Bean and Budge together again, 20 years later with sabrina bean photography

Sabrina and Sarah, brunette and blonde, best buds, children of the 80′s.  Leg warmers, shoulder pads and puffy paint and Kids Incorporated were part of our childhood. “Totally rad man!” Um, no… I still shudder at the thought of my pale teal dress with shoulder pads that made me look like a quarter-back and studs on the front that made me look like I lost a fight with a bedazzler. (Fashion in the 80s is an entire other blog for another day.)

However, I do recall with fond memories of countless slumber parties and birthday parties that even my parents still talk about, when Sarah stole the show at my 50′s themed, 10th birthday party with a fantastic lip-sinched rendition (choreography included) to ”It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”.

She brought the house down! (I do have a pictures of this, somewhere. You lucked out Sarah, it’s somewhere in my mom’s house.)  Her stage presence even at age ten was astonishing. She always knew what she wanted to be when she “grew up“and I admired that about her.

Sarah was my buddy from day one, from Mrs. Dudley’s class in third grade to Mrs. Palmer’s in 6th. We went to a small private school with our graduating class being less than 20 kids.

6th grade class- Sarah and Sabrina...in the middle. I can't believe I put this picture in here.

After graduation we went to different junior highs on opposites sides of town. Our paths  crossed in an airport terminal for a split second and we lost our minds screaming like crazy 12-year-old girls… we were actually twelve. Unfortunately, that was the last time I saw her. After that we lost track of each other completely. Sigh…..such is life….prior to Facebook. This is even pre MySpace. (figured out my age yet?)

So when MySpace did finally make its debut I was living in Fresno, CA and she was living in Seattle, Wa. At the time that seemed a ridiculous distance to even contemplate visiting, so for now Myspace was going to reconnect us and it did.  She became a Shakespearean  actress and was living her dream while I was living mine, owning and operating a business with my sisterand my own photography business.

Fast forward four years when I moved to Portland, Or in 2008. Wow, we were so close now, we had to get together! I had always wanted to see Seattle and she had always wanted to visit Portland. PERFECT! So now that Facebook was in high gear and Myspace was obsolete and we both had “profiles”, we were bound to make this reunion happen.

Fast forward another three years, I’m now leaving Portland to move to Austin, TX.

CRAP!!!

We still haven’t seen each other!! Only 145 miles was keeping us apart. I told Tatiana, incredible graphic designer and amazingly talented artist ( who I love and adore) about this whole debacle of trying to reconnect with my friend of 20 sum plus years and she said “Let’s GO!” “Lets go to Seattle!”  ”Lets go see Sarah.”

I have amazing friends!

The lovely and talented Tatiana

It was all arranged. I was going to see my best friend that I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. I was a jumping bean, ask Tatiana. I was so excited to see Sarah AND Seattle at the same time. We drove to Seattle on a beautiful sunny day in July.

My anticipation grew as the Seattle skyline came into view.

Seattle skyline from the car

When we parked the car I actually got butterflies. I was so nervous and excited and overjoyed over what was about to happen. I was gonna see Sarah!!! Happy dance!

We found where she was working, a fantastic wine bar in the heart of downtown seattle, called 106 Pine where she’s the GM. We walked in and I couldn’t believe it, she looked exactly the same, just slightly taller

Our eyes met, she whipped around the counter, both our arms stretched wide we gave each other the biggest hug! Holding and squeezing each other like two little school girls.  I’m getting all teary about it, even now. It was like we were in third grade all over again. WOW, 20 years!!! It was both awesome and totally rad! 

20 Year Reunion!

“A smile happens in a flash, but its memory can last a lifetime.” My happiness has put the most ridiculous look on my face!

We left 106 Pine after our brief reunion and waited for Sarah to join us after she got off work. We wandered Seattle and found ourselves at the famous Pike Place Market.

Public Market Place.. it was just like I had seen in the movies

I could have taken pictures all day

Everything looked so delicious

Seriously Fresh Seafood!

mmmm... cream puffs

I can see why people love Seattle . A friend once told me that Seattle was like....if L.A and San Francisco had a baby! Spot on Mark... spot on!

