II

gray ice water

please go to www.lish.etsy.com to see all the latest and greatest designs for sale -- all re-branded & fresh! i think you'll love the change to the shop!

more will be rolling out here in the next 2 weeks, so please stay tuned, check back here and follow LISH on at www.facebook.com/lish.jewelry for updates, insider news & new designs!

HERE'S TO LONGING #28

2011-10-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

[#28]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

happy friday, ya'll.

happiness

2011-10-19T11:12:00.001-07:00

...is receiving the publication I hunted for for a flippin' month.

behold the beauty.

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soul sundays

2011-10-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

i've really been digging oprah and her new life web classes that are airing every night on her site at 6pm. every night she has a new "expert" on her show to talk about hard issues, life issues, things we all struggle with. it has been really educational and refreshing for me.

with so much garbage out there right now, it is so damn hard to find anything that is of SUBSTANCE any more. that is one reason i haven't ever owned a television, nor had one in my house [with the exception of the world cup where my husband just camped out by the TV the entire month].

you might already know this, but i think that self growth, progression and awareness in life are K-E-Y. and i am always finding cool new ways to dive within, and wonderful people to engage with and learn from.

it is no wonder that my dear friend, golriz and her husband devon are creative geniuses. they wrote a book with rainn wilson called "soul pancake" and have been exploring and engaging others in "life's big questions" for a while now. well now that oprah has her own network called OWN - they are kicking it up a notch and making really awesome episodes for oprah's soul sunday's show. i am totally proud of them and love the work that they have come up with. beautifully shot, another one of our friend's samah did a lot of the behind the scenes work as well, editing and filming, i believe.

here is a snippet of the work done and the work to come!

so proud and excited for ya'll!!

less supermodels and more scragg.

2011-10-15T11:00:00.001-07:00

so this blossom party is pretty damn beautiful. i will do my own soon, with less supermodels and more scraggly men.

Blossom Party for JAPAN from Hype Vandals on Vimeo.

why can't our thanksgiving party be this beautiful?? oh it can.

HERE'S TO LONGING #27

2011-10-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

[#27]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

happy friday, ya'll.

never too much malkmus in my life.

2011-10-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

i don't think i had to be raised and live most of my life in the pacific northwest to love sassy, fiesty, witty stephen malkmus. yes, i fell in love with him while he was the face of pavement, and then when he went out solo. my brother and i used to listen to him on long roadtrips, on repeat. i even got my father in to him and he now owns one or two of his albums.

so its to no surprise that i ADOREEEEE his new album that was produced by BECK. sickness, right? he is another old standard righteous dude. malkmus and the jicks new album "mirror traffic" is solid gold, man. here is a sneak at the only real music video i could find of a song off his new record.

loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee:

my love for clouds is a lot of chicken.

2011-10-11T23:40:00.000-07:00

flight to minneapolis from LA

"I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed---and gazed---but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils."

--> william wordsworth

HERE'S TO LONGING #26

2011-10-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

[#26]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

happy friday, ya'll.

I just fell in love. hard.

2011-10-05T15:29:00.001-07:00

...yeah, you heard me. i love my new neighborhood and i love LA. yeah, you heard me.

once you live anywhere, [and i mean ANYwhere, COME ON, i lived in south dakota for 2 years!!] for a while, for me its always been about 8-12 months, you start to get used to the place, your molecules start to adjust to the different environment [that's what amanda and i were talking about], your body and mind then start to learn and get used to a new routine in a new place and then your heart and spirit feels at ease/at peace. i have been having such a jammin' time here, and there are so many amazingly FRIENDLY people in LA. i swear, EVERYtime i go out, i make a friend or find my way in to an awesome conversation with someone. it's a trip. maybe i just forgot how the west coast is, or maybe i just have never experienced the southern west coast before, where its sunny everyday and people are, for the most part, super chill and easy.

today i went to a coffee shop i've been hearing/reading about for quite some time. and boy was it a real treat. i'd been dying to try the new company HANDSOME COFFEE, based in LA for a couple weeks, so this was super rad:

needless to say, i was impressed!

the owner is the nicest gentleman and he's kind of a pioneer in the coffee culture here in LA.

and i mean, how could it NOT be a good day when i get to bust out my AK xtratufs?!?! damn, it feels good! :D

so its been torrential downpour here in LA all day [for those of you that aren't familiar with the SE AK lingo or the PAC NW lingo, it means RAINING LIKE IRON&WINE'S TEARS], and to be honest, i don't know the last time it rained. what the hell? crazy times! so i love it, i love, love, love it.

so hope you're all doing swell and you have a great coffee shop by you. yeah you. wherever you are.

