photography Archives - Page 4 of 8

Acadia and Bar Harbor Adventures

Happy Monday everyone! Just wanted to share some more photos from our Maine adventures. The first is from a hike we did in Acadia, followed by photos from Sand Beach, the top of Cadillac Mountain, and 4th of July fireworks in downtown Bar Harbor. It was such an amazing trip, and I cannot wait to go back there again sometime.

This past weekend we had an awesome trip to Maryland celebrating my bff, Teri’s bridal shower, taking maternity photos with Misa*Me Photography (hope to have those to share soon!), and celebrating the pending arrival of our Little Monkey! It was amazing, and I am completely exhausted! We are now back in NY, and it’s go-time for getting this nursery put together. I am so grateful to my family and friends for making the event so wonderful, especially to my Mom, Sister, and Aunt for putting so much time, work, and effort into making everything so great. Little Monkey is a lucky little guy! And he is either going to LOVE or HATE monkeys when he gets here. Haha.

Hope you all are off to a great start this week!

XO,

Gina

Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island on Dwellable

Sunrise on Branch Lake

It’s 4:13am and I am awoken in the middle of the night due to pregnancy and my inability to control my bladder from the urgency to relieve itself these days. So, I hop out of bed to make my way downstairs to the restroom in the lake house, when I look out the bedroom window. Holy sky. This is amazing. We had thought about waking up early to watch the sunrise, and had set our alarms for 4:55am since the sun was supposed to come up at 5:00am, but we weren’t really sure if we would be able to force ourselves out of bed at that hour. After waking up and taking care of business, I quickly grabbed my camera and took a few shots across the lake and into the colorful sky. It was eerily quiet, peaceful and serene. Just me and the lake and the brightly colored sky. I wrestled with the idea of whether or not to wake the rest of the gang this early, and ultimately decided that they needed to see what I was seeing at that moment. It would just be too selfish to exclude them from this view, and by 4:55am, they may have missed all of this. So I woke up Zack and our friends, Erin and Rai. They weren’t too pleased at first, grumbling and groaning, but when I showed them a photo I had taken of the sky, they knew they too needed to jump up before they missed this magical moment. Zack and Erin got so excited in fact, that they broke out the kayaks and enjoyed the sunrise from atop the water. Rai and I stayed behind taking in the moment from the lake house dock and capturing photos. I know photos can’t really do justice, but my memories and these photos are all I’ve got. Hope you enjoy.

If you were still unsure about whether or not you should visit Maine, then these photos probably did the trick. We were lucky enough to wake up to this view every morning, even though it might have been a bit earlier than we were used to!

Hope everyone is having a good Thursday. I am looking forward to a little girl’s night. My friend Jess is moving to New Jersey at the end of the month, so this will be the last one she hosts in her NYC apartment. I then have to go home to pack for our trip to Maryland this weekend for both my friend Teri’s bridal shower and my baby shower for the Little Monkey. We are trying to get the guest bedroom cleared out, and after this weekend it’s go time on that nursery!

XOXO,

Gina

{13} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Just finished What Remains by Carole Radziwill. She is one of the more recent additions to the New York City Housewife cast, although she wrote this book long before. Carole was a reporter for many years, a princess, and related to the Kennedy’s. This memoir is about friendship, love, and loss. It’s extremely sad, but very real, and Radziwill is an excellent writer. I just started Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks as I heard it was decent and was looking for a light summer beach read (even though I’m not at the beach).

writing Contracts. I’m no lawyer, and I can’t exactly say much yet, but it’s exciting, and I’m drafting, drafting.

listening I’ve always been an Avicii fan, but I’m really loving his new single Wake Me Up. It starts out with a folk/country guitar style, and breaks into the typical dance/house style of Avicii that we know and love.

thinking That all I wanted was summertime, and now I got my wish…but it’s so hot, I don’t know how this prego body is going to make it through August.

smelling Breakfast food…my favorite!

watching Holy Bachelorette! Some intense home visits and a sad goodbye. Go figure they are all in love with her, except the one she is in love with. I still can’t believe I got into this show this season…those to blame, you know who you are…

wishing That I could fly out to San Fran to celebrate my friend’s Trey and Suzette’s big day this weekend! I know it will be amazing, and I’m sad to miss it. But excited instead to celebrate my bestie Teri’s bridal shower and a baby shower for my Little Monkey.

hoping For good weather this weekend. We have a maternity photo session scheduled with Misa*Me Photography, and I’m hoping the weather will cooperate!

wearing Gray and blue striped cotton jersey dress that was handed down to me by Danielle, my college roomie and cutest little mama!

loving The new Up the Amp MAC lipstick that I got for free by turning in my 6 empties to recycle. Also loving the new Benefit They’re Real Mascara I got for my birthday from Sephora.

laughing At this awesome maid of honor speech I discovered on Zigi’s blog. I died laughing, and it totally made me think of my bestie Teri. Let’s just say this girl does a sick Eminem.

