Pie Interrupted

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Kawaii eBay

I made some recent eBay acquisitions I thought fitting for a kawaii Friday post. My favorite find in a long time has to be this pink Royal typewriter a “Quiet Deluxe” model circa 1950’s. It came in near mint condition and with a groovy green case. Not only does it work but I plan to use it as a prop for an upcoming shoot. Making it well worth the $250 splurge and a bargain compared to prices I have seen online.
In doing my research before bidding, I discovered there is a whole world of typewriter collectors. Even a few famous authors who still prefer to tap out their words on one of these rather than on a laptop. There are also more than a few blogs on the wonders of the type written word, I like Fresh Ribbon and Strikethru. There really is something magical about these machines. I love the sounds they make, esp the bell. Ding! I can remember begging my Mom for one for my 13th birthday. My birthday falls just two weeks before Christmas and I used that to bargain, “two gifts in one”, I’d plead. I used this ploy quite often, knowing she would feel too guilty come Christmas to not get me something for under the tree! I also nabbed this lovely Clarice Cliff jam jar with her signature red roof house on top. I think I got lucky to get this one, the details are really wonderful. However the pictures in the ad were not very good and so I took a bit of a risk by bidding.
Another win from across the pond, this Orla Kiely wallet, which is marked London under her label. I have never seen this pattern over here, making it a rare find and note the signature leaf pattern detail on the strap.
Now I have to say, I resisted Twitter for awhile but I decided to give it a try. Or I should say, have Piewacket give it a try! So incase you missed the new kawaii little button on the upper left… just click on the owl! ❀ Have a happy weekend!

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Giving Firefly

One of the things I like most about playing pool, is the eclectic group of friends I have assembled. People I would never have come across otherwise. One of my good friends is Kristen Malone, not just a talented pool player but an amazing artist as well. A glass blower that produces stunning, one of kind pieces.
Kristen began blowing glass over 13 years ago when she did an old man a favor and gave him a ride home from a local pub. He showed her his work and from that moment she was hooked. She has since studied at the Pilchuck Glass School and with various mentors along the way including Kellmis Fernandez. She now practices her craft at Duckbill Studios in Decatur just outside Atlanta.She is unorthodox in her technique by working solo, no assistants, she will juggle numerous batons at a time to get just the right combination of shapes and colors. Her unique blending of colors is what she has become known for. To watch her is awe inspiring and even a little scary. The heat involved in this process can reach upwards 2000ºF and burns are not uncommon. Kristen has the scares to prove it. Her work is sold through numerous galleries and I got to shoot her and and some select pieces for a feature in Atlanta Home Magazine. She has also taken on several commissions including a large custom chandelier and a special set of dishes for award winning Chef Jamie Keating.

Atlanta Home Magazine

Firefly Candle Holder

Most recently she has created a line of candle holders she calls “Firefly”… there is a magical effect with a candle flickering off the specks of gold and other vibrante colors. They can also be used as a traditional vase or as an art piece displayed as is. They retail for between $200 and $300 and one lucky Pie reader will win a signed Firefly just by commenting on this post. Topic: Tell us about your most unusual job?
❀ One entry per person, deadline is midnight eastern time November 12th. Good Luck! ❀ You can find Kristen’s glass at The Crescent Gallery in Spartanburg, SC and Farasha Spa and The White Orchid both in La Grange, Georgia. Duckbill also has annual shows and sales or you can just email her directly through her site with a request including your color, size and shape preferences and she will quote you a price.

❀ One winner will be chosen at random using random.org

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Traveling on the Cheap

As glamourous as I know my life must seem, when I travel to play in pool tournaments it’s all about budget. Along the way I have discovered a few little tricks to make road trip travel a little more comfortable and even stylish. First off, stick with a name brand motel chain, unless you have a good referral and in either case check out online reviews. Some of the well known chains have invested in re-branding. Last weekend we stayed in a Hojos in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Though my room was small, it was clean and the bathroom had been redone. I love this cute soap packaging but be sure to bring conditioner. Most motels only provide the bare essentials, if that. You can also check online to see what amenities the rooms have, no need to pack a hair dryer if the room comes with one. Anyone that saw the ABC investigation on the true cleanliness of hotel rooms might appreciate this. It may sound a bit extreme but I can tell you, I sleep much better by packing my own pillow and blanket! I strip the bed of it’s blanket and bedspread, which are not cleaned often between guest and leave the sheets which are. Such a simple fix that gives so much peace of mind.

