EMILY REDONDO: Blog https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog en-us (C) EMILY REDONDO (EMILY REDONDO) Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:42:00 GMT Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:42:00 GMT https://www.emilyredondo.com/img/s/v-12/u77158162-o730207965-50.jpg EMILY REDONDO: Blog https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog 120 120 To Liquify, or not to Liquify? https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2021/4/to-liquify-or-not-to-liquify The Liquify Filter in Adobe Photoshop is such a fun and powerful tool! BUT, there are some important considerations to make before opening the filter...

Is the final image representing a real person?

For portrait retouching, I believe you should represent the client as they would look at their best. So, I only retouch temporary issues such as blemishes, stray hairs, etc. In this case, I only use Liquify for objects such as hair and clothes.

Ethically, transforming a person into something other than what they look like can cause misrepresentation and body image issues among viewers. In fact, some of the most epic Photoshop fails comes from the misuse of Liquify.

Photoshop Fails

Case in point, here is the infamous ad by a major brand. On the left is the overly retouched version of the model on the right:

Thigh gaps are caused by genetics and bone structure but overzealous retouchers have been behind the perpetuation of the unrealistic expectation that having a thigh gap is a sign of health and femininity.

Want to see more? Here is a blog post from shefinds.com about the above fail and more!

Is the image the basis for creative manipulation?

As artists and illustrators, we often start with an image of a real person then manipulate it to further our communication. This is where I find it perfectly okay to play with Liquify and create a whole new person. I liken this to painters who interpret their models in their paintings. 

For example, Dora Maar, who was an artist in her own right, modeled for Picasso for this painting:

The Weeping Woman, 1937 by Pablo Picasso

Girl with a Robot Earring

This brings me to my image created as an example for my Photoshop class. It's named after the Dutch master Vermeer's famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. Although it's not the same pose, lighting, etc. that name is the first that jumped out to me so I went with it (as an over-thinker, this was harder for me to do than it sounds!).

Girl with a Robot Earring, 2021.

Technical Information

 

  • Global edits were done in Adobe Camera Raw.
  • Once in Photoshop, I used Frequency Separation for retouching, the Liquify Filter to distort my features, the Paint Daubs Filter for the skin, and the Watercolor Filter for the rest.

Photoshop Time Lapse

Check out the time-lapse video below to see the transformation before your very eyes! 

Love this image and need it in your life? Check out my shop where you can buy this image as a Fine Art Print, Canvas Wrap, Metal Print, and more! Note: When you go to the artwork page, click on "Visit Shop" to see ALL of the available print options!

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(EMILY REDONDO) Ethics Girl with a Robot Earring Liquify Photoshop Photoshop Fail https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2021/4/to-liquify-or-not-to-liquify Sat, 03 Apr 2021 20:54:28 GMT
"Positively Fresno" Exhibition https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/12/-positively-fresno-exhibition This month, Jennifer Franklin and I have joined forces at Spectrum Art Gallery to present an all Fresno exhibition!  

Photo by Mahin Alibabae

Our joint Artist Statement:

"This exhibition aims to showcase the charm and splendor that we see ​in the place we call "home​." So often,​ we feel ​our civic pride is disparaged by way of "Top 10 Worst Cities" lists and the everyday challenges of living in an economically depressed area.  We choose to instead focus our attention to the landscapes, architecture and interplay of textures and light that make our lives here a visual treat.  Come see Fresno through our eyes!"

Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei

Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo
Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo

Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback and for attending our receptions!

Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei

Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei

Congratulations to the winners of the raffle!  Four 4x6 prints of the "Tower Theater Sunset" were raffled off on the last day of our show, below are the prints and a video of the raffle drawing:

Positively Fresno Show Photo by Emily RedondoPositively Fresno Show Photo by Emily Redondo Click to watch the Raffle Drawing!

Thank you to our family and friends for your continued love and support.  

A special Thank You to our patrons who helped make this our most successful exhibition to date!

YOU make it possible for us to continue to create new art! Until next time, xoxo

Photo by Mahin AlibabaeiPhoto by Mahin Alibabaei

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Downtown Fresno Emily Redondo Fresno Jennifer Franklin Positively Fresno Spectrum Spectrum Art Gallery Tower District art downtown gallery photo photography raffle shots https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/12/-positively-fresno-exhibition Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:47:58 GMT
"I Love Fresno" Series at the Pacific Southwest Building https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/11/-i-love-fresno-series-at-the-pacific-southwest-building I was honored to share my favorite photos of Fresno in the renovated basement and vault of the Pacific Southwest Building!

More artists whose work was showcased as well:

Thank you so much to everyone who came out and checked out the show!

 

If you missed this exhibition, the work will be at Spectrum Art Gallery December 3rd-27th!  Message me for more details or sign up for my email list!

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(EMILY REDONDO) ArtHop California Downtown Fresno Emily Emily Redondo Fresno Fresno Artist Fresno Hotel Fresno Photographer Fresno Skyline Pacific Southwest Building Redondo The Vault Tower Theater Water Tower art art show skyline train station https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/11/-i-love-fresno-series-at-the-pacific-southwest-building Tue, 10 Nov 2015 02:13:22 GMT
Exploring Alternative Processes Show at M Street Art Complex! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/11/exploring-alternative-processes-show-at-m-street-art-complex Last ArtHop was a chance to share a collection of pieces that started out as experiments and turned out pretty awesome!  From cyanotypes to platinum/palladium prints, collage to painting on the surface, sabatier to photograms-I was quite excited to share this work! If you missed it, a selection of this exhibition will be at M Street this coming ArtHop as well.  All pieces are unique photographic works and for sale, please feel free to contact me if you have questions!

For example, this piece is a silver gelatin print printed with a cyanotype over top:

Of course, none of my shows are possible without the help of my handsome husband/assistant:

My dear friend Jessica Hanna also displayed her beautiful ceramic creations alongside my photographs.  She combines found objects from nature with glazed and raw ceramic pieces that convey the order, chaos and life giving properties of the ocean.

Thank you to friends, family and collectors who came by! 

And of course the Jesse Merrell and Travis Rockett who hosted this exhibition at their space in the beautiful M Street Art Complex in Fresno, Ca.

 

This coming ArtHop (November 5th) I'll be sharing photographs from my Fresno Series at the Pacific Southwest Building in Fulton Mall, hope to see you there!

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(EMILY REDONDO) Alternative Process ArtHop California Fresno M Street M Street Art Complex art history series collage cyanotype drawing ink painting photogram platinum/palladium sabatier silver gelatin https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/11/exploring-alternative-processes-show-at-m-street-art-complex Mon, 02 Nov 2015 00:32:57 GMT
Faces of Hope at Jewel FM Gallery https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/9/faces-of-hope-at-jewel-fm-gallery During the month of September I had the privilege to share the series Faces of Hope: The People of Cornerstone Development Africa at the beautiful Jewel FM Gallery in Downtown Fresno, Ca.  If you missed it, here's a photo tour and video presentation of the project:

Elvis comes out of hiding!Photo by Mike Schwabenland Photo by Mike Schwabenland

Overview of the exhibitionLove that brick wall!

Artists and art lovers at the ReceptionPhoto by Marc Blake Performing artists at the receptionPhoto by Marc Blake

Click here to watch video!

To see more of the project click here!

Thank you to all who attended the reception!  Until next time-xoxo, Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) ArtHop California Downtown Emily Redondo Faces of Hope Fresno Jewel FM Jewel FM Gallery KJWL Reception art exhibition photography https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/9/faces-of-hope-at-jewel-fm-gallery Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:10:17 GMT
Beach Sun https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/4/beach-sun Like many Fresnans, one of my fave places to escape to is California's Central coastal region.  No doubt if you grew up in the Central Valley you have fond memories of driving Highway 1!  Here's a few photos from my last few trips to tantalize you to take another trip to the coast sooner rather than later!