wanting To jump in a pool for my birthday (next weekend)…anyone know a place in the city that could throw a good pool party?

needing Air conditioning. Been blasting it lately! I’m dreading the electric bill.

feeling Incredibly lucky for my amazing family and friends. Everyone has been so generous, and we have already started getting lots of packages and gifts to the house for our little man, and I haven’t even had my shower yet! I cannot wait to get everything in order! Thank you everyone, I really appreciate it.

craving Chocolate and fruit. I have been wanting a little bit almost every day lately.

clicking Photography inspiration ideas for our shoot this Saturday.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Tuesday!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Lake House

Happy Monday everyone! Just wanted to share some photos from our lake house that we stayed in at Branch Lake in Elsworth, Maine. The location could not be beat, and it was a dream come true. I took these on our first full day when we played on the lake all day. If you’ve never been to Maine, I would definitely suggest you check it out. Thanks to the Shaw family for opening up their cottage to us as the first renters ever!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

The hubby went away with his brother for a guy’s weekend, so my sister-in-law came to visit me in Brooklyn. We did girly/mom things like prenatal massages, high tea, hung out with college girlfriends, dinner, and brunches. The massage was phenomenal and extremely relaxing. Just what the doctor ordered. We went to Massage Williamsburg on recommendation, and it sure was a treat! Our delicious dinner was Korean BBQ at Dokebi, and we had brunch in my hood at Costello Plan. It was a lot of fun bumping both of our prego bellies together (me at 31.5 weeks and her at 29 weeks!), talking about baby things, catching up on life, and being girly. Looking forward to both my little one and my little nephew who will be arriving so closely together. It’s a really exciting time for the Notes Family!

XO,

Gina

Chesapeake Bay Beach Love

Let me set the scene. It was a beautiful sunny day in Annapolis. We headed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by shuttle for a lovely church ceremony, followed by a gorgeous reception on the water at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. We watched Kurt and Tiffany say their long-awaited “I do’s” and the love was radiating between the two of them all day and night long.

I have known Kurt since college. He was roommates with my high school friend Mike at St. Joseph’s University in Philly, and my cousin Marisa and I took many of those two hour trips throughout our college years up from the University of Maryland to visit them as well as another one of our besties at UPenn. We really got to know all of the St. Joe’s guys, but especially Kurt as he and Mike stayed roommates and best friends for years to come. We spent many crazy summers in Dewey Beach fist pumping, dancing to techno, screaming Taylor Swift at the tops of our lungs and taking a gazillion photos. We also spent many fun nights hanging out in Baltimore in the off season for all different kinds of events or just random weekend nights. I remember when Kurt first met Tiffany, and her first trip to Dewey Beach. I think I may actually have it on video. She seemed a little nervous (because let’s be honest, my friends are crazy), but she was sweet as could be and fit right in with the gang. I knew she would be sticking around for the long haul.

Kurt and Tiffany have such a special relationship that you would have to be blind to not notice. I hope the photos below capture the beautiful and awesome wedding day that June 29th was. They are a wonderful couple and I am happy to call them my friends. Congratulations Kurt and Tiff, and I I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together!

Hope you enjoyed the photos from this magical day. Doesn’t Tiff just look stunning in this last photo?

This week has been a good one…been busy with multiple errands, catching up with blogging and e-mails, and enjoying a little peace and quiet around the house. I have a doc appointment for Little Monkey today for our 7 month checkup. I still cannot believe we are almost there! Things have been piling in for the nursery…he is already spoiled thanks to my family and friends. We are getting super excited for his arrival, and I’m pretty sure the “nesting” bug is going to hit me soon.

Hope you all are having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

Weekend Snaps

Wanted to share a few photos from the past couple weekends we have spent in NYC. It’s been nice to actually be in town for a bit and enjoy this amazing city!

My awesome soccer team at our championship BBQ in Williamsburg, BK

A little corn hole action…

Taking a walk in the neighborhood with our neighbors

Pretty little house in the ‘hood

View of Coney Island from my beach chair…

Brighton Beach – so happy to be at the Ocean!

Toes in the sand (Wearing Essie DJ Play That Song)

It’s been so nice and super relaxing these past few weekends staying in town and enjoying this city in which we live. I often think about how lucky we are to be in such an urban place with so much to offer in terms of food, theatre, culture, events, and more. And in addition to this crazy metropolis, how is it possible that we still have the ocean only 4 miles away from our home? For me it is the best of both worlds, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Hope you all had a great weekend, and wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

XO,

Gina

Baby Gender Reveal Ideas {Canadian Family}

Remember our gender reveal for Little Monkey???

Photo by: Justin Goldberg of Eudora Video Solutions

Well, apparently Little Monkey is quite the popular one. Online magazine, Canadian Family has included our gender reveal in their latest article called 8 Exciting Baby Gender Reveal Ideas. I am so honored to be included in their post. Head on over to see my mention as well as 7 other fabulous ideas for mommies and daddies-to-be!