2011-10-02T22:17:00.001-07:00

I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE REFER TO SOMETHING BY SAYING, "IT'S SEEN BETTER DAYS".

hahahahahahahaa.

things that have been sitting on my desktop waiting to be filed in memorable places.

2011-10-02T00:43:00.000-07:00

wow. like, woah. this post is really exciting to me. there are some images that have been on my desktop for a while, collecting my space and needing to be filed somewhere memorable. i am so inspired and excited about these BEAUTIFUL & STUNNING photographs. aren't they amazing?

i love photography so much, and i love to see how others use the medium in their life...they all evoke such different emotions and elements. some are fashion for aesthetic beauty, and others evoke a certain mood, or a specific emotion. i love them all so much and feel so inspired to go out for a photoshoot. speaking of, i DO have some 35mm shots that were developed recently that i have yet to post! stay tooned!

wowwww . shot by amalia chimera

stunning photo by colerise

oh i miss this. the wind, the vastness, the cowboys, the solitude. - AMAZING capture, btw.

i love these images together, esp. the last shot, i fell like this woman a lot. and by feeling like this woman i mean i have a severe need for kale and beets and clean walls.

to quote my dear friend burt: don't mind if i do.

LOVVVVVVVINGGG THIS HAIR STYLE. LOVING.

nice mood - this photo courtesy of i.Anton

another phenomenal shot by colerise !!!.

perfect winter lighting. by coquinete

which shot is your favorite??

*there are some shots that aren't credited, at the time i didn't think i was posting them online...sorry!

HERE'S TO LONGING #25

2011-09-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

[#25]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

happy friday, ya'll.

three tings

2011-09-26T23:50:00.000-07:00

1. i am in love. i mean, look at this! the cheer it evokes is enough to splurge and purchase these babies!

//// anzfer on etsy ////

2. i absolutely love these prints by claire nereim. i want them for my breakfast nook. now that i am a california resident, i especially appreciate her prints; she does ones of the seasonal veggies grown in cali, to the flowering trees in cali. see all of them here.

3. and if it must be known, i miss my niece, viola.

ITS HOLGAROID TIME AGAIN! !!!

2011-09-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

ah yes, its that time again, polaroid time. i was fortunate enough to remember to bring my holgaroid and some pax of film to elise's wedding and here are a couple of the best shots. also included are some sweet shots of amanda and her kiddos and i in malibu the other day. i hope you enjoy them! i especially like the way the pool shots turned out; the water looked so cool.

HERE'S TO LONGING #24

2011-09-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

[#24]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

summertime

2011-09-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

hey dudes. i just felt so moved to do a post regarding summertime one [or a couple] last time. summer in LA is pretty subjective, because the weather is nice every STINKING day here and it is sunny 24-7. as i write this post, i am sitting in my breakfast nook with the window open, light streaming in with my lovely french press. ahhh. life is good, but its also the little things. for sure. do you make sure you take a step back and just WITNESS your surrounding, the sights, the sounds, the smells? even if you aren't somewhere completely glorious? its about perspective, people, perspective and attitude. what do you guys do to appreciate where you're at, even if its not like living on a balcony overlooking the french riviera with your yacht and your tanned husband bringing you fresh flowers every morning?

anywayssss--- here are some recent shots that i got developed from my vivitar 35mm [aka trusty companion]. we went to minneapolis/st. paul to visit my brother's family and our extended family. my parents were able to make it over from israel, my sister from brooklyn and us from LA. it wouldn't be an extremie tradition without all my lovely friends coming to visit me from all over the world/country. casey was here earlier this summer and for those that don't know, he's like my 3rd brother. so there will be some shots of him in here too. and of course, my lovely friends elise and rollie got married.

how was your summer? don't you feel fall in the air? its is kinda exciting and also kinda sad. i gotta hit up the beach a couple more times before it is officially fall here in socal.

herein lies some of our summer adventures:

auntie shirin and elija

two cuties that were just chillin on a stoop in minneapolis. :D

we were oh so tempted to get in on the rock music video that was shooting, but we had our own party instead.

me and ma boiiii

my dear old alaskan friends, sisters kerrie and karina in venice - dear friends for 17 years!!

heyyy cutie

one of the prettiest places in the world.

the baybeez

c-dawg out for coffee

miss elsa on the rides.

going to minnesota

the bride when she was a bride to be - south pasadena

i love these shots SO FREAKIN' MUCH.

second year wedding anniversary trip up the coast - montana de oro

rolise wedding party

three of the coolest, most amazing people IN THE WORLD - pho in st. paul

my husband is extreme - jetskiing on bald eagle lake, MN, my aunt and cousins in sailboat behind...

my cousin adam and his toys

summertime is the best time - [bald eagle lake, MN]

how was/is your summer? i would love to hear what adventures you were up to!
xxx.

