Aaron Hobson: Cinemascapes

Aaron Hobson's Google Street View edition of Cinemascapes is not the first work of photography that utilizes the navigation tool for artistic purposes. Michael Wolf is a favorite, capturing mishaps and urban moments. In contrast, Hobson explores remote areas not often seen by outsiders. His artist's statement explains that he is 'in search of enchanted and remote lands typically only reserved for the eyes of its inhabitants, but now are captured on camera by the automated and aesthetically-neutered street view cars that linger.'

planning for England and Wales

The next adventure is almost here! Soon, Marcus and I will head on a journey through England and Wales. We'll go by train from Amsterdam, through the Channel Tunnel, to begin our travels in Bath. We've both been to London numerous times and want to get to know the countryside. Since we'll be making our trip around by car, we'll have the freedom to explore at our leisure.

If you have any tips or suggestions for England and Wales, I'd love to hear them!

Photo of the Cotswolds by mazzle

summertime in Oregon

Home is always sweet, but perhaps even more so in the summertime. After Ottawa, I traveled on to Oregon to visit my family for a week. It was 38°C / 100°F on the first day and I relished the heat.

The week was spent playing with my nieces, swimming, barbeque dinners on the terrace, roasting marshmallows, harvesting tomatoes from my sister's amazing garden, eating fish tacos, boating on Foster Lake, enjoying conversations with my parents and sisters, and drinking my first root beer float in years. Yeah, it was pretty amazing.

Oregon in August is just about as good as it gets.

at the Portland Farmers Market

The first morning I was in Portland, my sister Alyssa and I began the day at the Farmers Market at PSU. She lives downtown and we woke early enough to scout out our breakfast from individual vendors. Chocolate milk, strawberries, and Bavarian-style croissants. Finished off with coffee at Stumptown.

Even with all the impressive markets we have in Amsterdam, there was something special about this market. Perhaps it was the fact that I hadn't been to a Portland farmers market in years. I also appreciated the space that allowed for people to walk uncrowded. My sister also knew many of the vendors, like the bread bakers who are trying to learn German. Such a perfect start to my trip home.

in the capital of Canada

At the end of July, I headed to Ottawa for a work trip, my first time in the Canadian capital. The work part of the trip went smoothly and the after-hours part allowed for a peek at the city. A few things I enjoyed about Ottawa:

1. The Scone Witch. I ate breakfast twice at this small café tucked among the government buildings and skyscrapers of downtown Ottawa. Delicious, organic homemade scones served with a dollop of cream. They even had a Portland love sticker. Sold. 2. The weather. When I left Amsterdam, it was 17°C/62°F and rainy. Ottawa, on the other hand, was gloriously warm with a consistently blue sky. 3. The swimming pool in my hotel. Swimming laps under a glass ceiling is a perfect conclusion to a long day. 4. The Rideau Canal. I probably have a thing for canals, living in Amsterdam, but I loved the combination of a festival celebrating the Unesco heritage site, the sun, and the sound of water.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Tasting the unique ice cream flavors at Salt & Straw in Portland (honey balsamic strawberry with cracked pepper, rocky road with honey marshmallows, pear with blue cheese and honey lavender, pictured above) 2. Seeing The Shanghai Woolies perform at Portland's Washington Park Summer Festival 3. Viewing Finbarr O'Reilly's photos of the 10th Dakar Fashion Week in Senegal 4. Admiring the design of the Circus City Hostel in Athens, Greece (pictured below, photos by Olga Tzimou) 5. Wanting another opportunity to Roam Like a Roman

a walk on the beach in Barcelona

A posting from Portland where it is just like summer should be.

After our holiday in east Germany, we returned to Amsterdam on a Sunday afternoon and I promptly left for Barcelona on a work trip the next morning. It was a bit of a whirlwind and I was sick, but the sun is therapeutic, isn't it? A few hours before my return flight, I lounged by the pool, working and eating fresh watermelon. But the best part was probably my morning walk on the beach.

I stayed at Vincci Bit, which was close to the neighborhood I needed to work in and a convenient ten-minute walk from the beach. On my second day there, I woke early and headed out to feel the sand between my toes. Just me, a few elderly people, and several dedicated surfers populated the beach. A quiet walk to the sound of lapping waves.

west coast

West Coast, here I come! After a few days working in Ottawa, Canada, I will land in Portland tomorrow night. I am so excited for a week of Oregon sunshine and soaking up the love of my family. Nothing is as sweet as going home, especially when it happens to be such a beautiful part of the world.