My Happy Motel Survival Kit

These fit nicely into a large laundry bag with room leftover for other bulky items like your shoes and a sweatshirt. The pillow is a contoured one to prevent neck strain, I was waking up with a lot of neck pain but not once since I made this 18.99 investment. Now I take it with me always, even when staying with friends or family.

Easy Makeover

Other essentials; healthy snacks, Kindle, bottled water, spare pair of reading glasses and most important my iPhone. Along with the obvious communication benefits, it is a reliable alarm clock and I like to play something on the iPod function to fall asleep too. It can help block out the noise from outside and other rooms and the speakers are strong enough that you can use it without headphones. I also find having designated containers for my essential items helps me stay organized and keeps me from forgetting items both coming and going. An oversized purse, that I can fit my laptop into is also a must. Leaving my laptop in the motel is just too risky. The one below by Orla Kiely works great and I love my Borsa Bella custom laptop sleeve. Before my next trip, I think I will also load up on some of the new Starbucks instant coffee, Via. It would be nice to have handy when your on the road and there is no decent coffee in sight. I could really have used it on this trip. Also, if you have any of your own travel tips or road stories to share please post away!

all top photos & content © Lara Rossignol/ Via photo courtesy of Starbucks

It’s a Kawaii World

The Burger Bar in Bristol, Virginia is a personal favorite signage landmark. I have been there twice but have not gotten to actually eat there (though apparently Hank Williams did!). I was playing in a tournament at Borderline Billiards across the street. I’m off again tomorrow for yet another event and then I have a shoot early next week. So Pie will be on a little break till Wednesday. I do have another great giveaway coming up so don’t wander off too far! ❀ Have a tasty weekend!

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Reel Me In

One of my favorite stores in NYC, that I really miss, is Fishs Eddy. A fantastic place to find unique dishes and related wares at really good prices. They started out by stumbling upon a cache’ of dishes from old diners and hotels, “dishes with a history”. They continue to sell commercial dish-ware and other unique finds twenty five years later. Eons ago, I got this beautiful green boot there and once had a whole set of these Sterling cowboy cups and saucers below but gave most away over the years. I just checked out their online store and though it is not as fun as rummaging through barrels of dishes, it is still pretty good. I think I really need these circus glasses and I love this carnival dinnerware too!

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Foxy BBQ!

I finally got around to trying Fox Brothers Bar B Q, which was recommended to me by a Pie reader months ago. Located on DeKalb Avenue, just minutes from my house. It was the busy lunch hour rush and I had a to wait a while for a window seat (so I could take pics). I have to compliment the staff, who were very attentive and apologetic about the long wait, even though it was at my own request.

Now if your wondering why I ordered a burger at a BBQ joint, this is not your run of the mill burger. It is made from brisket shaped into a patty then topped with bacon, pimento cheese and jalepeno mayo. It is ridiculous how good this is! You get a choice of side and had to go for the fries, which were as good as they looked but a little cold. For dessert, I managed just half this tasty banana pudding. Loaded with vanilla wafers, it is up there with some of the best I have had. I plan to go back soon and try some of the more classic fare like pulled pork, ribs and mac & cheese.

Divine Nominee!

Piewacket has been nominated for a Love this Site award at Divine Caroline! A cool site geared toward women and fueled by reader contributions. You do have to register to vote (easy and free) and can only vote once, voting ends December 4th. To vote just click on this handy button!

Bathroom Prettys

I found this lovely bowl and even lovelier bar of Mistral soap at one of my favorite stores, Anthropologie. This combo also makes a great gift. Or you could fill the bowl with some tasty treats and wrap it up in a pretty vintage tea towel.
I could not resist this sweet shower curtain I came across at the discount store, Ross. A great place to bargain hunt, especially for housewares. I paid just $5.99 for it and I also picked up a Laura Ashley sheet set for only $17.99. I used those as my backdrop for the first picture, I really love the delicate textile design of both. I also love how the green adds a wonderful glow to my tiny bathroom.

✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿ Have a pretty and amazing weekend! ✿

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Stand In

I shot a job yesterday for a major mag with a hot Country Music star. This beauty named Jake was an obedient stand in who also stood careful watch over his family.

photo & content © Lara Rossignol

Heart of Glass

A collection is like planting a seed that slowly grows into an orchard. At some point I found myself drawn to vintage bottles, especially perfume and apothecary and soon a few grew into many. I have paid as little as 50¢ and as much as $25, that was the Rose Leaves bottle above. I also love old milk bottles which make great vases.

This unusual example was a gift.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Toro! Toro!