*again, i can't be bothered to spell check/edit my posts. don't mind any errors, i just get these posts out as fast as i can.

PHOTOBOOTHS ARE NONSTOP PARTY TIME.

2011-09-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

okay. i'll be a total jerk and admit that some photobooths at weddings are pretty lame and don't feel fun or amusing and they don't look like an actual authentic photobooth.

but leave it to my grrl elise and her sister noel who is a mad artist genius and our dear lovely friend karen, they came up with the SICKEST photobooth for a wedding ever.

as you'll see below, we may have gotten a little carried away with the photobooth shoot[s]. but that's what weddings are all about - getting carried away by the love, excitement, cupcakes, flowers and unicorns.

so here, my dear friends are some of my faves:

HERE'S TO LONGING #23

2011-09-16T14:47:00.001-07:00

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

2011-09-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

"THEY DO NOT LOVE THAT DO NOT SHOW THEIR LOVE."

- shakespeare

let's just make it easy for ourselves, right dudes?? [props to sis for this quote - dig it!]

THE WEDDING OF 2 OF THE BEST aka THE ULTIMATE WEDDING OF 2011.

2011-09-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

my best friend elise just got married to rollie, one of my favorite men. i just got the film developed of the roll i took at their glorious wedding weekend in southern cali. baktash and i were both in the wedding party which was so fun, as we got some good shots of the entire group together. it was such a hoot and i am sure the photos will speak for themselves. below are some of my favorites -- aren't they a radiant, beautiful couple?!?!?!:

walking to the chapel

portrait thyme for dangerthyme

groomsmen

cutest photo!

bridesmaids & bridesbeef

the brother sister duo.

team spazzzz

the groomster

the loveliest of the lovely.

during the ceremony

married!!!

one of my favorite shots, orchestrated by the photographer extraordinaire, bobbyaazami [ourfavoriteday photography]

there are some friendships that i am sure [or hope] that you all have, ones that you know that you'll grow old together, laugh through the years together, support one another and be family. elise and rollie are those two for baktash and i, and for that we are so grateful. i am so thankful to have these two in our lives for the rest of our lives.

congrats, hiphophooray to the most beautiful, loving couple. i know for certain you two will have a lovely life together filled with happiness, love and joy.

xxxtremie.

HERE'S TO LONGING #22

2011-09-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

so this is an extremely special HERE'S TO LONGING friday. as its my husband's birthday today as well. so a double-double special friday longing piece.

happy birthday to my love, my husband, my constant companion in all the worlds of God:

[#21]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

how i miss thee!

2011-09-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

does this photo at all conjure up any slight inklings in to how much i miss these two ladies?!?!?!?

2011-09-07T15:45:00.001-07:00

I was at whole foods today shopping when an employee stopped to ask me if my heart is as beautiful and deep as my eyes. I'm so relieved because I finally got to tell somebody that my heart is full of cold black tar.

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HERE'S TO LONGING #21

2011-09-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

HEY MY DUDES! sorry for my lack of posting and especially sorry for my absence during my weekly friday's "HERE'S TO LONGING" piece. so sad that i didn't post it. but does helping one of your best friends get ready for her wedding in a beautiful little town in southern california in the woods, swimming, laughing, prepping, running around like a giddy bridesmaid count?? yeh, i thought so. ;)

no but seriously, i am sorry, as i have promised you, my dear readers that every friday you'll have a new piece up. but i am sure you'll be forgiving and understand. it will never happen again! and while i'm at it, let's give three cheers for elise and rollie for getting married this past weekend!!

so yes. ahem. now. back to bidness, and count that every friday i'll be posting a new piece, so this friday i'll have another one up:

HERE'S TO LONGING #21

[#21]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

HERE'S TO LONGING #20

2011-08-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

[#20]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

its always a good thing when your best friend lives in the same city as you.