Illustration by Brent Couchman

summer sailing

During our holiday in east Germany, Marcus' father took us sailing on the same lake we visited last year. He and Marcus have sailed together for years, but it was only my second time out. I love boats and being on the water, but am still getting used to all the rope and steep turns. The wind whipped us around and the fickle sun finally dominated over the clouds.

summer in Germany

We took our annual summer trip to Germany in the middle of July. Marcus' father has a house on the edge of a lake and protected wildlife area. We spent most of our time in the woods and on the water, enjoying nature and the quiet. There was no internet, but lots of fresh fruit, nightly barbeques on the back terrace, the spotting of deer, reading books, and dancing in the fields.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Seeing the average color of the London Olympic sky, updated every 10 minutes (pictured above, via Jessica Stanley) 2. Listening to NPR's summer music preview 3. Watching a fine art photographic parody video by Maisie Broadhead (via bundleofbooks) 4. Visiting 't Nieuwe Diep, a small distillery Amsterdam's Flevopark (via the lovely Manja, pictured below)

photography by sarah natsumi

Sarah Natsumi is one of those people that oozes creative talent, whether she is taking photographs, making a film, designing a website, or applying a paintbrush to canvas. Her Etsy shop has a beautiful collection of vintage inspired travel photography, from the beaches of Spain and the parks of Amsterdam, to the mountains of Japan and the deserts of Texas. She also has a collection of European city postcards that capture scenes from some of my favorite cities.

I met Sarah in Amsterdam in 2007. She needed a bike, I had an extra one for sale, and a friendship was born. Five years later, she recently returned to her home in Austin, Texas and this city just won't be the same without her. For now, I have her beautiful Romantic Amsterdam photo collection (below) to remember her by and now a great reason to visit Texas someday.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Viewing the project Just Here's Fine by Victoria Hannan, profiling the cab drivers of London (pictured above, Gerry who's had his badge for 51 years) 2. Finding the project Beyond the Flavor, which looks past the ingredients to hear the stories behind meals in Virgina 3. Wanting to visit this house on Sauvie Island, Oregon 4. Planning to make a ginger and coconut oil sugar body scrub 5, Loving the one package, one fire concept from Deutsche & Japaner (pictured below)

urban aquarium

A beautiful art installation in the Portland International Airport by artist Sayuri Sasaki Hemann. Handmade jellyfish are suspended in a large-scale aquarium. The project aims to 'create a dialogue between viewers about context and displacement and about the unexpected.'

The jellyfish are styled after the Sky Jelly, A Midsummer's Night Dream (real name!), Portland Rain, Electric Moss Jellyfish, Magic Jelly, Moonlight Parade, and Sunset Jelly. I would love to unexpectedly come across this work while headed to a flight.

[vimeo vimeo.com/44358107 w=500&h=400]

Photos by The Weaver House

exploring Vinkeveen

Nothing says summer to me more than water, a wooden dock, and swimsuits. The forecast for the weekend was rain, rain rain, but on Saturday morning the sun was shining and we dared to head out to explore until the rain arrived.

Our destination was Vinkeveen Lakes, a water recreation area with 12 sand islands and plenty of room for sailboats and waterskiing. A road crosses through the middle of the lake with houses on either side overlooking the lake. Marcus and I headed to a small beach area on the north side of the lake and claimed a secluded dock extending over the water. A moment to lie in the sun and carefully watch the clouds pass overhead.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Appreciating The Quiet Farm, a concept and shop of products for 'a life where time is made for time to be enjoyed' (pictured above, via) 2. Loving the music of The Lumineers (via) 3. Admiring what looks to be a great weather app 4. Counting down the days until the Breakfast with Strangers project hits the road (via my dad) 5. Discovering a popsicle recipe roundup and trying out the yummy roasted strawberry and coconut milk pops (pictured below) 6. Reading the article 'The Busy Trap' in the NYTimes

fine lines

A series of Polaroids by Erin Curry, an artist from Florida. Powerlines gazes upwards to the lines overhead that connect us.

scandinavian moments

The eleven photographers that make up Moment Agency spend much of their time capturing stories around the world. This summer, they are returning to their homes in Scandinavia on a road trip that will take them from the north of Norway, across Sweden, to the southern tip of Denmark. Working from their own perspectives, the work will collectively become a document of Scandinavian identity today. They're raising money for Scandinavian Moments on Emphasis.

[vimeo vimeo.com/43379412 w=500&h=400]

shapes in Stuttgart

The southern German city of Stuttgart is a mixture of old and new architecture. I am always drawn to the classic grandeur of the old palaces and official buildings, but the newer buildings of the last decades had a fantastic array of shapes.

I was pleasantly surprised by my short trip to Stuttgart and all the city had to offer. Three days was barely enough time to scratch the surface between work obligations, but I will certainly return someday when I finally plan that journey through the Black Forest that I have been dreaming of since childhood. Until then, Stuttgart.

weekend links

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. I hope you enjoy them as well!

1. Visiting a new cafe and design shop in Amsterdam West (pictured above) 2. Watching an illustrated video about overfishing in our oceans 3. Finding picnic recipes for alfresco dining 4. Seeing the beautiful photos from a wedding reshoot 5. Hearing that Kimbra will be in Amsterdam in September 6. Hoping to someday attend a rustic dinner in the Beetlebung Farm greenhouse (pictured below)