torino, italy/

I've been away awhile. Hope you all have been enjoying the summer.
Today a quick post from an incredible apartment in Torino, Italy. I ran across it the other day while looking through images of Carlo Mollino's apartment for my new book, Modern Originals.
I'll post more. I swear. ; )

doors/torino

I've been editing from my trip in April and May in Italy. While I was shooting Casa Mollino in Torino, I took so many images of the beautiful doors there. so a few of those today...

euro book update/mollino

I've been dying - seriously dying - to share some of the images I shot in Europe for my next book. So today, I gave myself leave to do so because I am excited! I have news!
But first things first! This is an image from Carlo Mollino's kitchen. I figured this was ok to share because this most likely won't make it in. It is a room still used so not exactly in tact. But I still love it. It was a rainy day when I was there in May, so the light was just nice and soft. I love the two little weights hanging down in the window. At least I think they are weights.
OK, so on to the news. I am just about to head out on the road again - back over to Europe for the rest of the shoots for my book. This will be the bigger trip. I am seriously pinching myself by some of the emails I have received from these amazing houses and people. I am always surprised when people know my book in Europe because it was not really distributed there. Grateful. Honored. Surprised. This week has been an onslaught of YES! I love it! The trip looks like this: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK. I think that covers it. And while on the road I will be doing some super good People Watching posts for the NYTimes. I hope you all come along for the ride.

torino/

I was meeting with a friend yesterday and swapping travel stories and invariably that means me handing over my phone at the beginning of the pictures I shot on my time in Europe. He ran across this one that I shot in Torino and it just made me start thinking about all the iron work in Italy. I mean, look at this light! This was just a courtyard I ducked into at some point, nothing particulary special about it from the outside. But wow...

note from london/the realities of travel

I've been thinking about this post for awhile. Some of you have asked about the daily things that go on on the road and how I manage such a long trip so today I'll talk about that. It is funny, but it is the little things...
First of all, I am a bit shy about portraits of me so I posted this image first, which I took somewhere in Milan, because the thought of a picture of me right there on everyone's Facebook feeds was not my favorite thought. The second shot is me with all my gear at the Torino train station. This was shot by my host in Torino, Maurizio Beucci, who is a Leica toting photographer himself. I asked him to shoot this because it is hard to explain what the reality of this kind of traveling is. Well this is what it looks like. My gear is heavy. This is the part that is not incredibly fun, but necessary. Trains are the most challenging because getting on and off take a bit of wrangling. I can do it though. but I am bruised on my shoulders and all over my legs (bruising easy doesn't make the situation better...) The other things that are necessary are the following. Staying in apartments, with friends or with hosts. This is key because you can cook for yourself and sometimes that is the only way to get grounded. On this trip for some reason my comfort meal have been scrambled eggs, toast and OJ. It started in Milan that first week and has carried over throughout the trip. The second key to travel for me is the "comfort kit". This consists of my cashmere wrap and my music, and honestly, if I have my music I can be OK anywhere. What else...texting helps...and Skype. But all in all, this travel has not had as huge an effect on me as I though it would. It has in the great ways. I have seen some of the most amazing places and met the most wonderful people! But no longing for home or anything. I used to be someone who could not be away from my nest very long and this trip, at a month, I was sitting there scratching my head and wondering how long I had been away. So I guess this is my life for the next few months. Heading to NY on Sunday, SF on Tuesday, Ukiah on Friday and then a bit of a rest back in SF. Of course there is plenty to do for the next trip in late June...

note from torino/carlo mollino

Arrived in Torino yesterday for the express purpose of shooting Carlo Mollino's garçonnière for the book. I have dreamed of shooting this space for about 10 years, so to say I am a bit excited seems like an understatement to say the least. But today, amid the clouds and drizzle, my host in Torino, Maurizio, and I just walked around and saw what Mollino there was to see around town. This is as close as I got to seeing inside his Teatro Regio. But I'll try again before I leave. I have seen pictures for years and refuse to leave without laying my eyes on it for real! The shots in this post today are around the entry to the Theatre.
But the real discovery today has been Torino itself. What a beautiful city! Someone told me it was the Paris of Italy and it really does feel like Paris in many ways. Some of the most beautiful shops I have ever seen. More pics of this soon!