Coastal Foothills leading to the Pacific OceanCoastal Foothills leading to the Pacific Ocean Ano Nuevo State ParkAno Nuevo State Park

Growing up, my family went to Pismo Beach every summer:

Pismo Beach SunsetPismo Beach Sunset

Splash Cafe in Pismo BeachSplash Cafe in Pismo Beach Pismo Beach at DuskPismo Beach at Dusk

Me and my husband's first date was a spontaneous midnight trip to Santa Cruz so it holds special memories!  Here we are in front of the last remaining arch of the "bridge" on Natural Bridges State Beach (there used to be an arch on each side of the remaining arch, visitors were once allowed to walk and even drive on the bridge until it collapsed in 1980!):

From October to February, Monarch Butterflies migrate to the eucalyptus grove by this beach:  

Natural Bridges State Park  WalkwayNatural Bridges State Park Walkway Monarchs, Natural Bridges State BeachMonarchs, Natural Bridges State Beach

Natural Bridges State Park LagoonNatural Bridges State Park Lagoon

During this time the tide is lower so you can walk through the natural bridge and see the different creatures that call this place home:

Starfish, Natural Bridges State BeachStarfish, Natural Bridges State Beach Anemone, Natural Bridges State BeachAnemone, Natural Bridges State Beach

A sunset shot of the bridge:

Natural Bridges State ParkNatural Bridges State Park

See you on the beach!  XOXO, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) 3 California Natural Bridges State Beach Pacific Ocean Pismo Pismo Beach Santa Cruz Splash Cafe The Splash Cafe anemone arch beach birds butterfly crane eucalyptus eucalyptus trees hunting lagoon lifeguard tower lifeguard tower three migration monarch monarch butterfly natural arch ocean path star fish sunset surf tower 3 walkway water white crane https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/4/beach-sun Tue, 28 Apr 2015 17:51:40 GMT
KRS One in Fresno! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/3/krs-one-in-fresno Last Friday, Fresno welcomed rapper, philosopher and activist KRS One:

 

The creativity and "question authority" attitude inherent in Classic Hip Hop culture drew me in as a pre-teen; gravity defying dance moves, colorful murals and poetry set to a beat are thrilling to watch and participate in!  KRS One is as classic as you can get so I knew I had to be there!

 

 

 

Hip Hop fact! Didya know that the dance style "Popping" was created by Fresno's own Boogaloo Sam in the 1970's? 

 

 

WARNING EXPLICIT LANGUAGE!  The video below starts off with a classic song, goes into some of KRS One's beliefs then ends with some freestyling! 

 

I had a blast groovin' to da beat with you KRS One!  XOXO, Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Classic Hip Hop Fresno Fulton 55 Hip Hop KRS KRS One Rewind 105.5 rap rapper https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/3/krs-one-in-fresno Tue, 24 Mar 2015 23:49:19 GMT
Circus Et Cetera! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/3/circus-et-cetera One of my fave Rogue shows each year, these folks put on a great show!

 

Keep up to date with them on their Facebook page!  XOXO, Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Circus Et Cetera Fresno Rogue Rogue Show aerialist belly dancing clown contortionist dancing fire fire breathing juggler juggling singing slapstick stilts https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/3/circus-et-cetera Sat, 14 Mar 2015 20:56:09 GMT
The Top of Fresno https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/3/the-top-of-fresno My fave stop during this last month's Arthop was a tour of the Pacific Southwest Building (aka The Security Bank building).  

Pacific Southwest BuildingPacific Southwest Building

On the 2nd floor is the George Garcia's popular salon "The Loft" and there are plans to open a restaurant on this floor as well:

The current owner has opened up lofts for lease (only a few left!).  We got to tour one of the inhabited lofts on the 11th floor:

Next we ascended to the 14th floor where there are plans to open a restaurant as well.  We got to walk the balcony (which goes along the entire building) and catch views of across Fresno:

Up another flight of stairs we found ourselves in the peak of the building where there are plans for a lounge:

I can't wait for these businesses to open so I can enjoy the view any night!  

Stay tuned for the next blog post featuring Circus Etcetera!

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Fresno George Garcia Pacific Southwest Security Bank architecture arthop balcony ballroom building chandelier cityscape loft night salon the loft https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/3/the-top-of-fresno Tue, 10 Mar 2015 20:44:47 GMT
Faces of Hope Series at City Hall https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/1/faces-of-hope-series-at-city-hall I am so happy to be able to share this series at Fresno's City Hall!  This has opened up the visibility of this project to not just art connoisseurs but to the general public as well.  The exhibition is on the ground floor where people from all walks of life come in to take care of business like buying permits, parking passes and pay water bills.  The response has been fantastic as people get a glimpse of life on the other side of our planet while seeing what people from our community are capable of abroad.  For more information see the book here, go down to City Hall this month or send me an email!  

Below is an overview of the show and photos from the opening reception.  Thank you so much to those who attended!

XOXO,

Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa California City Hall Cornerstone Cornerstone Development Cornerstone Development Africa Faces of Hope Fresno Fresno City Hall Kampala Uganda beans chapel children documentary photography kids leadership people photography posho third world third world country water https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2015/1/faces-of-hope-series-at-city-hall Fri, 09 Jan 2015 19:04:53 GMT
Walking the Manhattan Bridge, The Sky Line, SohoPhoto Gallery and Grand Central Station https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/12/walking-the-manhattan-bridge-the-sky-line-sohophoto-gallery-and-grand-central-station Our last day was a whirlwind of activity!  First we walked across the Manhattan Bridge for great views and lunch in Brooklyn:

Manhattan BridgeManhattan Bridge Views from the Manhattan BridgeViews from the Manhattan Bridge

After walking back to Manhattan we headed to the Sky Line, an old, above-ground railway that has been turned into a walking path:

Silliness on the HighlineSilliness on the Highline

The HighlineThe Highline

Then over to Soho Photo Gallery for the opening reception of their 10th Annual Alternative Processes Competition.  I was pleased to see that my piece Mumaaso Ekisimbe #2 received an Honorable Mention, but even more pleased to see my old pals Erica and Dilia and meet new friends as well:

After the reception we headed to the beautiful Grand Central Station where I got this panorama (almost 20 photos stitched together!)

Grand Central StationGrand Central Station

That wraps up our stay in NYC, if you'd like to see even more photos click on any photo above!  Thanks for following, xoxo Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Grand Central Grand Central Station Honorable Mention Manhattan Manhattan Bridge NYC New York New York City Sky Line Soho Soho Photo Gallery art gallery https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/12/walking-the-manhattan-bridge-the-sky-line-sohophoto-gallery-and-grand-central-station Thu, 04 Dec 2014 02:56:50 GMT
Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, World Trade Center Site and Brooklyn Bridge Park https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/11/day-3-lady-liberty-ellis-island-world-trade-center-site-and-brooklyn-bridge-park After two days of chilly weather we awoke to sunnier skies and headed out to Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan to catch the ferry out to Liberty Island and Ellis Island:

The view from the ferry heading to Liberty IslandThe view from the ferry heading to Liberty Island

Lady LibertyLady Liberty

Ellis Island Immigration MuseumEllis Island Immigration Museum The Great HallThe Great Hall

After dinner, we went to the World Trade Center Memorial Pools  :

WTC North PoolWTC North Pool

Then went over to Brooklyn Bridge Park for this fantastic view:           Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Bridge ParkManhattan skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park

My husband/assistant and I on the Brooklyn Promenade :)

We had a great time and thanks for checking out my photo blog-feel free to leave a comment!  

To see more photos of New York City click on any photo above!  xoxo, Emily

 
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(EMILY REDONDO) 9/11 9/11 Memorial Brooklyn Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge Park East River Ellis Ellis Island Lady Liberty Liberty Liberty Island Manhattan Manhattan Bridge Memorial New York New York City Statue of Liberty WTC World Trade Center bridge island manhattan skyline night night skyline park skyline https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/11/day-3-lady-liberty-ellis-island-world-trade-center-site-and-brooklyn-bridge-park Fri, 14 Nov 2014 03:11:49 GMT
Chinatown, Soho and Rockefeller Center https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/11/chinatown-soho-and-rockefeller-center Our second day started with exploring the neighborhood we were staying in, Chinatown! Everyday there are stands with fresh fruits and vegetables backdropped by graffiti, a fun place to browse and people watch:

ChinatownChinatown

 

ChinatownChinatown ChinatownChinatown

Next we headed to Soho to check out galleries (no photos allowed!) and ran into Washington Square Park where couples, friends and families were lounging about, enjoying their Sunday afternoon:

Soho wall of loveSoho wall of love

Washington Square ArchWashington Square Arch

We went out for dinner and drinks then returned to this beautiful arch for sunset photos before heading out towards Rockefeller Center.  The original plan was to go to the observation deck in the Rockefeller building (named 'Top of the Rock') for shots of the skyline but was sad to find out tripods are not allowed (anywhere on their property, street level included) without a permit!  We still found some great shots at street level though:

Washington Square Arch at DuskWashington Square Arch at Dusk Empire State Building through the Washington Square ArchEmpire State Building through the Washington Square Arch

Rockefeller CenterRockefeller Center

Swarovski Chandelier in the Rockefeller LobbySwarovski Chandelier in the Rockefeller Lobby Radio City Music HallRadio City Music Hall

Thanks for checking out my photo blog and to see all of the NYC photos click on any photo above to go to the gallery!