Curious, did you do anything special to find out your baby’s gender? How did you tell your family and friends?

XO,

Gina

{11} Lately…

Lately I’ve been…

reading Finished reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed, about a woman who finds herself while hiking the Pacific Coast Trail. Sort of an Eat, Pray, Love in the wilderness if you will. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys the outdoors. I am now starting Bossypants by Tina Fey, and hoping for a laugh.

writing Other than blog posts, I haven’t been writing much of anything else lately…

listening Violin and Dubstep? Who knew this combo could work. Check out Lindsey Stirling’s Crystallize. She’s mad talented.

thinking That I am extremely grateful to my husband and neighbor for installing our A/C window units this week. It’s 90 degrees here today!

smelling Yankee Candle’s Summer Scoop. A candle that smells like my favorite dessert? Yes please!

watching Well, I got dragged into a “Bachelorette Draft” this past weekend. Yes, it’s like fantasy football, but with Des and a bunch of hot guys. I really had no interest in this show whatsoever, but after investing time into making draft picks for a friend that couldn’t make the event…I am now finding myself wanting to know how this whole thing is going to pan out. Go Juan Pablo!

wishing Everyone a Happy Last Day of May! Can’t believe it’s going to be June tomorrow.

hoping For a fun-filled weekend with friends in the Big Apple.

wearing A dress that I found at Nordstrom Rack a couple years ago along with red, strappy Sam Edelman sandals.

loving This strawberry, banana, pineapple smoothie I’m consuming right now.

laughing At what happened when Vine tried to make a commercial for Vine. See over at FunnyorDie.com

wanting To meet my new little cousin, Noelle Raelyn, who was born yesterday! Congrats to her Mama and Papa, my cousins Brittany and R.J.

needing To figure out what to wear to a costume party on Saturday…Disney princess or pregnant Britney Spears? Hmmm…

feeling My little one kicking up a storm in there all day long. It’s such a crazy and awesome feeling!

craving I had been craving a pedicure (since I can no longer reach my toes well enough to paint my own), and luckily this was fulfilled on Wednesday. I went with the new Essie 2013 Neon Collection’s DJ Play That Song. I can now proceed with open-toed shoes again.

clicking Researching pediatricians and birthing classes for the little one.

What have you been up to lately?

Happy Friday!

Love,

Gina

***I was inspired by Tina of Like Ordinary Life to create this post, and she was inspired by Lauren of siddathornton, who started The Sunday Currently.

Desert Florals

Here are some images from our second day enjoying Sedona, Arizona. Oh, how I love those red rocks! The views were absolutely stunning, and it’s tough to really capture it in a photo alone. I hadn’t been feeling that great in the middle of our trip, but this day, I was feeling much better and able to explore. We drove around making stops at different locations for photos, and then walked a little on the West Fork at Oak Creek trail which was a lot of fun. I really hope to go back to Sedona when I’m back to my athletic self and can really take it all in!

Floral Pants: Motherhood – similar here, here, and here (in non-maternity) / Chambray Top: GAP – similar (runs big FYI!) / Tank: American Eagle / Shoes: Nordstrom Rack / Shades: c/o Waveborn / Earrings: Baublebar – similar / Ring: Banana Republic / Necklace: Family Heirloom / Watch: Michael Kors / Beaded Skull Bracelets: c/o Guilty Jean / Spike Bracelet: ASOS / Bow Bracelet: Baublebar / Lip: MAC Impassioned

Tonight I’m headed out with the girls for a little mani/pedi action. I usually do my own nails, but the belly is starting to get in the way making it impossible to paint my toes these days. Oh darn, I guess I have to pamper myself! Looking forward to hanging with the ladies.

Tomorrow I am participating in the Wall Street Heart Walk with my Alpha Phi sorority Alums in NYC. Did you know that heart disease is the leading killer in America? There’s one more day to donate, so if you are able to contribute, I would really appreciate it!

Hope you all have a great day!

XO,

Gina

The Magic Hour

I know the Arizona photos seem to be never ending, but there is just too much to share! I promise you this is the last week of Arizona posts! These shots were taken during the “Magic Hour,” a photographer’s most favorite hour to shoot. This happens about an hour before sunset, and it’s when the light is most lovely for photographs. We happened to be on the road at this time, and having no set schedule to be any particular place, we frequently made stops to shoot this beautiful scenery.

First and foremost, I want to thank all of our military for serving and protecting our country. For those who have been lost, we are ever grateful for your strength and bravery. I hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend holiday.

We spent part of ours in Philly visiting friends, and part of it hanging out with friends on the Upper East side and Central Park. It was a wonderful weekend, and a great kick off to the summertime!

Have a great short week!

XO,

Gina