Archive for the ‘Portfolio’ Category
Interview with David Miller
Had the opportunity to ask Matador Editor David Miller some questions via email last week. The whole interview is now up over at Written Road. I love finding out what other people in the travel community think about their work and creative process… it’s always interesting. Be sure to give it a read!
Pology Culturist blog
My first piece of writing ever published online was over at Pology. It’s a fantastic online culture journal with narratives and photography from around the globe. The journal was on hiatus for the better part of last year, but it has come back in full swing. I hadn’t visited the site in awhile and but when I checked it out today realized that I had been missing out on the Pology Culturist blog (actually the source of the video below). Be sure to give it a look.
New gig at Written Road
Sometimes it’s easy to feel like the blogosphere has become my life… which it has. Today marks my offical start as a blogger over at Written Road. Sponsored by BootsnAll, Written Road is a blog focused on the travel writing industry, so expect a lot of posts on market leads but maybe a little bit about what it’s like to write for a living as well. I’m actually very excited to be part of the Written Road team because it’s one of the blogs that I have continuously read over the last two years; feels good to be working for something that has been a staple in my own travel writing experiences. So here’s to more time spent blogging… (Oh, and the photo? That’s what my typical morning looks like…)
Consumption, China and carbon emissions
I came across an interesting article on China and its carbon emissions this morning and it got me going. I’ve been trying to be a more conscious consumer for quite some time now, and I will be honestly and say that it’s pretty difficult. Leave it to Michael Pollan to change the way I grocery shop; I can’t even buy a piece of fruit without having an internal dialogue with myself about where the item came from. But food aside, clothes and electronics are even worse, and it turns out that the developed world’s obsession with cheap prices supported by the Chinese export industry are exactly what is leading to China’s extreme carbon emissions.
Here is an excerpt from the blog I wrote over at Wend:
“Economists now say that 1/3 of China’s carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to the manufacturing of exported goods. That means that in 2005, 1.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide were emitted into the atmosphere just so that we in developed countries can continue consuming cheap goods.
Studies like these underline the importance of being a conscious consumer; choosing local and sustainable brands over the cheaper imported versions. True, it is difficult to live a 100% import-free lifestyle, but making an effort to support local businesses is a step in the right direction. This holds true for many goods, from surfboards to vegetables. And when you need a product that isn’t produced locally, the best is to seek out companies that are committed to running sustainable operations, and using sustainable materials, abroad.
It’s easy is to blame climate change on someone else, but what we should be doing is taking some personal responsibility. As the Olympic Games kick off and the question of pollution and air quality in Beijing remains an issue we should all be asking ourselves; just how much are we responsible for?”
As travelers and world citizens we need to be conscious about the effects we have not only on our immediate space, but the global space as well; our decisions affect not only ourselves but every human being on this planet. When we travel we interact and learn, making us more aware of our role in a global society; being a conscious consumer is just one of many important responsibilities of that role.
More cool photo action from Wend
Friday Photo was such a good idea that we decided to use it over at Wend. Today’s is a shot from the Inca Trail taken by fellow travel writer and photographer Lola Akinmade. If you want to get on the Wend Friday Photo mailing list — meaning you get a sweet weekly shot in your inbox — send a shout out to fphoto[at]wendmag.com.
As of today Wend has a flickr account as well, and there’s even a Wend pool, which you can add photos to in the hopes that they get featured on the Wend blog. Check it all out here.
New Wend is out!
The summer issue of Wend is officially out. Some great articles including climbing in Halong Bay, Vietnam and surfing in Novia Scotia. For a limited time you can check out the whole issue online for free. Click here to start reading and dreaming about your next adventure.
If you just can’t get enough of Wend you should check out the blog… the best of the outdoor, travel, adventure, and environmental world from around the web.
Happy Bastille Day
Unfortunately I missed out on the Portland Bastille Day festivities this weekend, but I will make up for it by doing my own personal “quatorze juillet” celebration on my own this evening… Need tips on how to best celebrate the French national day? Go here. Hint: it includes drinking French wine, eating French cheese and possibly singing La Marseillaise.
[and I apologize for the quality of the photo… it’s from the study abroad archives; something that I had to scan in because it was taken in film form!]
Les Poupées Russes
Another one of my multilingual favorites, Les Poupées Russes (that’s Russian Dolls to all you anglophones) is the sequel to l’Auberge Espagnole. Being a little older, a little fresher and a taking place in a different scene make the movie, in my opinion, even better than the first. Considering a good friend of mine that lives in Paris just ran into Romain Duris in a bar the other night, it is fitting that I give a little tribute to one of my favorite movies.
Here’s an excerpt from my review over at Been Seen: “If L’Auberge Espagnole is a coming of age movie, Les Poupées Russes is about searching for and finding one’s path in life. Five years have passed since Xavier and his friends lived together in their small Barcelona apartment, but now they are all re-united in St. Petersburg for the wedding of Wendy’s brother William.”
If you weren’t tempted to move to London before, now might be the time…
Combien de bises?
The French hello: it’s not a handshake, it’s not a hug, it’s a brief set of kisses on the cheek. But as a foreigner, there is a certain level of awkwardness when you faire la bise for the first time. What cheek to offer? Who do you kiss? How many kisses do you give? It’s simple really: offer your right cheek and don’t kiss your superiors (i.e. your boss). But the confusion comes at the “how many?” part. Fortunately a smart Frenchman did a poll on just how many bises people were used to doing and put together this handy map. What does it tell us? That 2 is the most common, so for the socially conscious, if you’re not sure, go for the double-take and no more; there’s nothing worse than going in for one too many cheek kisses when the other person is already pulling away.
For more on just how to faire la bise in my post on Gadling, click here.
Glad Midsommar!!!
Although it is beautiful in Portland today and I am attending a solstice party this evening (pictures to come I am sure), there’s still a little part of me that wants to be in Sweden for the festivities… Last year I was in Raneberg (see above photo), just a little north of Gothenburg, and although it rained, we donned our waterproof jackets and made flower garlands anyway…
A little excerpt on Swedish midsummer that I wrote over at Gadling:
“Midsummer is one of the year’s most important celebrations, comparable to New Years and Christmas. Communities will hold traditional Midsummer events which include dancing around a maypole and singing Swedish songs, one of which is called Små Grodorna (Little Frogs) and entails everyone to dance around like a frog while singing the following loosely translated lyrics: “Little frogs are funny to look at/ They don’t have ears or tails.” Who ever said the Swedes didn’t have a sense of humor? Because you’re celebrating the sun, the Swedish countryside is the place to enjoy Midsummer. Most Swedes will choose a country-side location and join their friends in a long night of eating, drinking and merriment.”
Whole article here.
blog.annabrones.com 