Tomorrow's post will be on visiting Lady Liberty, the World Trade Center site and the view from Brooklyn!

xoxo, Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Chinatown Lower East Side Manhattan New York New York City Radio City Radio City Music Hall Rockefeller Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Center ice rink Swarovski Swarovski chandelier Washington Arch Washington Square Arch Washington Square Park dusk fruits graffiti ice rink long exposure mural night night photography people sunset twilight vegetables https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/11/chinatown-soho-and-rockefeller-center Tue, 11 Nov 2014 21:49:49 GMT
The Met, Central Park and Times Square https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/11/the-met-central-park-and-times-square  

Our first day in New York City was cold and rainy, but it didn't stop us!  We had originally planned to go to Liberty Island our first day but opted to change our itinerary to an indoor venues: the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The City of New York Museum!  We spent hours wandering these beautiful museums and still only saw a handful of the available exhibitions.  We saw Assyrian reliefs, Greek and Roman art, Asian art, New York Activism, Photography and the Musical Instrument Collections.  I could see how one could spend days wandering!

 

Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of Art Early Greek Kuros at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtEarly Greek Kuros at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Buddhist Tapestry at the MetBuddhist Tapestry at the Met

Next we headed to Central Park for sunset views at Jackie Onassis Reservoir and to visit Strawberry Fields where there is a mosaic in tribute to John Lennon:

Twilight at Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central ParkTwilight at Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park

Imagine Mosaic in Central ParkImagine Mosaic in Central Park

We ended the night visiting Times Square and having dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe:

Times SquareTimes Square

Hard Rock CafeHard Rock Cafe

You can click on any image to see the full New York City Album! Check back soon for day two of our adventure!

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(EMILY REDONDO) Central Park Imagine mosaic Jackie Onassis Reservoir John Lennon Manhattan Metropolitan Museum of Art New York New York City hard rock hard rock cafe imagine lennon memorial mosaic sunset times square https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/11/the-met-central-park-and-times-square Mon, 10 Nov 2014 20:40:42 GMT
Historic Sacramento https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/10/historic-sacramento I took the train up to Sacramento, California's Capitol city.  I have memories of visiting Old Sacramento as a kid, so I decided to make some new ones!

From the train stationFrom the train station

Old Sacramento SaloonOld Sacramento Saloon Old StaircaseOld Staircase

We enjoyed a stroll by the Sacramento River:

Tower BridgeTower Bridge The ZigguratThe Ziggurat I Street BridgeI Street Bridge

Visited The Crocker Art Museum where we were greeted by Folklorico dancers:

  Crocker Art MuseumCrocker Art Museum Crocker Art MuseumCrocker Art Museum

And strolled downtown and around by the capitol:

Downtown graffitiDowntown graffiti Cathedral of the Blessed SacramentCathedral of the Blessed Sacrament State CapitolState Capitol

Click on any photo to see more of Sacramento!

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Sacramento USA bridge folklorico river saloon stairway https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/10/historic-sacramento Thu, 23 Oct 2014 08:56:45 GMT
Wailea Luau Fun! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/10/wailea-luau-fun We went to an awesome luau in Wailea, complete with roasted pig, hula girls and a fire dancer!

My fave part was the sunset of course, well and getting called on stage to dance (you'll have to pay off family members to see those photos haha!

That concludes my posts on Hawaii.  To see more photos click on any of the photos above to see the full album, Aloha!

 

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) fire fire dancer hawaii hula hula dancer luau maui roasted pig sunset wailea https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/10/wailea-luau-fun Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:00:00 GMT
The Road To Hana https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/10/the-road-to-hana Rated as the most scenic drive on Maui, the Road to Hana takes you through lush rain forests, beautiful beaches and waterfalls galore!

LJ-Standard-428LJ-Standard-428

 

We hiked around an awesome arboretum (beware of the mosquitos!) and took our time at each stop

we didn't quite make it all the way to Hana before turning back but it was definitely worth it!

Click on any photo to see more! Aloha!

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Ha'ipua'ena Falls Hawaii Honomanu Bay Maui Road To Hana Wailua Overlook bamboo beach painted eucalyptus waterfall https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/10/the-road-to-hana Sat, 04 Oct 2014 07:02:09 GMT
Iao Valley https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/9/iao-valley After our morning in Haleakalā National Park we headed into Iao Valley to see the Iao Needle:

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We were greeted with views of the stream and local flora:

We explored the park and had a lovely lunch, click on any photo to see more of Hawaii! Aloha!

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(EMILY REDONDO) Hawaii Iao Needle Iao Stream Iao Valley Maui flora flowers purple flowers https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/9/iao-valley Wed, 24 Sep 2014 23:45:00 GMT
Haleakalā National Park https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/9/haleakal-national-park After lounging around for a few days, our first adventure was to wake up at 2 a.m. and drive up to the Haleakalā Visitor Center by Pu'u'ula'ula Summit (10,023 ft) to catch a gorgeous sunrise!

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After the show we hiked around and caught some photos of the Silversword plant which only grows in this location!  

The drive down was stunning with views of Kahului:

Of course we stopped several times to photograph the flowers as well!

Click on any of the photos above to see more of Hawaii!  Aloha!

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Haleakalā National Park Hawaii Kahului Maui silversword sunrise tropical yellow flower https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/9/haleakal-national-park Tue, 23 Sep 2014 07:15:00 GMT
Arriving in Maui https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/9/arriving-in-maui Vacations with family are awesome, especially when visiting such a photogenic place!  

Flying into Honolulu was a treat as we flew over historic Pearl Harbor:

 

 The grounds at Honokeana Cove Condos are bursting with native plants:

 

And the views are gorgeous!

 

Click on any of the above photos to see more photos!  More posts to come, including Haleakala Summit and The Road to Hana, Aloha!

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Hawaii Honokeana Cove Honolulu Maui Pearl Harbor banana plumeria sunset https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/9/arriving-in-maui Sun, 21 Sep 2014 00:38:50 GMT
Hot Bands and Kearney Park https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/6/2014-rangefinder-peoples-choice-winner Thank you so much to those who took the time to vote for my photo in Rangefinder Magazine's Alternative Processes Contest!  

With your help, my cyanotype Mumaaso Ekisimbe #1 won the People's Choice Award!  

Screenshot of the online Winner's Gallery

 

From hot bands to car shows,  dancers and graduation, check out some of the sights around town from the last few months!

In order of appearance: Basura Punk Ska performing at Art House, DJ and Drummer (didn't catch their names), Richard Stark laying down tracks for a Smells Like Monica recording, One Hot Minute at Sequoia Brewery, dancers with paint at Tower T-shirt Factory, car show at Fresno City College, Rockville at Sequoia North, and Sioux City Kid at Peeve's Public House!

I was also lucky enough to participate in documenting (part of) Kearney Park and the interior of Kearney Mansion in a project between Spectrum Fine Art Gallery and the Fresno Historical Society:

Memorial within Kearney ParkPart of a project between Spectrum Fine Art Photography and the Fresno Historical Society to document Fresno's historical sites.

Kearney Park and Mansion

Thanks for checking in, next I'll be unplugging while taking in the views in Maui!

Until next time, xoxo Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Art House Basura Punk/Ska California Fresno Fresno City College One Hot Minute Peeve's Public House Rangefinder Rockville Sequoia Brewing Sioux City Kid Tower T-shirt Factory arthop contest dancers graduation music paint https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/6/2014-rangefinder-peoples-choice-winner Mon, 16 Jun 2014 09:40:19 GMT
Clouds! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/4/clouds This week, the valley has been getting much needed rain which brought some awesome clouds to photograph!

Tower Theatre, Fresno, California

This first slideshow are images from a day trip my dad and I took up the 180 freeway,

through the foothills and to Grant's Grove in Sequoia National Forest:

180 to Grant's GroveDay trip up the 180 Freeway, through the foothills and into Sequoia National Park!