2011-08-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

yeah, i'm really damn lucky to have my grrl amanda and her lovely family here in LA now.
so we can do things like accidentally dress up like polygamist wives.
naturally.

mr. amanda kitchings

fun little fact: i tried to do a upside down french braid for the first time this evening. i think i totally aced it. amanda, on the other hand.....??? well, either my hair is too layered for this style or amanda wasn't really paying attention to braiding my hair...let's just say the jury is out on that one. heh heh.

HERE'S TO LONGING #19

2011-08-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

[#19]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

*sorry for the lag on posting this! i totally spaced it until now. but does snuggling with 8 month old twin babies and a 2 year old count? yeah, i thought so. :D

REST IN PEACE, MY DEAR FRIEND.

2011-08-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

MY DEAR FRIEND, JEANNE D'ARC

i love this polaroid i took of her, she is so so beautiful.

while visiting my dearest family in minnesota for the next couple of weeks, i checked my facebook only to find some sudden, shocking news. i have been so sad all day; my dear friend Jeanne d'Arc had passed away. we attended graduate school together in vermont and she became like a dear older sister to me. any one that knew her will speak boldly about her loving heart, her compassionate spirit, her great sense of humor with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. we had a couple of graduate courses together and she was always contributing so insight-fully to the discussions at hand.

Jeanne’s life was claimed in a plane crash in central DRC. She was flying home on a local airline from Kinshasa, where she was doing work for another international agency.

she has an amazing story, and she was a true example to all of our colleagues at graduate school. she was a true example of resilience and joy. one of jeanne d'arc's friends recounts:

"Jeanne brought many years of experience to bear on her work with us. In 1998 she relocated to Rwanda following an episode of deadly violence in eastern DRC during which she lost two siblings. As she rebuilt her life in Rwanda, Jeanne worked for World Vision, the Canadian International Development Agency and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Seven years later, she pursued a master’s degree in sustainable development in Vermont. Upon graduating and returning home, Jeanne devoted her time to working with community groups and carrying out evaluation and research projects in Rwanda and eastern DRC."

she was a true servant with a pure and radiant heart and will be missed by countless people, i am sure. if you know her, even if you don't, please offer a prayer for this amazing woman who has passed on to the next world.

all my love to my dearest friend and i thank her for all her service to her people and her lifegiving laughter.

tomorrow

2011-08-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

i get to see my favorite three kiddos in the entire world. apparently my niece has become quite the artist. i wonder if she'll draw on my face too.

fun times ahead.

HERE'S TO LONGING #18

2011-08-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

[#18]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

41 DAYS OF DELICIOUS COFFEE

2011-08-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

so i follow this great blog/publication called KINFOLK, which i've mentioned before. and they recommend a link to Trish Papadakos's flickr where she documents 41 days of coffee. it looked as if they were traveling through europe and mainly greece, so i really enjoyed seeing all the frappe coffee drinks! i may have mentioned that i used to live in greece, in a small town called Stoupa on the Pelopennese and for about five months in Xania, Crete [which is one of my favorite cities of all time].

this totally reminds me of my life when i was in greece.

have you ever had a greek frappe before? delicious!

i think this coffee photography documentation project is fun, especially if you're traveling and you have a variety of settings, cups and drinks! and i am glad someone has done this; its a great idea!

my south dakota

2011-08-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

there are days where i really miss south dakota something fierce and there are days where its not so present. there are days when all i want to do is be back there, by myself in my fields with my camera, prayer book and thermos listening for answers, eyes wide open, feet firmly planted. and there are days when i'm happy to be in southern california going to the beach, eating fresh fruit and being around my dearest friends surrounded by amazing creative opportunity.

and then i saw this photo and it all rushed back - that gentle nostalgic cracking wave.

this is the time of year where my favorite fields are not yet mowed, the green grass chest to neck high, treading lightly in my beat down cowboy boots, the crickets hushed in unison, the dusty air lulls your senses and the sweet, sweet smell of that dense delightful prairie grass brushing you to peace & meaning.

impeccable capture by julian bialowas

in 2005, one of my dearest friends lindsey and i were driving across country from vermont to washington. yeah, all the states we drove through were cool, but as soon as we hit the south dakota border something changed. it was quiet and powerful, epic and haunting. we drove the entire state with the stereo off and whispered to one another about the magic that we felt in the land. no joke. it was really powerful.

a couple months later, before baktash and i met in person, we were talking on the phone and i asked him [mind you - before even meeting him], if he'd move to south dakota with me and we'd furnish our house with cheap, beautiful antiques. he laughed. and i laughed and we thought how funny it'd be to live in south dakota. but i wouldn't have brought it up if there weren't a sneaking feeling that a part of my heart was there and there was something very powerful drawing me there. i kinda shrugged it off [for 4 years to be precise] and then what seemed to be "out of the blue" [i don't really believe that] - i was asked to go work in sodak, and without a second thought, i packed up my car with all my belongings and drove back through the entire state only to stop at the very western region and not drive west for two and half years. so cool how life works out.

baktash and i would talk a lot about cool it was that we actually did live in south dakota together, after those joking conversations about wanting to pack up and live in the wild west together some 4-5 years previous. i'm being DEAD honest with you when i tell you that the first months we were dating he lived in maryland and i'd go out to visit him probably once a month. and we'd pop in to DC once in a while. well, we went to the memorial area where they have all the state flags with the names of each state engraved on single columns, and we took a photo posing in front of south dakota. not any other state. and why would we do this? seriously, its kinda crazy. south dakota was kind of some "make believe" dream that we never actually thought would happen. it was only a teeeeeny glimmer in our eyes. we had no clue we'd get rad jobs and live out there for our first year of marriage. heh. we are sooo tripped out by that. [i'll have to dig up that photo and put it up here] fancy yourself that, eh??

and then we did make that heart wrenching drive west, leaving with all of our belongings second-guessing if we'd made the right decision.

[*longing is in FULL effect - just in case you didn't already gather that from this post.]

four things.

2011-08-07T22:41:00.000-07:00

just a couple random thoughts squished together in one blog post.

how cool is this karate chop chopper?? i really want one. but then again, maybe it isn't the best idea for me to have anything that cuts and resembles karate chops.

in 2005 my dear friend chris came to visit me from hawaii and it was a hot summer day in olympia. we had consumed copious amounts of espresso [4 shots each, naturally] and needless to say, i was geeked. so it was hot out and what does one love to have to get refreshed? a nice chilled watermelon. so i was geeked - well we both were - and i thought it'd be funny to pretend i was a karate chopping chef. so i got our biggest, sharpest knife and start hacking away like i was a samurai master with a long sharp blade. i HACKED it down the middle with one hand and then i wanted to SWIPE through the center diameter [sideways from the R to the L]. so in the same fashion, i HACKED through the watermelon with one hand, not realizing that my left hand was just chilling out on the other side of the melon. well. this is the hard part. i was so geeked and hacked sooo hard and fast that the knife SKIMMED the exterior of the melon, skipping like a perfect flat rock on the surface of the melon, landing straight in my thumb. IT DIDN'T EVEN ENTER THE WATERMELON. JUST MY FINGER. MY BEAUTIFUL LEFT THUMB. i was bleeding everywhere and it was deep. but i didn't want to go to the hospital and since chris was a professional snowboarder in his day and avalanche trained, i naturally thought that he'd be able to fix me. ha. i wish i had a photo to show you what it looked like: we ran to casey's room to get his butterfly bandages and then chris ate a popsicle as fast as he could and i used the stick as the "brace" or cast, or whatever those things are called; i couldn't bend my thumb or it wouldn't heal, as the cut was right in my knuckle. it was hilarious. kind of. pathetic yes. i had a popsicle stick on my thumb for about 10 days [come on, i changed them out! new ones, yummy creamsicles]. i even doned the popsicle finger look at chris's family reunion in portland where i had his brother kevin doctor it up more with new bandages. it was hilarious and pathetic and to this day when i look at my scar on my thumb, i giggle and get hungry for watermelon. [small joke about the watermelon craving] but ever since then, i have a new found appreciation for butterfly bandages and breathing slowly and deeply when i have huge sharp knives, all the while reminding myself that i am not a ninja, nor a karate master, not even a samurai sword fighter. oh but how i wish i was...

which naturally leads me to my next "thing" to share. this awesome image. i cannot tell you how sick i am of the "keep calm and carry on" kitschy "art" that has been floating around the blogosphere for what seems like decades now.

and wow. this park?? like are you kidding me?? its called the Qinhuangdao Red Ribbon Park
located in the Hebei province in China. the project statement is as follows: "Against a background of natural terrain and vegetation, is a “red ribbon” spanning five hundred meters, which integrates the functions of lighting, seating, environmental interpretation, and orientation. While preserving as much of the natural river corridor as possible during the process of urbanization, this project demonstrates how a minimal design solution can achieve a dramatic improvement to the landscape." My brother lives in Beijing and when i go visit him someday, i am dragging him along the red ribbon for sure. [see all the photos here].

and one last thing -- i have the best dad ever. i just came across this photo and it made me really laugh. how funny is this? like he looks so happy to be immersed in street art. hahaha. and i get to see him and my mama just shy of a week. mesolucky.

