Summer Drive

posted by Monina on 2010.08.03, under Misc
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I recently took a road trip with my family to North Carolina. We drove through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. Below are some photos from the drive.

Bubbles

posted by Monina on 2010.06.09, under Misc
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Spring time in Chicago

posted by Monina on 2010.04.17, under Misc
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Blue skies! Leaves! Flowers!

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Free Hugs

posted by Monina on 2010.03.20, under Misc
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FreeHugs

I pass by hundreds of people everyday on my way to work in Chicago. Most people walk with purpose and speed – they’re most likely on their way to work or they have somewhere important to be. Some people hold up cardboard signs with sentences like, “Please feed me. I’m hungry.” Others play instruments on the street – accordion, saxophone, drums. This past Friday, a particular person caught my interest. He was holding a sign that said “Free Hugs” and was offering free hugs to the crowds walking in the street. When questioned why he was doing it, he replied with a smile, “I don’t know, I just felt like it”. I asked if I could take his picture and he said, “Of course, but only after I get a hug”. People like him make me happy.

1870 US Census

posted by Monina on 2010.03.17, under Inspiration, Misc
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I love these stunning maps and charts from the 1870 US Census. The colors are beautiful! Via Radical Catography.

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Shades of Red

posted by Monina on 2010.02.20, under Misc
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Coincidentally, Valentines day fell on the same day as the Chinese New Year. Below are some pics I took during the Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown, Chicago. More photos after the jump.

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This is how I want to get to work.

posted by Monina on 2010.02.16, under Misc
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Anja

posted by Monina on 2010.02.06, under Misc
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I need to find a better way to categorize my photos more efficiently. Sometimes I think, “I’m going to do it”. Then again there’s something wonderful about randomly clicking through my images and discovering photos that I’d forgotten I’d taken. While clicking through those photos, I re-discovered these images from the summer of ‘07. My friend Anja generously let me stay with her in her apartment that summer. It was a blast. I slept on the futon and we made pancakes and pad thai.  She took summer classes while I interned for a letterpress studio. On the first friday of every month, Anja drew portraits of people in the KC art district. Anja is colorful, imaginative and brilliant – probably one of the most original and creative people I know. Her apartment reflected her whimsical personality –  kitchen utensils were nailed to the wall, vibrant lanterns hung from the ceiling and her extensive hat collection piled on the coat rack.  It was all very…Anja.

 Anja eating breakfast

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Kindness of a Stranger

posted by Monina on 2010.01.10, under Misc
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Today, when I returned to my car after going out with my sister, I was surprised to find a little enveloped tucked on the side of the window.  It wasn’t there before and so I thought, “hmmm…I wonder who this is from”. This is what the envelope contained:


noteFront of envelope

noteBack of envelope

noteFront of card

noteBack of card

The note was from a stranger who possibly distributed cards with words of love and kindness randomly all over the parking lot.  It’s not often that I come across a random act of kindness such as this. It was a surprise– an unexpected gesture that made me smile and feel very happy.  When I do come across something like this, I’m reminded of how wonderful people are.

Thank You

posted by Monina on 2009.12.31, under Misc
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newYearThanks

Oh what fun.

posted by Monina on 2009.12.13, under Misc
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Today, I had a great time helping out with a class project for my sister’s 2nd grade class. We thought that it might be fun for the kids to make their own holiday cards. I pre-cut pop-out christmas tree cards and the kids then decorated them. It was so wonderful to see their enthusiasm and excitement for the project. They loved working with glitter. Below are their awesome creations.

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The Weather

posted by Monina on 2009.12.10, under Misc
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snow

We can do two things at once

posted by Monina on 2009.11.06, under Misc
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I’m a fraternal twin (that means my sister and I don’t look alike or we’re not identical). However, seeing this commercial made me wonder if my parents happened to capture any creepy twin pictures of my sister and I…and I found one!!

For your reference:

IKEA Twins

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Diane Arbus Twins

Diane Arbus

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Shining Twins

Picture 4

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Velarde Twins

(My sister, Monica is on the left and I’m on the right.)

Cookery

posted by Monina on 2009.11.06, under Misc
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I love/collect cook books. Below are some images from Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery published in 1965.

Encyclopedia of Cookery

pattern

Cheese

Cookies

Corn

A Piece of Sky

posted by Monina on 2009.11.02, under Misc, Personal Work
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cloud and building

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Various photos of the sky taken from inside a parking garage in Kansas City, Mo.

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