 

All week I snapped photos of the sky, the next set are taken on different days but arranged by location: 

Fresno City College, Tower District, Downtown, Freeway 168 and ending in my back yard:

Fresno: Urban LandscapesAll week I snapped photos of the sky! These were taken on various days but arranged by location: Fresno City College, Tower District, Downtown, Freeway 168 and ending in my backyard.

Until next time!  xoxo, Emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) 180 California Chicken City Clouds College District Downtown Fresno National Nevada Park Pie Pot Sequoia Shop Sierra Theatre Tower foothills landscapes https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/4/clouds Sat, 05 Apr 2014 02:44:26 GMT
First Digital Transfer! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/3/first-digital-transfer It's been a fun and creative week! My first run doing a digital transfer onto metal was a success!  

I love processes where the results vary...I guess it's my form of gambling!  

My first run at digital transfers!  I love processes where the results vary...I guess it's my form of gambling hahaThe Calling and Refusal, 2014.Digital transfer on aluminum, 5" x 7"

Here's a few snaps of my classmates in the midst of the process:

http://www.digitalartstudioseminars.com/store/page5.htmlDipping into the sauce.DASS Supersauce is used for this process. http://www.digitalartstudioseminars.com/store/page3.htmlApplying the image.An image printed on transfer film is being applied to the treated surface. Transfer complete!After 3-4 minutes the solution has released the image from the transfer sheet and onto the receiving material!

 

I played a bit in the darkroom as well, using the Sabatier Effect to give a new dimension to a portrait I took of Chris on 35mm black and white film:

Chris March 2014Silver Gelatin 8"x10" Chris Sabatier, 2014.The Sabatier Effect causes the highlights to go dark which creates a positive/negative look. Chris Sabatier/PhotogramMade by exposing the photo, adding shapes and re-exposing, then adding the Sabatier effect during development.

The photogram technique was used in the last photo to add the shapes!

Here's another photogram made with shapes cut out from pages of a book.  

The portrait below was taken by my friend Mohammed, but when I saw it I knew I wanted to try the Sabatier effect with it!

Mohammed was kind enough to let me borrow the negative :)

Alchemy Head, 2014.Silver gelatin photogram, 5"x7" Original photo taken by Mohammed.Leen, 2014.Silver gelatin photograph using the Sabatier Effect, 8"x10"

 Feel free to post any questions or comments below!

 xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) . California Fresno Sabatier Effect digital transfer photogram portrait silver gelatin https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/3/first-digital-transfer Fri, 21 Mar 2014 19:37:21 GMT
Circus Et Cetera! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/3/circus-etcetera Had a great time this week at Rogue events and Arthop! The FCC gang put on a great show, if you missed it-it's on the ground floor of Fresno's City Hall till the end of the month!  We saw Circus Et Cetera at Full Circle Brewing (trivia: I had my first Solo painting show there back in...2002!)  which was a night of great beer and awesome entertainment:

Circus Etcetera Photos

 

The performers really inspired me to sketch out some photo ideas revolving around their "characters".  In one of my classes we are getting ready to try Digital Emulsion Transfers so I used a couple of the aerialist photos to test out the process, below are the images in photoshop, next week I'll post the transfers!

Can't wait to transfer this image to an aluminum sheet next week!

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Circus Etcetera Fresno Isis Shiva aerialist clown fire eater light painting puppet puppeteer https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/3/circus-etcetera Sat, 15 Mar 2014 04:12:06 GMT
Mardi Gras and City Hall Exhibition https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/3/mardi-gras-and-city-hall-exhibition            Mardi Gras 2014 in the Tower District, Fresno, California was a blast!

 

     Come out next Arthop (March 6th, 5-8pm) to Fresno City Hall for the FCC Photography Group Show, below is the flyer (image by Imelda Cardona)

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(EMILY REDONDO) Arthop California City Hall FCC Fresno Group Show Mardi Gras Tower District photography https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/3/mardi-gras-and-city-hall-exhibition Wed, 05 Mar 2014 06:01:11 GMT
One Off! Alternative Photography https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/2/one-off-alternative-photography This month I have had the honor of being part of 'One Off', a group show showcasing Alternative/Historical photographic processes at Spectrum Fine Art Gallery in Fresno, California!

 

 

My series 'Mumasso/Ekisimbe' (view under the Collections tab) are portraits taken in East Africa with plants overlaid (Mumasso/Ekisimbe means Face/Plant in Luganda, the local language) then printed as a Cyanotype.  When selecting the plants to overlay I chose plants shot in the same areas the portrait was taken to create a metaphor or tell the story of the relationship between the person and their environment and how it might bear on their life.  

The Process: These all started as digital photographs which were then turned to black and white, then combined and refined in Photoshop.  Next the image is inverted to create a negative and printed onto a transparency.  Now that we have a negative we start the Cyanotype printing process (one of the oldest photographic processes, discovered in 1842!) which involves mixing chemistry, hand coating the paper to be printed on, exposing the photograph, developing the photo then toning with green tea.  If you have any questions feel free to email me (emily@emilyredondo.com) and if you are interested in learning (and live in Fresno) I HIGHLY recommend Fresno City College's course Photo 27: Alternative Photography.

 

 

Coinciding with the show is the Rangefinder Alternative Photography contest. Voting for the People's Choice Award has been competitive and I am so thankful to my supporters for keeping me high in the rankings!  To vote visit: http://www.rangefinderalternative.com/bin/Rate?image_id=2014200019

 

 

This is the last weekend of 'One Off" so if you haven't made it tonight, Friday, February 21st, 7p-9p there will be a LIVE DEMO of an Alternative/Historical Process and our Artist Reception is this Sunday, February 23rd, from 3p-6p.  The Artist Reception is always great since the artists are on hand to answer any questions and give insight to their work!

See you this weekend!

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Alternative Photography California Fine Art Fresno Spectrum Fine Art Gallery cyanotype https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2014/2/one-off-alternative-photography Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:32:08 GMT
Life Goes On https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/10/life-goes-on It's the end of many eras towed away, I sold my little red car that I had owned for twelve years.  It was the first car I had bought so it had seen me through ignorant teenage days and wild party nights, been on countless road trips, moved Chris and I across the Southwest and back.  It has hauled paintings, family and friends.  It seemed so wrong to just have it towed away without a ceremony or service of sorts, but it's just a machine- moving parts that carry my memories because I placed them there.  The metal does not feel abandonment, it's all in my head.  Goodbye car!

Life has been great: hanging out with friends and family, doing volunteer work at the Storyland Mural project, celebrating passing lives, and rockin' out with my band Smells Like Monica. Below is a slideshow of some of these moments, enjoy!

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Fresno Ray Arena School Smells Like Monica StoryLand family https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/10/life-goes-on Tue, 01 Oct 2013 20:07:19 GMT
Back in the U.S.! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/back-in-the-u-s We got back into Fresno the evening of July 29th and sleepily stumbled into a surreal familiarity.  Greeted by family and friends, the simplest luxuries were taken in with new appreciation.  Being gone only a month I found everybody and everything was the same but I am different.  Sliding back into my role as the same person as before has been hard; the small annoyances of before to the everyday grind seem so silly with this new perspective-which is a joy and a curse.  Yes, I deeply appreciate what I have (clean water, family, job, house, etc.) but that life of simplicity, travel and new experience has gripped my soul harder than anything before.  

My first few weeks back I've been having a blast being with family and friends and appreciating them more than ever before.  Chris had a gig with Acoustic Highway (boy was he happy to play his guitar again!) and school has started back up.  Photographically, I have started to take photos of the people and places I had previously taken for granted; being in awe of a foreign place has made me realize that (duh) my home is foreign to others- what is commonplace to me might be wildly unimaginable to somebody else!  So there are photos of the my co-workers, the meter man giving out tickets, traffic to find a parking space, my teachers and so on.  This is the life I've fallen into so I will show it to all!  xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) California Fresno Fresno City College U.S.A. family https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/back-in-the-u-s Thu, 15 Aug 2013 22:59:44 GMT
St.Paul's Cathedral and the O2 Bubble https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/st-pauls-cathedral-and-the-o2-bubble July 26th- We flew into London and jumped on the tube to the train station to try to catch the train to Amsterdam, but we were too late!  Our hearts weren't too heartbroken since we enjoy London so much!  The next day we happened upon the site of part of the original London Wall (Bastion 14) which had gone through at least nine construction phases from Roman fort 150AD through medieval times and post WWII repairs.   We then walked to St. Paul's Cathedral and marveled at the sculptures, mosaics and paintings within.  After checking out the Crypt, where some of the most famous British war heroes, painters, sculptors, writers and musicians are buried, we headed up the long series of stairs to the top of the dome!  Next we made our way to a pub and to the Gagosian Gallery before heading back to the hotel.  The next morning we took a trip to the O2 Bubble.  It is a huge music venue (actually has one large and another smaller venue) with many restaurants and the British Music Experience.  The BME was a fun, interactive approach to music history.  We spent hours reading, listening, and watching but could've spent days!  

The next day we headed to Heathrow for our 11 hour flight back to Los Angeles.  As we sat there I had time to start processing all that we had done and seen in the last 29 days.  We saw a wide spectrum of the way others in our species live, from the age-old yet modern, art infused London to the third world slums, villages and developing cities of Uganda.  My inner questions of place and purpose has been broadened to a global level and made both more complicated and simplified.  

This was our first trip outside of the United States and I am addicted, exploring what is new to me and being able to share it with you has been a great joy, thank you.

So if you see me staring off into space, know that although my body is here in Fresno, California, my mind might be thousands of miles away wandering the streets of London or strolling through the markets of Kampala.   xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) London London Bridge St. Paul's Cathedral The Shard church bells monument old London Wall sculpture skyscrapers https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/st-pauls-cathedral-and-the-o2-bubble Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:13:30 GMT
Goodbye Africa https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/goodbye-africa It's July 25th, our last day in Africa.  We start the morning by visiting the International School that Aunt Cathy works at as a librarian.  We take the grand tour of the library and grounds then head back to our Kampala home to pack up (and catch some last minute bird photos!).  My cousin Eric's birthday is in a few days so we have an early birthday dinner and cake to celebrate the occasion, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!  After dinner Eric, Chris and I head to an outdoor lounge that is on top of the Garden City Shopping Center (photo of Garden City on a previous blog: http://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/wolves-football-team ).  There we found a "Traditional Afro Fusion" band called Janzi Band, check them out: https://www.facebook.com/janzibanduganda .  This 7-piece band incorporated saxophone next to traditional instruments, a solid and energetic rhythm section, keyboardist/dj and awesome lead vocals by vibrant and fun Jemimah Sanju.  It was a great send off; a reminder that because some people do things differently than us that doesn't mean they are wrong, it's what makes this life crazy beautiful.    xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa Aunt Cathy East Africa Happy Birthday Eric Janzi Band Kampala Uganda birds library school https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/goodbye-africa Tue, 06 Aug 2013 23:13:32 GMT
Kampala City Life https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/kampala-city-life It's July 24th and we are back in Kampala for our last two days in Africa.  We make our way to Nakasero market, one of many "farmer's" markets in the city (there are also grocery stores you can shop at instead).  The market is organized into sections: fruits and vegetables, spices, then meat.  Once we get through the market we come upon the matatu (taxi/bus) main lot where you can get a ride to anywhere in the the city and country (how do they get out of that mess? Slowly, haha).  We pass through another open air market that has clothing and material for sale which very much reminded me of going to the remate (Cherry Auction or fairgrounds flea market).  We headed away from the commotion to go visit John's new flat (apartment) and meet his girlfriend at their just-opened restaurant.  After a late lunch at John's restaurant we slowly headed back to Aunt Cathy's.  Slow because it was rush hour and matatus could only take us so far before gridlock would render them pointless and I was still unwilling to ride on a boda boda (motorcycle for hire) so we started to walk.  We finally got to Kololo ( the area of Kampala we were staying in) and decided to relax at Mish Mash with a beer and dip plate.  xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa East Africa Kampala Nakasero Uganda fruits market matatu spices https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/kampala-city-life Tue, 06 Aug 2013 20:19:39 GMT
The Mighty Murchison Falls https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/the-mighty-murchison-falls We slept hard and awoke early the next morning, had a buffet breakfast (all meals at the lodge were served as a buffet), then headed off to the top of Murchison Falls.  At the top there were amazing views and the thunderous rush of the water.  

After a quick wander around we loaded back in the van for the 5 hour drive back to Kampala.

 Along the way I wrote some lyrics for a song, here's the third verse:

           In the land of equal days & equal nights,

                       Their chosen way was fighting for equal rights~

                                       Found their love down on the equator line,

                                                        Both passionate to help human kind~

 

  So now we have two days left in Kampala, tomorrow we go back to the market and tour the town with John!   xoxo, emily

 

 

More info on Murchison Falls from the World Water Database:

http://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/top-100-waterfalls-list/5/

 

THE SKINNY

The Nile River harbors dozens of waterfalls - or at least rapids which have been named as waterfalls - but its most significant cataract is indeed among the most powerful waterfalls on the planet. Found within Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, the Victoria Nile splits into two channels, with one side crashing over a wide block-shaped fall while the other surges through a narrow crevice, sliding and pounding down an inclined chute, dropping a total of 141 feet (43m). Thanks to its source in Lake Victoria - Africa's largest lake - the falls run with great consistency throughout the year.

WHY IT'S DESERVING

A waterfall of over 100 feet on the Nile River is significant first and foremost, but that Murchison Falls is so unique in appearance and behavior makes it an even more worthy entry to this list. The strange contrast of a wide plunging curtain set against the opposing narrow sluice-like chasm isn't necessarily globally unique, but the other waterfalls which may have a similar appearance are either much smaller in volume or are part of a much larger set of cataracts. That Murchison Falls has been protected from the regulation that has hindered virtually all other waterfalls along the Nile further points to how special this waterfall is.

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(EMILY REDONDO) East London Murchison Nile Uganda falls flowers water https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/the-mighty-murchison-falls Sun, 04 Aug 2013 17:29:46 GMT
The African Queen on the River Nile~ https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/the-african-queen-on-the-river-nile On July 22, 2013 we spent the morning on a game drive through the park (see http://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/giraffes-at-sunrise). After lunch we head to our cruise down the Nile on the African Queen (in reference to the Bogart/Hepburn film that was shot at Paraa Lodge, where we are staying at).  We float along at an enjoyable speed spotting hippos, cliff-dwelling birds, crocodiles and many types of birds.  As we close in on the falls large balls of foam start to take over the river.  We get as close as allowed, drop off a hiking group then head back down stream where we see more wildlife.  

The last 24 hours has been filled with a new type of "firsts" than the previous few weeks; London, Kampala and Ekitangaala Ranch has been about how different people live, but this was about how different species live.  Infused with it a different point of reference to peace, life and beauty.   Sometimes it's easy to say that one person or group might be "right or wrong" this makes me realize that concepts of good versus bad are constructions of our own minds for who judges nature?  It is what it is, in its beauty and carnage.  

Tomorrow we drive to the top of Murchison Falls before heading back to Kampala!   

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa East Nile Nile River Uganda birds crocodiles fish eagle hippos water https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/the-african-queen-on-the-river-nile Sat, 03 Aug 2013 19:28:35 GMT
Giraffes at Sunrise https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/giraffes-at-sunrise It's July 22nd, Eric and Dani's one year wedding anniversary, and were up at dawn to start our second game drive.  We had seen so many animals the previous day but had not seen any lions, which Dani was anxiously awaiting.  Our driver, Grace, had said that since it had rained the day before last the lions would be on the move and had not been sighted in their usual areas.  Due to poaching, the population had dwindled to only about nine prides in the entire park (which is about 1,340 square miles) so our chances were slim that we'd spot any.  

Soon we saw herds of giraffes, elephants, bushbuck and water buffalo grazing over the savanna.  We stopped along the Nile and was able to get some close-ups of the local flowers.  The morning went on as we continued our search for the lions, every driver we passed stopped to exchange information and nobody had seen them.  After 4 hours of searching we finally headed back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation before our next adventure, a cruise down the Nile!   xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa East Nile Uganda buffalo bushbuck elephants flowers giraffes monkeys safari sunrise water https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/giraffes-at-sunrise Sat, 03 Aug 2013 15:40:40 GMT
On Safari: Amazing Animals, Incredible Views https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/on-safari-amazing-animals-incredible-views Picked up Dani and Eric and made our way into Murchison Falls National Park for safari!  Before even getting into the park we saw baboons and warthogs.  

After entering the park we drove to the Nile ferry crossing that would take us to the other side and to Paraa Lodge.  While waiting for the ferry we watched hippos in the river and a beautiful sun streaked sky unfold in front of our eyes!