HERE'S TO LONGING #17

2011-08-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

[#17]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

the herman crew

2011-07-31T17:57:00.000-07:00

the st. herman crew - 2000

captain leif - 1999

hard at work - aboard the st. herman 2000

some of you may know that for two summers i worked on whale watching boats for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, 5 months a year. we would take tourists and whale lovers out to find and experience the marine life that southeast AK has to offer: sea lions, seals, dalls porpoise, orcas & humpback whales.

some of you may know that i am also an author of a seriously engaging non-fiction novella entitled "the hermanator", which follows the adventures of our boat crew for two years spent together.

as you could imagine, there were entire days where me and my crew mates would be in tears at the amazing things we were fortunate enough to witness. the time spent on the inside passage waters with these people every day, it was inevitable that they would become some of my nearest & dearest friends on the planet. we worked together in 1999 & 2000 and to this day we still are a family.

there would be days that our naturalist, renee would be talking to the passengers [100+ a trip] and she would just start crying -- we all would -- maybe because a mother humpback decided to bubblenet feed RIGHT by our boat and we could look down her throat from above, maybe because a pod of orcas were hunting porpoise and booted one so far up in the air with blood rushing everywhere. days consisted of us running around the catamaran from port to starboard side chasing the whales with our eyes.

you know how there are just people in life that make you smile ear to ear? imagine having an entire group of them, laughing together all day for months on end. yeah, basically, no one is more fun than the st. herman crew.

when a group of people spend so much quality time together in nature, untouched by man, i believe that the bond that that creates is spiritual, dare i say, eternal.

me and tone shooting the breeze. not too shabby a view, eh? - 2004

me and tone - 2001

me & captain - 2004

2003

the herman crew minus renee - 2010

2010

me and my captains - 2010

tony and marlowe met on the st. herman, and married 10 years later!!!

those days were some of the most blessed, special days of my life. and i am so forever thankful for my utmost and deep respect for marine life. and i definitely have a HUGE soft spot in my heart for alaska's humpback whales. so when my friend Laura posted this video, i couldn't resist sharing it. it is so touching and beautiful. they are the most special creatures. fer sure!

the st. herman crew - 2009

HERE'S TO LONGING #16

2011-07-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

[#16]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

good to remind myself

2011-07-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

that we can do anything we want. even if only for 30 days. SUCH a great talk! only 3 mins, so totally watch it:

some recent film shots

2011-07-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

the husband in newport beach.

surfers @ point dume, malibu.

who me?? i'm just enjoying my time in southern cali's beautiful nature.

2011-07-26T00:46:00.000-07:00

"It is clear that life in this fast-fading world is as fleeting and inconstant as the morning wind, and this being so, how fortunate are the great who leave a good name behind them, and the memory of a lifetime spent in the pathway of the good pleasure of God."

--> Abdu’l-Bahá

familiar friends in foreign lands.

2011-07-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

you may have noticed from my new banner something very special.

i found a new tree.

and this tree doesn't live in beautiful sodak, but on the chumash reservation. isn't she lovely???

i love the way she hangs to the side, like throwing her hip out. its so rad. and also, it was so lovely to see her there all by herself, strong in her vulnerability, beautiful and unique; like my favorite tree in south dakota, which i am sure you are all familiar with.

HERE'S TO LONGING #15

2011-07-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

[#15]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

new homes + kinfolk

2011-07-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

hey dudes.

so we're looking for a new place to live. north hollywood just aint cutting it for us anymore. we've been dreaming of the canyon life, close to the beach, eating our meals outside, drowning in sycamores and jacarandas, walking through the forests and high fiving the hippies that are nothing like the typical Angeleno in silverlake. entertaining our lovely guests over delicious meals on eclectic dinnerwares with wildflowers on the tables, just never seemed more appropriate.