I discovered a new mexican restaurant, Matador Mexican Cantina near my hood in Glenwood Park. Being one of my favorite cuisines, I was happy to give it a try. It is in a nice open space with big windows and outdoor seating. I went for lunch and was given some chips and salsa, a bit spicy for me, but always appreciated. As is the trend they have a long list of specialty tacos that can be ordered ala cart, most of these are between $2 and $4 making it pretty inexpensive. You can also choose a combo plate with rice and beans or other traditional fare like enchiladas and burritos.
I ordered a lobster taco and plantain with black bean taco and a small side of guacamole. I really love friend plantains and was not at all disappointed with this version, a really nice blend of sweet and salty. The lobster taco was good too and the guacamole was pretty decent, though not on par with Taqueria de Sol.
I then ordered the flan for dessert which is not always available, according to the menu. A big flan fan, as I am of all custards, unfortunately this one was not very good. Very heavy and thick with an odd aftertaste, it was a bit anticlimactic. Still, the service was great and I would not hesitate to eat there again and to even give the flan another try. It might have just been a bad flan day. Next time, I will have to go with a designated driver so can test out the Margaritas.

We Have a Winner!

Thanks to everyone that participated in the Borsa Bella Hobo Bag giveaway. My most popular to date with over 150 entrants. Believe it or not the winner was the very first poster, Corinne of the cause oriented blog, Maya’s Mercato. I also really enjoyed all the great book suggestions and have added a few new works to my wish list and also downloaded a few samples. Oh and for those of you have been on the fence about getting a Kindle, they just dropped the price to $259!

Lily’s World

Lily Stratton is a potter in Greenville, SC with both a store front studio and and two stores on etsy; Lily’s Pottery and Flowerlicous. I originally photographed her for the debut issue of G Magazine where she was the kawaii cover girl for a feature about the emerging Pendleton Arts District located in downtown Greenville. ❀ A lovely Lily bowl filled with fresh picked camellias still wet from the morning rain.

Though she still does the occasional pot or bowl, her main focus has been on creating unique jewelry pieces including earrings, rings and pendents. She is busy at work on a brand new line for 2010 while her current line is being sold in fifteen stores across the country and was just picked up for the catalog, Acacia.
Just a few doors down is Art & Light owned by Teresa Roche and she carries some amazing vintage furniture like the lamp and table above, as well as original art.
I could not resist this exquisite little (5×7) oil painting I got there for just $50.
You can visit Lily’s studio Mon-Friday by appointment and every first Friday and Saturday of the month she and other artist open the doors, and you can tour many of the studios in the district. As a special deal for my readers, if you purchase anything from either of her esty stores: Lily’s Pottery or Flowerlicous and just mention Piewacket in the “check out notes” then she will refund your shipping!

❀❀ Oh and don’t forget to have a fantastic and creative weekend! ❀❀

❀ Cloths for this story were provided by J.Crew and all photos & content © Lara Rossignol ❀

Why I ❤ Livebooks

In just the last six years or so, websites have become a photographers main selling tool, even more so than an actual portfolio. Much easier to access for potential clients, it is a crucial promotional tool for any commercial artist. I started with livebooks four years ago and consider it one of the best business decisions I have ever made. On my previous site (screen shot below) I had worked with the very talented Jen Funk Segrest of Very Big Design. Her love for retro really appealed to me but in retrospect I think the design was a little too specific and more important I was reliant on her to do any updates.
This is key to whatever you do in setting up your site, you must be able to update it easily yourself. I had grown frustrated that I could not do this and began looking for an alternative. I even made a dismal attempt to learn flash. Then I heard about livebooks. Geared to my industry, this is simple service that allows you to set up your site yourself using their very user friendly edit suite. I was impressed with the clean, simple navigation which I think helps put the emphasis where it should be, on the work. You can also personalize the look of your site with different design options and packages. Some have criticized them for a “cookie cutter” look but I really do not care. It is the work that is the star and the ease of use for clients makes sure that is what they see.

The edit suite which allows you to just drag and drop!

I also like that I paid one flat fee and now own my site, sure it was a lot but seriously it paid for itself in the first month. Since, I have only had to pay the yearly server fee and for a few upgrades. I have even gotten money back for referrals, so feel free to use my name! I have also found their customer service to be excellent, they have quickly addressed any issues that have come up. I spent the morning updating my site and every time do, I am reminded how grateful I am I found this company.