Checked into the lodge then dashed off for our first game drive!    xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa East Falls Murchison National Park Uganda baboon birds buffalo bushbuck drive game giraffe safari warthog water https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/on-safari-amazing-animals-incredible-views Sat, 03 Aug 2013 15:40:20 GMT
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/ziwa-rhino-sanctuary The next morning we left early and headed north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home of the ONLY rhinos in the wild in Uganda. Along the way we saw monkeys and bushbuck!  

Rhinos were declared extinct in Uganda in 1983, the rhinos at the park are Southern White Rhinos and have been brought in from different places in an effort to repopulate Uganda with rhinos.  

There are now twelve rhinos at the park, for more info and to see how you can help please visit: www.ziwarhino.com  Next we went to meet Dani and Eric to go further north to Murchison Falls Park!  xoxo,  emily

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa Garden Rhino Sanctuary Uganda Ziwa bushbuck monkey https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/ziwa-rhino-sanctuary Fri, 02 Aug 2013 16:40:42 GMT
Visiting Villages https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/visiting-villages July 20th, I woke up early and snapped photos of the fire to boil water and insects gathering breakfast.  We then went to the weekly cattle dip (flea and tick bath) before heading out to visit the homesteads of widows that Kony (one of CLA's old boys) has been working with to help them become self-sufficient.  Village life is an everyday struggle for water, food, and preparing the extra food for sale at the local trade center (like a farmer's market).  We picked coffee for Aunt Cathy (who wanted to try sun-drying coffee herself) and watched as families prepared cassava, maize, beans and coffee for sale.  The last group of widows were basket weavers who were trying to start a chicken coop to be able to sell eggs.  

We returned to the ranch to go get water how everyone gets water-pumping into a 5 gallon jerry can.  Getting water, gathering firewood and food is usually the job of the kids in a homestead.  Chris caused quite a stir since nobody had ever seen a muzungu carry a jerry can, let alone on his head!

We had dinner of posho and beans at CLA boys school where Chris entertained with Bob Marley songs on the guitar while I took photos in the near pitch dark dining hall.  We had so much fun and so many new experiences at the ranch, the simple and quite lifestyle was a nice break from busy Kampala.  The next morning we left bright and early to head off on safari!   xoxo, emily

 

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa CLA Cornerstone East Ekitangaala Garden Uganda can coffee jerry trees https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/8/visiting-villages Fri, 02 Aug 2013 15:55:00 GMT
Ekitangaala Ranch Day 2 https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/ekitangaala-ranch-day-2 Awoke to find a boda boda driver waiting for his client and had to snap a photo of his awesome, colorful bike!  It was so relaxing to simplify and live without electronics (except my camera of course haha) and enjoy the morning in nature.  After breakfast we headed to the primary school where Aunt Cathy wanted to catch up with the 26 kids whose school fees are being payed for from the profits of her book (one year of school fees costs about $10, check out the book at www.oldmzeebook.com) and to share her book with some of the classes.

We then toured the classrooms, everywhere we went kids wanting a "snap" followed, hugged and poked us (I guess to make sure we were real?).  We then went to the kitchen to see preparations and get our lunch of beans and posho (maize flour mash) which is a staple food in Uganda and what the kids eat for lunch every day.

After lunch we were treated to the school's dance, singing and drum group doing traditional dances.  There was a group of kids who were fascinated by my camera and followed me to see the instant images and video that popped up on screen.  

Next we went to see one of the ranch's herds where Chris and I milked a cow for the first time! We then rested before heading out to the the students vs. teachers football game (students won 2-1 and there was much rejoicing by the students).

On our way to dinner we met recent arrivals to the ranch, a family of Karamojong (a tribe from Northern Uganda known for their herding), which was a pleasant surprise.  We then went to dinner at the all boys Cornerstone Leadership Academy of, you guessed it, more posho and beans.  The boys had many complex questions about America's political and social system; heavy questions that we tried to answer as well as possible and led to a long dinner of good conversation.    xoxo, emily

Short uncut video of the kids dancing:

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa CLA Cornerstone East Ekitangaala Uganda classrooms dance drumming family hut karamojong kids primary school singing https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/ekitangaala-ranch-day-2 Wed, 31 Jul 2013 23:46:01 GMT
Richard's Project and Ekitangaala Ranch https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/richards-project-and-ekitangaala-ranch We headed up the road to check out a building project Richard, one of CLA's "old boys" (a graduate of Cornerstone's Leadership Academy), was overseeing.  Richard had gone to university in the U.S. and was back home in Uganda building an Agricultural school financed by American farmers and using a new building technique utilizing locking bricks and roofing material.  I caught some photos of their camp, an open jackal fruit, maize and coffee cherries.

We then continued north passing trade centers (markets) and finally arriving at the ranch where we did an overall driving tour (the large building was designed and project overseen by my cousin Eric!  So proud!) then settled in to our guest cottages for the night.  As I walked around the cottages I found a dead snake draped over an agave(?) plant that had died with a gecko in it's mouth-there's a parable in that photo somewhere!  Maybe you can put into words the lesson captured?   xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa CLA East Ekitangaala Garden Kampala Ranch Rockville Uganda birds boy center coffee fruit gecko jackal maize market old parable snake trade https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/richards-project-and-ekitangaala-ranch Wed, 31 Jul 2013 21:05:19 GMT
Kampala Family and CLA Matugga https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/kampala-family-and-matugga-primary It's July 17th and we're preparing for our  journey to the northwest of Uganda.  We will be visiting Cornerstone Leadership Academy Jakana-Matugga, stay at Ekitangaala Ranch for three nights, head up to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, go on safari in Murchison Falls State Park, take a ferry down the Nile and go to the top of Murchison Falls.  I spent most of the day updating the blog and packing; I did grab a couple photos of Aunt Cathy, Christine (house lady) and more birds!

On the 18th we headed out the door to our first destination Cornerstone Leadership Academy Jakana-Matugga which is an all-girls school. Along the way I snapped photos of a lady surrounded by chickens on a boda-boda (motorcycle for hire-the most efficient form of transport) and the roadside businesses that line all major roads.  

Once arrived we were greeted and given a tour of the chapel, the general assembly room (where some students eat too), kitchen and library.  We then were led by the mzee (Mmm-zay. A term of respect for older men in Swahili) who watches the gate and grounds to where the food is grown and down to the well and water pump (the child in doorway was at a homestead we passed while hiking to the well, fruit growing, and bird nests).  The water is pumped up to the large black containers by the school.  The students then pump the water into the five gallon jerry cans so that they have water to shower, wash clothes, and (after being poured through a Tiva water filter) used to cook and drink.  We then hit the road again to make it to Ekitangaala by night fall...more on that next post!   xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa East Kampala Matugga Uganda chapel homestead jerry-cans kitchen library mzee pumping rooster students water https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/kampala-family-and-matugga-primary Wed, 31 Jul 2013 20:03:02 GMT
Jinja, start of the Nile https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/jinja-start-of-the-nile July 16th we woke up early to head out to Jinja to check out the Nile and deliver Tiva water filters to the villagers that live in the area.  First photo is of an armed guard at a gas station on the way.  Many homes or compounds have guards that are armed so this wasn't a new sight here but the first photo of one that I've been able to capture.  We passed many mud homes and also spotted a coffee bush with some berries starting to turn red.  Once we got to the property we were greeted by many people eager to get their water filters (check it out! www.tivawater.com), funds were raised by a couple named Ed and Cathy from Tennessee to bring clean water to these folks!  Chris and I headed down to the Nile where I caught photos of dragonflies, birds, flowers and the remains of crabs. On the way back to Kampala I caught photos of tea fields and the shacks that serve as local businesses (which are typical in Kampala too).  After sunset (the view is from our balcony) we walked over to Meditaranno, where we got the best italian food ever!  Everything is freshly made and Chris claims the steak was phenomenal!  We hung out after dinner and chatter with Willy who is a host at the restaurant.  He told us about his life growing up in Kampala and gave us some tips on how to live like a local.  When Chris told him the steak was the best he ever tasted he said that a guy from Texas had visited and told him steak is best when frozen first! HA!  

 

This will be my last post for about 5-6 days since we will be going out to Ekitangaala Ranch then on to Safari so will be off the grid!

Cheers and thanks for keeping up with us! xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa Jinja Mediteranno Nile Tiva Uganda armed birds crabs dragonflies flowers guard homes mud river https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/jinja-start-of-the-nile Wed, 17 Jul 2013 21:20:12 GMT
Cornerstone Main Office, Mengo Home, Makere Home https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/cornerstone-main-office-mengo-home-makere-home July 15th we started the morning by going to the Cornerstone Main Office where I met one of the mentors for a lesson in photoshop, chatted with the staff and went to the weekly morning fellowship.  In the evening we were picked up by the counselor (who mentors and oversees the mentors of the kids homes) to make good on our promise to visit Mengo Girls home and Makere Boys home to do some playing and singing with them.  Today we experienced what teaching for a purpose is about and is very rewarding!  The kids here seem so thirsty for knowledge!  We ended the evening with a trip to Mish Mash, which has an awesome outdoor artsy atmosphere and friendly staff, for dinner and drinks!  xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa Cornerstone Development Kampala Uganda kids https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/cornerstone-main-office-mengo-home-makere-home Wed, 17 Jul 2013 17:51:59 GMT
Our Home in Kampala https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/our-home-in-kampala I'm trying out a different format for this blog that will hopefully cut the time I spend on it (so I can spend more time enjoying my surroundings vs. being on the computer for hours each night)!  Let me know what you think!

 

 

July 13th we woke up early and headed to the slums in Khibuli for community service (no I didn't take my camera, this time was about them not me!).  We spent the morning with kids from Khibuli Boys home, Mengo Girls home and Mekere Boys home shoveling out rubbish from some of the wells where the people of the slums get their water.  I will try to go back to get some photos (but we've all seen photos from t.v. ads I'm sure), but no photo can truly prepare you for the slums.  Shacks made from anything that can be found create huge mazes where families fight to survive.  Disease is rampant and trash is everywhere.  Once you realize how cheap it is (on an American salary) to live well in Kampala it becomes even more depressing.  Kids with little to no clothes collect water and firewood, yet most everyone I have met has been joyous and full of life!  It is amazing truly realize that the "stuff" we cling to cannot bring happiness since those here who have literally nothing can be so kind and welcoming.

After community service, we went back to Khibuli Boys home for dance performances and a debate put on by the homes.  We got to know many of the kids one-on-one and has been one of the most enjoyable experiences so far!  The dancers (kids 10-16 years old) are incredibly talented and danced styles combining ethnic, RnB, Hip Hop and breakdancing.  The debate was Village Life vs. City Life and the kids were very well spoken and professional (more so than I ever was at that age)!  We made promises to return so that we could return the favor and perform some songs for them.

Next we went to our cousins Eric and Dani's home for a delicious peanut sauce dinner.  Pita bread filled with fresh carrots, cucumber, avocado, sage, cilantro, limons (a term coined by Dani, a fruit which seems to be a mix of lemon and lime, mmmm) topped with a spicy peanut sauce.  The vegetables were all from the local farmers market (which run every day in multiple areas of the city) and the entire dinner cost about $5 (take that Hot N Ready)!!!  After dinner we played "Corn Hole" which is an Indiana game (where Dani is from) while sipping on rums infused (by Eric and Dani) with cinnamon, clove, and vanilla.  Afterwards we headed to Gattomatto, a local bar where live music is played.  Although there was no live music we enjoyed the company of Dani and Eric's friends, a group of expats (expatriates, people from other countries) who had many fascinating stories to share! 

July 14th we had brunch at the Kreutter home where Cathy made a "traditional Graham breakfast" of eggs, bacon and taters!  We also had delicious fresh fruit (have I mentioned how amazing the fruit is here?  Best I've ever tasted!  No chemicals!) and lively conversation ranging from politics to religion to how to tan a hide (remember when I said Dani negotiated a price for a hide and skull? Well those were "fresh" too haha).  I then spent the afternoon documenting our Kampala home! Enjoy and post any questions about any photos here!  xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Africa Kampala Uganda flowers peanut wraps https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/our-home-in-kampala Wed, 17 Jul 2013 16:56:17 GMT
Wolves Football Team https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/wolves-football-team July 12th we spent the day running errands with Aunt Cathy and visiting the Wolves Futbol team.

 

We went to a shop called The Bookend, one of the many places Aunt Cathy sells her book, I Know An Old Mzee Who Swallowed A Fly.  It is an African take on the classic American story "I Knew An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly", all profits from the book go towards sending kids from Uganda to school, check it out: www.oldmzeebook.com and on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Know-Old-Mzee-Who-Swallowed/dp/061563060X

 

We then went to a local shopping center, Garden City, to see if she needed to restock the book in a book store there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<<<Cement sculptures at Garden City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we went by a local gallery called Aristock.  Outside was a traveling knife sharpener who has his sharpening wheel attached to his bike! Genius!

The art was awesome and different than the typical "tourist" art that is sold in gift stores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we headed to a school field where practice would be, there were

lots of kids running around, below are some school girls.  To the right

is a small creek/sewage drainage running right next to the schoolyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guys start practice!  Nobody wears shin guards and few have cleats!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wolves are a team sponsored by Cornerstone and is also a mentoring program. Stone (photo above left with blue 19 jersey) was on the national team in the 80's and was signed to a pro team when his knee blew out.  He now uses his talents to coach, mentor and recruit.

 

Chris and John (our guide, green shirt) pose with the team!  Find the mzungu (white person)! Haha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then finished our evening with a walk to see the sunset and an overview of Kampala:

 

 

 

We are having a blast learning about the work my family does here, the culture and the city! Thanks for checking in on us! Cheers!

xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) African Aristock Bookend City Football Garden Kampala Stone Uganda Wolves art kids painting players sculpture sunset https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/wolves-football-team Wed, 17 Jul 2013 16:16:47 GMT
Along the Tracks https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/along-the-tracks Our first full day in Kampala was on July 11th, we started out the day meeting our unofficial guide John who is a mentor at Cornerstone's Khibuli home for boys (for a more in depth explanation of what Cornerstone does check out their website: www.CornerstoneDevelopment.org).  He took us on a matatu or taxi which are Toyota vans that sit 16-20 people.  There are no official stops like our bus system, the driver yells out places they are headed to then you negotiate a price for the ride.  We took the matatu to Nakasero Market which is a very busy farmer's market.  We walked by shops where you can buy anything form jewelry to guitars then walked the 3km home.  I did not bring my camera since I wanted to experience the place with my full attention and pickpocketing/purse snatching is more likely in dense areas.  The amount of people in the market was a bit overwhelming, Ugandans have a different sense of personal space and we didn't yet understand what is/is not acceptable.  John is a very friendly and good hearted guy who patiently answered our questions and watched for our safety.

Later in the day we went on a photo shoot with my cousin Dani who wanted to walk down to some old railroad cars. 

 

To the right are ruins of a building being reclaimed by nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<<<Who needs a Home Depot to buy plants? Just buy them on the side of the road!

 

>>>Many people walk along the tracks as a shortcut, Dani got a great close up of the woman heading towards us.  She is an excellent self-taught photographer who is great at capturing people, check out her work at: https://www.facebook.com/PortraitsOfKampala

 

We came across a bunch of Maribu Storks and what looked like cattle bones and tails all over the railroad tracks:

 

 

 

After speaking to some folks in the area, Dani found out that we were behind a slaughterhouse.  We entered through the back and also found out that all of the people living in the slums behind the slaughterhouse worked there.  Dani negotiated a price for a hide and skull...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then walked back to the car and went to a photographer's workshop being taught by photojournalist Tadej Znidarcic.  We didn't stay the entire workshop since it was basic stuff, but it was interesting to see some of Tadej's world class work!  As we arrived home the power went out briefly and we had a candlelight dinner with Aunt Cathy.  

 

 

 

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Dani Maribu candlelight cow horns railroad ruins slaughterhouse slums storks tails tracks workshop https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/along-the-tracks Wed, 17 Jul 2013 14:57:46 GMT
Culture Shock! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/culture-shock After a long over night flight we arrived in Entebbe, Uganda which is about an hour away from Kampala.  We were picked up from the airport and were blown away by the shacks on the sides of the road and masses of cars, vans and motorcycles (bodas) that packed the streets.  I didn't take any photos that gave the experience justice, I was just trying to take it all in and, I will admit, I was scared to take out my camera!  Experiences at home with desperate people has taught me to be wary; even though I saw many people who have so much less than I have ever seen they are not desperate, they are happy and kind!  I have met so many kids who have next to nothing yet they wear beautiful smiles!  Now that I'm getting more comfortable here, I will take more photos in the next few days to show you what it is like.  We arrived at my Aunt Cathy and Uncle Tim's beautiful compound where we settled in, unpacked, and...napped!

These photos are all right by the airport on the way to Kampala....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I said, these photos don't do the experience justice!  I will give you a real taste soon enough :)       xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Entebbe Uganda Welcome airplane culture shock view https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/culture-shock Sun, 14 Jul 2013 22:15:23 GMT
Saatchi Gallery London https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/saatchi-gallery-london Our real last day in London we went by Saatchi Gallery and Hard Rock Cafe's shop and vault!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris' favorite artwork at the gallery, looks like a peaceful scene but the details are made of writhing creatures!  The photo on the right is a room half filled with motor oil which creates an optical illusion; this installation has travelled with the gallery for it's last 3 locations!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we went to Hard Rock Cafe we passed a broken water main that had flooded two blocks and Buckingham Palace:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got to the Hard Rock shop in time to take a tour of the vault

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then rushed to the airport to start our 8 hour flight to Entebbe, Uganda!  Until next time London!

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(EMILY REDONDO) Gallery Hard London Rock Saatchi airplane art contemporary flight view https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/saatchi-gallery-london Sun, 14 Jul 2013 21:42:33 GMT
London's East End https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/londons-east-end We decided to go to London's East End to check out the street art and find some recommended galleries.  First thing we did was find a pub for lunch and had some delicious brick oven pizza.

<Chris ordering the goods.

 

Here is a local mosque, there is a large Muslim community in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although the galleries we were looking for were closed we still found some awesome examples of how street art is still ART!  We had fun cruising the streets and pub hopping our way back to the hotel!

         xoxo, emily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) East End London aerosol art graff graffiti piece stencil street https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/londons-east-end Fri, 12 Jul 2013 20:15:59 GMT
Chillin' in Heathrow https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/chillin-in-heathrow Our last morning in London we went back to Denmark Street to buy Chris' Moogerfooger (see Denmark blog post for photo) went back to the National Gallery to see the 17th Century wing and Michael Landy's "Saints Alive" exhibit (no photography allowed, but free to the public!) which was a wonderful collage and interactive sculpture interpretation of the tragic lives of Saint Jerome, Saint Francis of Assissi, Saint Peter Martyr among others.  Then we rushed to Heathrow only to find out we had been bumped from our flight!  As we waited for the airline to figure out our next flight, hotel, meal and compensation I shot a few fun and abstract photos of Heathrow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were bummed that we were not going to Africa when we thought but at least we were "stuck" in our new favorite city!  Free hotel and free meals for two days definitely eased the pain along with the 1000 pounds they compensated us!!! So our adventure in London continues!

                    xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Heathrow London abstract airplane airport roof sunset https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/chillin-in-heathrow Thu, 11 Jul 2013 21:49:06 GMT
London's South Bank https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/londons-south-bank Hello all!  Here is a recap of me and Chris's adventure walking down the South Bank of the river Thames.  It is a lively place where there are street vendors, home of the London Eye and the Tate Modern:

We started by walking over one of the pedestrian bridges. Note the video camera, did you know London is the most watched city in the world? There are few public places that are not monitored!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked by the London Eye (the ferris wheel looking thing) but were unwilling to stand in the massive line.  My favorite photos are the "abstract"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<<<Where's Cinderella???

 

 

 

 

 

The bubble man (below) was a crowd favorite!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bridge below is covered by large solar panels that supply up to 50% of the city's energy!

We finally found the Tate Modern!  It has four floors of exhibits and construction has begun to add more space, how I love this city that loves art!

 

 

 

 

 

<<<From the African Modern Art Exhibit, each chess piece is about 2ft high- one side covered in U.S. dollars the other side covered in euros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above is a Man Ray sculpture, to the left is a Matisse painting and below is one of Picasso's reclining nudes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Bank is a very nice walk (once you get through the crowds of tourists)

This was supposed to be our last full day in London...

                                            xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Art Bank Fancy Here London Man Matisse Modern Picasso Ray River Seeing South Tate Thames You bubbles carriage glass power solar https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/londons-south-bank Thu, 11 Jul 2013 21:12:43 GMT
Denmark Street aka Guitar Heaven https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/denmark-street-aka-guitar-heaven So sorry to have gotten behind with the blog (well not really, sometimes vacation means not being on the computer, right?)!  

On July 5th we went to Denmark Street so Chris could do some drooling :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later on in the week we went back so Chris 

could pick up a new toy: 

12 Stage Phaser Moogerfooger...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some sights along the way: Soho Square where locals chillax and eat lunch, the Queen musical and the Once Musical!

 

 

 

Thanks for keeping track with us!  

We are now in Kampala, Uganda...but before we get to those photos I have a few more days of London to share with you! Cheers!

 

                               xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) Denmark London Street guitars moogerfooger https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/denmark-street-aka-guitar-heaven Wed, 10 Jul 2013 18:39:19 GMT
Wandering Islington https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/wandering-islington I was feeling a bit under the weather today so we decided to stay close to the hotel and wander around the neighborhood we are staying in.

A couple blocks off the main road we found a farmer's market:

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we found a Community Garden where there were lots of trails, flowers and people tucked into corners enjoying the lovely day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a break at a cafe; most cafes serve espresso, americanos, lattes or flat whites (frappuccinos, we win today! Mwahaha) and beer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Check out this sweet system, cycles for hire! Pick up and drop off at numerous locations throughout the city (and the first 30 mins is free, so if you're traveling close or are fast you can get around for super cheap)

 

Fossil...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we headed back to the hotel...

 

<<<Solo drummer jammin' to backtracks!

 

View from the park by our hotel>>>

 

Below are some street views!

 

Tomorrow we are planning on hitting Denmark Street aka Guitar Heaven!  Stay Tuned...

 

                    xoxo, emily

 

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(EMILY REDONDO) Community Farmer's Garden Islington London Market bus decker double drummer eggplant fish mushroom street underground views https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/wandering-islington Fri, 05 Jul 2013 01:05:53 GMT
London Rocks! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/london-rocks Wow what a trip!  After staying up for 40+ hours ( didn't sleep on the flight like we thought we would) we stumbled into London and took in a couple of pints then slept.  Today (well I guess yesterday since it's 2 a.m here) we had a lovely breakfast in the hotel then ventured out on a bus tour and river tour (mandatory for our first time, right?).  Here's a sneak peak of the photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course we hit pubs along the way, then settled into a pub by the hotel called 'Round Midnight which has live music EVERY night!

We caught an awesome big band called The Spanner Big Band:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We counted 15 musicians on the stage! We had an awesome time and are planning on seeing the changing of the guard in the a.m.

Stay tuned for more photos!!!

xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) London Square Trafalgar U.K. architecture band live music sculpture https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/london-rocks Thu, 04 Jul 2013 01:11:33 GMT
3:24 a.m. https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/3-24-a-m Been awake for 20 hours and I've got 12 hours more to go before we jump on our flight from L.A. to London.  

Throughout this last day I've been embracing what I have with the realization that in a month I'll be back with a whole new appreciation for my life.  It is interesting to feel how much love I have for my family and friends yet also know that that love will have grown exponentially by the end of this journey.  I am excited to take in a thousand new sights, to be so overwhelmed by every moment that it will take months to truly process the experience.  

Now it's time to pack up the laptop and finish tiding up the house for the house sitter.  Next post will be from "the other side of the pond!" Cheers!

                                                                        

                                                                                                                xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/7/3-24-a-m Mon, 01 Jul 2013 10:25:07 GMT
Packing our bags! https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/6/packing-our-bags Whoop Whoop!  Tonight is our last night of work then vacation adventure time begins!!!!

We've got everything packed and I even branded my luggage with my logo :D 

Can't wait to have a whole month of no deadlines, just living life and going with the flow.  

So a little background to answer your questions:  

Why Africa?  My Aunt Kathy, Uncle Tim and cousins Eric and Dani are doing some amazing work with kids and adults in Uganda.  

Finally, after waiting over 10 years to go visit them we decided to stop making excuses and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

So about a year ago we made the decision to stop spending money (besides the absolute necessities), that meant no going out to eat,

no buying new anything, no makeup, etc. and we were able to save what we needed.  

The possibilities are amazing when you set out to accomplish something!

                                                             xoxo, emily

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(EMILY REDONDO) living luggage travel https://www.emilyredondo.com/blog/2013/6/packing-our-bags Sat, 29 Jun 2013 21:52:59 GMT