i am sure i've mentioned before in this here blog that i love to eat. but even more than that - eating with community is the best thing ever. with family, or friends, or strangers at communal tables. every night growing up, we'd have dinner together as a family at 6 pm sharp. and you can bet my ass got grounded for being late for dinner. yes siree. some of my most loved times were living in olympia washington with my best friends. and we had a HUGE table that we would always gather around. some would drive up from portland, others down from seattle and vancouver at least twice a month and we'd share meals, bonfires and nargila. sitting around a table and laughing and eating, then drinking coffee with friends is like the best thing in the world.

happiness and a feeling of being complete through our interconnectedness.

so. as we've been looking for new homes, if i cannot host a big table of lovely people in my house, it is out of the running. and if it has a beautiful big yard under trees for a table, that is where i'll wanna be. so you can imagine, when i heard that the great people of hearblack blog and their friends just started a new project/publication called KINFOLK: a guide for small gatherings, i died and went straight to heaven. this is part of their manifesto:

"Kinfolk is a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. We recognize that there is something about a table shared by friends, not just a wedding or once-a-year holiday extravaganza, that anchors our relationships and energizes us. We have come together to create Kinfolk as our collaborative way of advocating the natural approach to entertaining that we love."

i've mentioned before how important community is, and how essential it is to create that space with in each of our lives. now, we have a lovely publication that supports this need. too bad the printed mag. sold out so quickly. but you can view it online here.

three tings

2011-07-20T00:40:00.000-07:00

so the past few days i've reallllly been missing my grandpa. we are really close and i like to make him laugh and he likes to make me laugh. we'll just get to hollering on the phone together. i think its the cutest thing that we can have cell phone conversations. i've been meaning to share this photo with you for a while. i mean, how could i not?!?!?! my uncle just got a bunch of my grandparents photo albums and has been so kindly scanning them here and there. and then we all get to see never-seen-before-shots of my Moore Family. my grandfather, Robert Moore was a signalman in the navy, but i really think that he is on a movie set in between shoots in this photograph. i don't mean to brag -- BUT my grandfather would have been the most famous movie star back in his day for his damn good looks.

just in case i needed to clarify -- my grandfather is the tall sailor. :D

and i've been really missing my sister. especially now that she moved to the right coast [boo hiss] and she is so much closer to me now, than she was when she was living in the Holy Land. i miss her even more when i see this picture. speaking of movie stars - this shot is priceless! ;D [don't kill me, booboo].

don't hate me, okay, booboo? :D

are we having a fun summer yet!??! its already almost august! dang/what the?!?! how'd that happen so damn fast? what have you lovelies been up to this summer to make it extra special? and no, i'm not really talking to you, my dear pac. northwesterners, as the word "summer" only brings up feelings of resentment, anger and restlessness. ;D? :)? :(? :D?

this will be me in a couple of weeks with amanda.

2011-07-18T00:59:00.001-07:00

"O people of God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men. This can best be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior."

- Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith

HERE'S TO LONGING #14

2011-07-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

[#14]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;

new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

more polas from our anniversary getaway up the kalikoast.

2011-07-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

i finally scanned all the lovely polaroids from our trip up north. i so hope you love them, as we did taking them. seriously -- taking polaroids is better than anything else on the planet.

one of my favorite shots of my husband ever.

HERE'S TO LONGING #13

2011-07-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

[#13]

photography by samimi-extremie and quotes by her & her loved ones;
new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

second year for the samimi-aazamis!

2011-07-04T23:56:00.000-07:00

the peace sign i'm throwing up here isn't any old peace sign - it stands for 2 years of marriage to my love!

here's a sneak peek in our celebration of our second year of awesome marriage together up the california coast. oh the places we saw; seriously, almost every single mile of the cali coast is so damn beautiful once you get north of LA. we are so happy and fortunate to have one another and i couldn't have dreamed up a better husband if i tried.

more polas from our second anniversary to come soon!

♥

HERE'S TO LONGING #12

2011-07-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

[#12]

photography and quote by samimi-extremie; new piece up every friday. see all of them here.

hey dear readers! so normally i don't really write much to accompany my HERE'S TO LONGING friday pieces, but this week, i felt the need to. i was with my dearest cousin, razi yesterday in 100* heat having amazing dialogues and being really honest with one another. it felt so good to just admit aloud some of the things i've been challenged with. and isn't it funny -- at least it happens to me -- where any time you verbalize your feelings or your tests, or your pains and vulnerabilities, that in some really huge ways, the weight has been lifted, your face feels less strained, your shoulders looser, your inner being lighter.

i hope that you all have someone with which you can trust to speak your mind, speak whats on your heart and the other person listens, receives, responds and loves. i am so thankful in my life that i have an incredible army of people with whom this is true.

while we were talking yesterday, razi introduced me to this mindblowingly amazingly powerful quote by Abdu'l-Baha, son of Baha'u'llah [Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith]. then after reading the quote aloud, i realized that this was the perfect longing piece to share this week. i hope you resonate with it, and if so, tell me a little more!

it goes like this:

"The spirit is like the bird; when it flies in the air it is always mounting, but the self is like the hunter who is thinking how to catch the bird. You will see that by one arrow, one shot, it will be brought low. This arrow is the connection with this world, the occupations of this world, the desires of this world, the honors of this world. In many ways the hunter will stop the spirit from ascending. That is why you must ask and implore and retreat: "O God! Protect me from myself".

no words, dear readers, no words for this. wow.

sweet photograph

2011-06-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

[found here]

let's NOT eat $#@* & die

2011-06-27T16:19:00.001-07:00

thanks to my buddy towfigh for the heads up on this one. eat organic, local any time possible. nufsaid.

now, let elise school you:

yeowzah

2011-06-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

if you haven't seen Beginners, you must rush out, check the earliest showtime then leave your laptop, grab some good snacks, get a delicious coffee to sneak in to the theater and go see it NOW. we went last night and i think it might be my favorite movie of 2011 so far. well, that and Tree of Life. seriously, go out and watch this now:

HERE'S TO LONGING #11

2011-06-24T22:08:00.000-07:00

[#11]

photography by yours truly - quotes by yours truly & my loved ones.

as always, on fridays [and sometimes a bonus random day in a week], i'll be sharing a new creative initiative piece from my HERE'S TO LONGING project. you can read my personal manifesto here. pass along! share with buddies!

reason one hundred and eighty nine - why i love miranda july

2011-06-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

miranda july has been popping up on my radar lately -- not pooping, popping -- and she has sincerely made me laugh. she's been making me think about truly funny females; unlike almost every single one of my best lady friends - i didn't like the movie bridesmaids. i felt it could have been sooooo much more funny, creative and clever...

thanks to lovely emily who posted this, i have so enjoyed looking at what miranda july's been up to lately. here's one of her latest projects found in VICE mag:

to see the entire collection, click here. she's also coming out with another movie called "the future" soon!! swoon!

forget kristen wiig - miranda july is the funny one.

not to mention a genius artist to boot.

HERE'S TO LONGING #10

2011-06-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

[#10]

photography by yours truly - quotes by yours truly & my loved ones.

wow. what a beautiful quote:

2011-06-17T01:57:00.000-07:00

"Be always kind to everyone and a refuge for those who are without shelter. Be daughters to those who are older than you. Be sisters to those who are of your own age. Be mothers to those who are younger than yourselves. Be nurses to the sick, treasurers for the poor, and supply heavenly food to the hungry."

~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

beautiful images & inspirations.

2011-06-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

great photoshoot background!


beautiful photography by beulah

amazing image; this is how i feel sometimes. :)

miranda july is a funny woman.

i used to do batik & seeing this beauty made me feel inspired again.

superheadz/powershovel's necono digital camera

2011-06-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

those of you that know me know i cannot stand cats. when i was seven years old, i woke up to my pet cat peeing ON MY FACE, my sweet seven year old cherub face, in my bed. yeah, you laugh now, but if you had a cat urinate on you while you were sleeping, you'd be pretty damn mad, i'm sure. ANYWAYZZZZ. so then you might wonder what this cat is doing on my blog. well, i'll tell you.

i literally shed a tear when i got this in the mail. the fact that its a flippin' CAMERA blows my mind [!!!]

it has magnets on its paws, so you can stick it anywhere!!

the awesome crew at superheadz tokyo sent me one for free if i would be one of their photography monitors of their brand new, cat shaped 'necono' digital spy camera that just launched this week. and let me tell you -- ITS DOPE. you've heard of the digital harinezumi before, right? well, that is a super amazing camera & superheadz creators are saying: "If Digital Harinezumi is an avant-garde older brother, necono digital camera must be his sweet and gentle little sister."

curious how a plastic cat is a digital camera?? i was too. this'll help all ya'll:

and here are some of my shots with the camera:


what the?

if you're sold and want one for yourself, get one here. thanks to the boyz @superheadz for the awesome camera & fun opportunity!!

*powershovel/superheadz is an amazing photography company based in tokyo and they are the ones that are known for all the amazing, cutting edge "toy" cameras.