A Few Other Website Tips
1) Location: I am amazed at how many people do not say where they are on their sites. Many clients search by location and an area code is not enough.
2) Contact info: Speaking of area codes, be sure to include a phone number, some clients are in a hurry and do not want to rely on just email for contact.
3) Music, Yes or No?: No.
4) Research: Do look at a lot of other sites, especially in your local and genre.
5) Designer: Working with a designer for branding is a great idea, keeping a consistent logo or look is key to becoming memorable.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Best Fall Cookie ❧

These maple cookies from Trader Joe’s are my new fall favorite. Filled with real maple goodness, they are perfect on their own or with a bowl of good vanilla ice cream. ❧
I used them last weekend as the perfect touch of pretty to my tasty bento lunches.

❦ orange napkin (under cookie jar) by Orla Kiely, bento box by Shinzi Katoh

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Computer Woes

My iMac desktop computer went kaput on Friday afternoon… I am pretty sure the AC plan has just expired as well, making me wonder if it has some kind of built in self destruct mechanism. This does make me grateful that I have a laptop and would have been in real trouble to complete my job had I not had back up. However it is not the most optimum choice for post processing your images… so I decided to go ahead and order this huge 30″ cinema display I have been wanting for awhile. I saved about $500 by using my edu discount* and by buying a refurbished model.

It will be here tomorrow and will hook up to my laptop and later my iMac if it is fixable… though, I may opt for a 2nd new Mac Book Pro instead of paying to fix it, down the road maybe a tower… Unfortunately another iMac is out of the question cause they all come with that atrocious glossy display, looks nice but is not at all usable for photo processing. It really does amaze me at how reliant I am now on these devices for everything I do. It is my photo lab, messenger, social connector, store, news & information source and main means of communication with the outside world.
*I get this because I am a member of the Portfolio Center faculty.

Proper Prep

Preparing for a photo shoot is much like making an extravagant meal. The better you prepare, the better the ingredients, the better your result. I have always done most of my own production, though you can hire people to do this. This past week has been a bit stressful as I put together in just a few days, a job that normally I would have had two or more weeks to prepare.

I am a strong believer that casting the models can make or break a shoot. So whenever possible I do this myself as well. I like to see models in person and photograph them, especially when casting children. Just ten or so quick frames is all I need to know if the subject will work or not. It is not enough to be cute, I need to see if the child can focus and take direction. I prefer the parents to wait in the other room so I can see if the child is afraid to come with me alone, if they are, that is pretty much an automatic pass. Kids have to be brave and outgoing in this business, no matter how young. I also love a kid with a little attitude, like Miss Asia above. Along with casting, which is ultimately approved by the client (Kayla, bottom row red shirt got this gig) there is location scouting for which you then have to get permits or pay a fee, renting a location van, booking stylists and assistants, equipment rentals, insurance for van and location. I also booked a caterer for lunch and yesterday hit Target and Trader Joe’s for breakfast food and beverages. I also create a “call sheet” with all important shoot info from times to contact info to location directions included. If the job is well prepped then the shoot itself is the easy part.

❀ Oh and here is a little kawaii article you might enjoy about me :)! I hope you’re having some of the beautiful weather we are here in the South and have a glorious, lovely weekend! ❀

Models: Top: Asia Bay Jacobs, Houghton Bottom: Top Row L-R: Alicia Johnson, Nyaa Grant, Kelanie Gilbert all with Houghton, Bottom: Mikari Tarpley, JPervis, Kayla Walls, Babes ‘n Beaus, Bethany Taylor, JPervis
all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Four Eyes

One of the mean tricks of getting older is the sudden deterioration of vision when you hit your 40s. I have always had perfect 20/20 vision and took it for granted that I always would. However, in the last few years my ability to see close up has steadily decreased and reading glasses have become a necessity. Just six months ago I could still see my computer monitors and iPhone without them, not anymore… damn! It is a little scary. I buy inexpensive pairs of reading glasses whenever I find them and just keep them all over my house and in my various purses. Amazing how often you need them in the kitchen or while shopping. I did splurge on a pair of Lulu Guinness frames (via eBay) that I had fitted with good glass lenses. Walmart was the only place that would do this without a perscription. These ended up costing about $80, so I designate these strictly to my office so I don’t lose or break them.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

End Result

Yesterday, I received some copies of the cover I blogged about shooting a few weeks back. The subjects are two of the best pool players of all time, Allison Fisher and Johnny Archer. I really wrestled with a concept for this one and in the end went with a simple painted cloud backdrop. I love the final result, especially the individual portraits, which I think makes them look like the pool gods they are.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol