Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Kenya from Stumptown Coffee Roasters on Vimeo.

my brother na'im sent out this video. and boy do i love it. i am sure, fellow coffee drinkers, you will too. more reason stumptown is one of my big loves.

israel is so bizzarely funny.

[THIS SIGNAGE IS WHAT I WANT MY CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION COMPANY TO HAVE AS ITS LOGO]

[EXTREMIE APPROVES OF THIS JUICE BAR]

[MY HUSBAND, THE CARTOON VERSION]

[THE OUTDOOR JUNK MARKET - I LOVE THIS SHOT]

[MASADA DELIGHTS]

four you.

 

"This handful of days on earth will slip away like shadows and be over. Strive then that God may shed His grace upon you, that you may leave a favorable remembrance in the hearts and on the lips of those to come."

~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

towfigh sent me this video on yokoo, an artist/businesswoman who makes $140,000 a year on her etsy shop. this video interview is amazing & powerful; i can totally relate to her. especially in the part where she talks about our need to be silent and in silence. and that our purpose is to create... and that we all need to create a place where we check in with ourselves to find our purpose.


wasn't this so awesome? i adore hearing about individuals' processes, struggles & pleasures. we are all connected.

word.

oh, and just in case you didn't know, i have an etsy shop.

if you haven't purchased any LISH jewelry for your lady or sister or mother or friend lately, you should. that $140,000 a year is gonna be mine. heh heh heh..

how does a child become cuter & funnier than this?!?!?!?
seriously, i am not quite sure.
jeesh. my niece SLAYS me.

gimme space

its hella - yes i just said "hella" noisy in LA. like ALLTHETIMENOISE. sometimes i feel like my head is banging on a wall over and over. i feel like people are climbing on me & over me all the time. and being the alaskan holligan [there is in fact, 1 person per square mile in alaska. YEP. YOU HEARD ME RIGHT] that i am, this has been a little hard to get used to. which brings me to my next point: how important it is - no matter where you live - to create a great space for yourself. whether its just a desk in the corner of your urban studio apt. or an entire room in your house, this is so important. while i was living in south dakota it was two paramount places: my favorite tree & the badlands - in a very specific spot.
and while at home, i created a delicious little nook for myself so that i could go and make my jewelry, edit my photos, write poetry & write my masters thesis. i like this article about creative people's work spaces, and i agree - i think all of us creative folk [which is indeed, all of us] need to have that space, with a desk or something special where "ritual" can take place. but i have always found my best work comes while i am in outdoor sacred spaces. for me, i think tapping in to the power of nature & solitude while breathing in fresh air & listening is the best way for me.

i can't wait to decorate my own workspace in LA. in every house that i've lived, i've tried to have some sort of place like this. i also can't wait to frame all of my polaroids in a huge frame [seen on a blog post of mine a year back here].

i also can't wait to unpack my lovely, beautifully delicate ceramic art from my dear friend leili towfigh & put it in my sacred space.

[she has the most delightful, refreshing etsy shop that you MUST go see...can i get a HECK YEAH! for her shop?? i mean, COME ON.]

so my dear readers, i will share with you my sacred space, done in four seasons. introducing [maybe not for the 1st time] my beautiful, lovely tree:

isn't she BEAUTIFUL!??!?!?!??!
[click on the image to see it larger]

do you have a photo of one of your sacred spaces/creative workplaces?? if so, email it to: samimi.extremie[at]gmail.com - and i'll post the photos up here once i get a couple of them!!

[PLEASE SHARE! WE WANT TO SEE & SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER!! don't be shy!]

PHOTOGRAPHY VISIONS

WOWWWWWWWW. my jaw hasn't dropped like this over a photo since my buddy aaron huey's work on the pine ridge reservation. wowwwww. i mean, come on! readers ---- can i get a WHAT THE???? WOW?!!!!! this is a dream for me to look at. it is also inspirational to see that someone has shot their vision. i worked like this before in my photography as well, but nothing this great a scale. i mean, this is great, simply fantastic. it also motivates me to do all those outlandish, crazy shots that i picture in my head - no matter how grand the vision is.

| "Girls in the Windows" Ormond Gigli, 1960 |

when describing the story behind this photo Gigli is quoted on his site as saying:

"In 1960, while a construction crew dismantled a row of brownstones right across from my own brownstone studio on East 58th Street, I was inspired to, somehow immortalize those buildings. I had the vision of 43 women in formal dress adorning the windows of the skeletal facade.

We had to work quickly to secure City permissions, arrange for models which included celebrities, the demolition supervisor's wife (third floor, third from left), my own wife (second floor, far right), and also secure the Rolls Royce to be parked on the sidewalk. Careful planning was a necessity as the photography had to be accomplished during the workers' lunch time!

The day before the buildings were razed, the 43 women appeared in their finest attire, went into the buildings, climbed the old stairs, and took their places in the windows. I was set up on my fire escape across the street, directing the scene, with bullhorn in hand. Of course I was concerned for the Models' safety, as some were daring enough to pose out on the crumbling sills.

The photography came off as planned. What had seemed to some as too dangerous or difficult to accomplish, became my fantasy fulfilled, and my most memorable self - assigned photograph. It has been an international award winner ever since.

Most professional photographers dream of having one signature picture they are known for. "GIRLS IN THE WINDOWS " is mine. "

isn't this the best story? i am so stoked that Gigli did this. i promise, after seeing this shot, that i will do what ever is in my power to make all my photoshoot "visions/dreams" a reality for the world to see.

i know this might sound funny - but i had this "vision" i don't know how else to describe it - but it was this absolute perfect idea for a photoshoot. i pictured it red and snowy with heart shaped balloons, white, white snow overwhelming the frame, with a bright pop of red. i had it pegged EXACTLY right in my mind. and i was like, this is going to happen, down to the mood that i had envisioned. then i had the opportunity to seize this chance a couple of winters back with two key players - 2 of my favorite men: my husband and my brother. it was definitely -15*F, but with windchill most definitely -25*F. AND because of my plan - i had to be wearing that red dress. after a little begging and pleading, bless their hearts, we trekked out on my aunt & uncle's beautiful frozen lake in minnesota, had some heart shaped balloons, donning the brightest red outfits and shot the blazes off of this opportunity - it was soooooo windy and soooooooooooooooooooooo cold, and my mom kept peeking out & calling to us to get in the house and that the shot wasn't worth how cold it was, but we pulled it off, and i was able to articulate the mood and frame i wanted to my brother, and him being such a genius, he got it exactly right [duh]. (we're kind of like twins.)

i am sure some of you dear, dedicated readers & supporters, are familiar with these shots. we love them oh so much. they turned out exactly as i had hoped. and na'im didn't shoot that many; i wanted them to only be polaroids & 35mm film shots:

don't get me wrong - i am in NO way likening myself to that of the talent of this here photographer, but i have experienced similar things in my own life as a photographer. gigli INSPIRES me.

here i am - going online and saying, that i promise myself that i will continue to achieve greater and greater photo opps/shoots, no matter how grand the vision. and can i get a "HELL YES!" for Gigli's shot?!??!?!

what are some visions that you have for your photography? why aren't you doing it??

"COFFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!"

[photo taken as a thank you for my birthday gift from my brother & sister in law]

i feel the need to share with you just how much i love coffee and everything about it. my brother jorma was telling me about my niece, elsa bee - he told me a story about how he asked her what she wanted for dinner and she responded immediately with, "SUUUUUUGGGAARRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!" in a excited, loud, growling voice [all very serious]. i would respond the same exact way if someone asked me what i wanted. but replace "sugarrrrrrrrr" with "COFFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!".

one of my girlfriends and i went to lamill yesterday which is amazing & one of my fave spots in LA and they have a side shop from the cafe that is chock-full of AMAZING coffee machines, grinders, carafes, cups, presses, pitchers, filters, etc. etc.

i felt like the hugest, happiest geek when i saw this room; it literally looked like what i would expect heaven to look like. i'm not even exaggerating; i wasn't able to concentrate on my discussion with my girl, cos all i could think about was that room, so i went and peeked and man, oh man. for those of you that don't live in LA and want to geek out - they have their shop online here.

but seriously now, some girls love purses & shoes, hair & makeup. not this one. i love me some coffee everything. if you ever want to get me out of a foul mood, or make me smile from ear to ear - take me where there are people who know their coffee and have really neat coffee making gadgets.

oh! we just purchased an amazing conical burr grinder. its bodum [don't get me started on my obsession with this company...] and it does a fine job at grinding our espresso beans for an even really beautiful grind, as well as more coarse for our french press. if you're in the market for a burr grinder - i would NOT go with any other burr grinder. we had a cuisinart one, it wasn't even worth it - i wanted to huck it on the concrete. i've heard capresso isn't that good either. i feel confident in saying, dear readers - that this one's where it's at:
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO DRINK YOUR COFFEE? WHAT GADGETS DO YOU LOVE??

three things.

there is nothing like these three things-at the same time:

1. hanging with my sister
2. the Mediterranean
3. aroma lattes & chocolate croissants

this was one of the most beautifully perfect days that i enjoyed while in haifa. the day was so unreal - the sky & sea were my favorite colors: silvery, grayish, blue. i took like, 236 photos this afternoon & damn was it worth it. are you KIDDING me with these clouds!??!


just looking at these photos again chills me out; its like i am there again...okay. make it FOUR things. i also love, love, love this song by GENTLE WAVES, i have listened to it thousands of times over the last five years:

MY THREE LITTLE VALENTINES.

I LOVE MY NIECES & NEPHEW SO DARN MUCH. THESE (AND MY HUSBANDS) WERE THE FIRST RADIANT FACES I SAW THIS MORNING = LOVEEEEEEEEEE.

MALUCA + DIPLO = JUICY DOPENESS

as if i needed any more reasons to love & adore diplo...

...my girl patrice showed this to me. and how the hell did i ever go with out MALUCA?? i love her because of her attitude. it is just so apparent and she's holding her own. good on her. as patrice says: "Maluca is from the Bronx, this video was made in 2009, pre-Lady Gaga using soda cans in here telephone video. Maluca was a bartender before being discovered by Diplo during a karaoke night." diplo has since signed her to his label MAD DECENT.

as if i needed any more reasons to hate lady gaga, but this, this takes the cake.

maluca quotes her music as "Experimental tropical punk, ghettotech and hip-house? I dunno, it's just dance music.”

oh! did i mention i'm in love with diplo? both me and husband have a harmless crush on him. oh! did i mention that i'm in love with feist?? ummmm YESSSSSSSS. i do believe i've mentioned my love for both feist & diplo before on this here blog. well, now you can here them collaborate. er, diplo mixing her song. really great. listen here.

speaking of feist - where the bleep did she go??

LA JOLLA BIRTHDAY

my husband & i had a great time celebrating my birthday this past weekend. as soon as i got back from israel, we jetted down to la jolla for a sweet weekend at the hilton. it was so delightful; the hotel wasn't crowded, which meant we had the pool to ourselves for the most part. as i was sitting there reading and drinking my coffee, i thought about how important it is that we take moments in our lives to celebrate, reward ourselves and give ourselves a GOOD BREAK. what ever it is that feeds you and gives you relaxation, i hope you find the time to do so at least while celebrating your birthday!





it was a great weekend & a fantastic way to ring in my 30th year.
♥

I DIE

IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY [30!!! YESSSS!!!] & SO YOU MIGHT SAY I'M IN A BIT OF A CELEBRATORY MOOD. NO BETTER WAY TO RING IT ALL IN THAN WITH THE CONFETTI SYSTEM. I'VE BEEN DYING FOR THE LAST YEAR & A HALF THAT I HAVE KNOWN ABOUT CONFETTI SYSTEM. THEIR WORK IS BEYOND INSANE - LIKE SOOOOO SOOOOO SOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL THAT I WANT TO SCREAM. I'M SCREAMING NOW, CAN'T YOU SEE??? AND OF COURSE, I FIND OUT ABOUT THEM, A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER MY WEDDING. HAD I KNOWN BEFORE MY WEDDING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CONFETTI SYSTEM MAD HOUSE. NO JOKE.

I'M POSTING TONS OF PHOTOS OF THEIR WORK, BECAUSE I DON'T MIND BLASTING YOU WITH GOBS OF DELICIOUS COLOR COMBOS [i used to spend hours beading earrings and bracelets when i was younger - mainly because i LOVEDDDDD making delicious color combos], GOLDEN & SILVER HIGHLIGHTS - ALL WHICH EVOKE PURE JOY. TAKE A LOOK-SEE FOR YOURSELF:









I HATE TO SAY THIS, AND I KNOW I SHOULDN'T BUTTTTTT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE TOO HARD TO MAKE THESE YOURSELF EITHER. NOT THAT I DONT WANT TO SUPPORT THEM. BUT....JUST SAYING...