Sarah met up with us and showed us around town to some of her favorite spots.  We got to hang out one on one and catch up on the last twenty years while sitting in front of a beautiful fountain at the Seattle Center. 

It was like old times…20 years hadn’t changed a thing. It’s kind of fun trying to explain what has happened in your life over the past 20 years, briefly. We laughed about our twenties and shared stories of heartache and happiness in our thirties. Crazy jobs we had worked and stories of our travels made it into our short visit. Talking about old friends we still kept in contact with and friends that we lost along the way.  My favorite thing about friends like Sarah is that you can go 20 years and pick up right where you left off. I’m so lucky to have friends like that.

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Sarah was even kind enough (I still can’t believe she did this) to treat not just me, but FIVE of my other friends to see the space needle! That is so her! She was always sharing her snacks with me or whatever she had in her lunch, she always shared. She’s always given with her heart. You can tell by her hugs!

“Oh, I love hugging. I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug 10 people at a time!” Drew Barrymore. Meeting Tatiana for the first time.

We headed to the space needle! What a treat! Thank you again Sarah! 

we took the monorail... like Disneyland

The Space Needle is fastened to its foundation with 72 bolts, each 30 feet in length.

Sarah and Sabrina

Tatiana and Michael and me

Gorgeous

It was very breezy up there

Coming down the elevator

another view from the elevator

When our feet touched the earth once again, we wandered  back over to Pike street and  Post Alley. Tourists must!

smiling Sarah

stunning Sarah

sill in disbelief that it's been 20 years

Post Alley

Sarah then took us to her favorite restaurant with a pale pink door that you would never guess was a restaurant. ironically it’s called the Pink Door.  Sarah’s generosity was overflowing as she picked up the tab, again! If you ever get to Austin Sarah, you’re not paying for a thing! 

live music while we ate dinner

As the sun began to set we realized it was time to head home. Our reunion was a wonderful one, but much too short. Sarah and I are much better with keeping in touch, with help from Facebook. I certainly hope it is not another twenty years before I see my friend again.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow”"There is magic in long-distance friendships.  They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.”  ~Diana Cortes

This is my friend Sarah. Isn’t she fabulous?!

Borrowed from Sarah's FB page. This is her in Trout Stanley with Balagan Theatre Company in Seattle, WA.

This is Sarah in King Lear, as the role of Regan. Also borrowed from her FB page

I’m so proud of her!

For more pictures from my trip to seattle, visit my FB page.

sabrina bean photography The year of the Dragon- 2012 Austin Kite Festival

The Annual Austin Kite Festival has come and gone once again. You could not have asked for better weather. Not a cloud in the sky and a perfect breeze to send the kites soaring.

It seemed to be the year of the dragon… kite wise. There were so many dragon kites in the air this year, purple, pink and yellow, oh my!

“Meddle not in the affairs of the dragon; for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.”

“If you can't take the heat, don't tickle the dragon.”

As much as I love seeing the kites soar through the shy, I love people watching even more. I love seeing people smile, smooch, hug and even fly themselves. I really enjoy being at the kite festival because the energy is so incredible. You can’t really be too pissed off when you’re flying a kite.

"Lets go fly a kite and send it soaring"

“Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.” Anais Nin

“I made you a kite so you would have to look up.”

“I went to the park and saw this kid flying a kite. The kid was really excited. I don't know why, that's what they're supposed to do. Now if he had had a chair on the other end of that string, I would have been impressed.” Mitch Hedberg

For more photos from the Kite festival check out my FB page.

sabrina bean photography shares the love for both ATX and PDX

Since I had never been to Austin before, I had no idea what to expect when I moved here.. (other than country music and cowboy hats)… boy, was I wrong. There is certainly both hat and boots about town, but there is so much more to Austin than what one might think.

Austin is of course famous for its LIVE music scene, where you can find live music just about any time of the day, which is so rad, but it’s not really myscene. I’m totally down though if someone pays the cover

6th street tunes

Alyse Black at One World Theater

Green Beans.. get it.

Then there is the food, which is sooo me.  Most carts use only fresh produce from local farmers, hell ya! Austin has the largest food cart scene in the U.S. which amazed me coming from another food cart loving town… Portland, Oregon.

View from the Portland City Grill

( which I miss dearly)

Right before I moved here, my good friend Tatiana took me to the Oregon Coast.

Astoria

She told me I shoud see the ocean one last time before I get “land locked”. WHAT?! This statement scared the crap out of me. I’ve lived on the west coast my whole life, now I was going to be somewhere with no water! WHAT!!!?? I was used to the Willamette River being three blocks away from my apartment.

Hawthorne Bridge over Willamette River

I kinda freaked out, but thankfully to my relief Lady Bird Lake is a only mile from my house… phew! Thank goodness for Lady Bird Lake, with its endless runners and winding trails and spectacular views of downtown.

There are so many similarities between Austin and Portland. Both cities are cyclist friendly, the food carts are bomb, the people are hella cool, the restaurants are award winning, the breweries and beer scene is  just as popular and your local bar is the coolest place to hang and of course the ladies are lovely to look at.

 Sister cities through and through.

Series 4

The only thing that really seems different to me is the weather and the public transportation. PDX has better public transportation hands down, no arguments here. I miss the sound of the MAX as it pulls up to Pioneer Square and the rocking of the street car as it turns onto Lovejoy.

View from the Rose Gardens looking at Mt. Hood

People always ask me how I dealt with the weather in Portland and honestly  the  weather in PDX was sometimes a bit much with its gray skies and constant rain,  but  when sun finally came out and the clouds would part.. Holy Shitake Mushrooms Batman! Its was effing GORGEOUS! The fresh air, the breathtaking views of Mt. hood and the aroma of the Rose Gardens wafting over the West Hills made those winter months completely worth it!

Portland Rose Garden

Portland will forever be in my heart as well as all the friends I made in the short time I lived there. I love that Portlanders will stop in the middle of the street and feel the warmth of the sun on their face.. (when it decides to make an appearance)

Austinite’s love the sun just as much and take full advantage of Barton Springs and it’s refreshing waters on a summers day at Zilker park.

Barton Springs at Zilker

I’m so lucky to be able to say that I have lived in both places. The sounds of the city, the views of the vistas are just a few things that inspire me everyday. Even the plant life here shows it’s beauty to me and the graffiti is inspiring and uplifting.

Sunset from Pennybacker bridge

I love the movement of this city

the community, the diversity, the peacefulness

the nightlife

the history

"Now who done left a kid in my guitar case?"

All of this make up the uniqueness which is Austin. I especially admire all the dreamers and lovers of music that go out every day and do what they love. Dedication and appreciation is what makes Austin so special to me.

It makes me truly happy when people in Austin smile and say hello as you pass, that the men tip their hat to you as you walk by, that the people that you’ve just met at the bar have a smile and a story and leave as your new friend.

Then there is all the FREE events that enhance the awesomeness. I’m so looking forward to this years Kite Festival which is in a few days. 

If you really love music then SXSW is gonna rock your world. It is so overwhelming with all venues, the parties, the shows, more parties- happening all over the city at the same time.  You can feel the pulse of Austin in the air, the energy is thick and the streets are crowded with tourists and locals waiting to hear the latest and greatest. Even the eccentric play for all who will listen.

Portland has been on my brain lately, obviously. I’ve been watching GRIMM (and saying -I know where that is!) and missing those delicious crepes from Le Happy.

Le Happy makes me so happy!

Needless to say I awoke today with a sense of thankfulness and gratitude for all the lovely people I have met over the last seventeen months and an ache for the city I left two years ago.  Even though I miss and think of my Portlandia and Cali family every day, I am blessed to be where I am. I am grateful for the people that surround me with love and for the city that is always Keeping it Weird.

(PDX’s motto tool) *anyone know who had it first? Would love to know that tidbit of useless information.

I hope my pictures and words give you a feel for both cities that I love and adore.  Feel free to visit ya’ll!  Yes, I said Ya’ll.

Love, Bean

I LOVE YOU AUSTIN, GOOD NIGHT!

sabrina bean photography ROCKS OUT with GLYSCIAN

About eight months ago I photographed a networking event called PURE WOMAN CONNECT. I met a lot of very talented women in Austin that evening. Among them was Rona, a graphic designer and owner of Rouge Hearts, who had just returned to Austin from Los Angeles. Rona is the talent behind my Bean logo, which I absolutely love!  Thanks again Rona!!!   Rona and I hang  out when we can find time and have coffee if we can ever get our schedules to line up, but now that she’s a big Rock Star she hardly has time for me now OH! Did I not mention that Rona is also a drummer in a metal band, Yup! She is the bad ass drummer for Glyscian. This woman is just loaded to her “drumsticks” with talent!

Rona Rougeheart - Drums

“Glyscian has melded loud, heavy guitars with pretty melodies and mixed punk sensibilities with a sharp sense of songwriting. A loud and fast style of heavy metal, they have their roots in the hard-rocking rock band tendencies, choosing to amplify with the speed of punk rock. Combined with extremely dynamic vocal melodies, intense lyrics, they harness that energy and in the process, produce a raging sound.”

(I totally took this from their home page, but they said it way better than I ever could)

So first of all… they ROCK and second they asked me to photograph them (AWESOME!) with their latest edition to the band, bass player Thomas, who rocked our photo session BTW. I barely had to give him any direction.. he had the perfect ROCK face the entire time.

Thomas- Bass

And of course there is sultry Suzanne Slair,  guitar and vocals! The driving force of this group, Suzanne makes it look easy to be a Rock Star.

Suzanne Slair- Vocals and Guitar

This talented trio is going to kick some serious ass! I couldn’t have asked to photograph a hotter band! This session was taken at the lovely 360 in downtown Austin. Thank you to Glyscian for really bringing it to the session and for trusting my vision and for going four hours straight to get  great light. I can’t wait to work with them again!

To know more about Glyscian and see the rest of the photos check out their FB page. 

GLYSCIAN

" Honestly I just wear what I like. You know why? 'Cause I can, I'm a rock star." Amy Lee

Storms and skylines with sabrina bean photogrpahy

When I first moved to Austin in 2010 it was pretty hot, I’m originally form Fresno, California so I was pretty used to the heat. What I wasn’t prepared for was the crazy unpredictable weather that is Austin. One day sunny, one day cold, next day freakin hotter than the sun and the next day it’s snowing! WTH!??  I finally just kept my summer and winter clothes out cause I couldn’t figure out the damn weather! Don’t get me wrong, I love the wackiness of this city. KEEP IT WEIRD, RIGHT?! For example, last week I was wearing rain boots cause it was snowing and then four days later … BAM…it was in the 80′s! And people say there is no global-warming! (say in most annoying voice) WHATEVER!

Needless to say, I LOOOVEE Austin, I love the crazy weather, the clouds, the storms, the THUNDER and LIGHTENING, the sky, the skyline, you name it.. I love living here! I love that I moved here and had never been here before. I love that I am still discovering Austin everyday. I’m pretty sure I was an architect in one life and a storm chaser in another. I get so excited when a storm is coming, it’s like I’m a little kid when I hear that thunder-clap.

-You know you’re a dork when you have a radar ap on your iPhone. That’s me!

Here are just a few shots of Austin’s  amazing storms since I moved here and some of the most gorgeous skies that I have seen in my life, thus far.

first night in Austin 08-10

“Let the rain kiss you.  Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.  Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”  ~Langston Hughes

this was one of my favorites.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.  ~Author Unknown

taken from my balcony. South Congress looking east

This was the day that the world was supposedly going to end..

same day

should probably head inside now...

NOW its time to go inside

Don’t knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while.  ~Kin Hubbard

and heres the Next day... see.... cazy huh?

This was taken while driving on Mopac ( I was not driving)

through the sunroof

“How sweet to be a Cloud Floating in the Blue!” A. A. Hodge

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. ~Rabindranath Tagore

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter.” Ansel Adams

“When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator” Mahatma Gandhi

To see more {bean} follow me on FB 

Ups and Down’s Syndrome with sabrina bean photography

Six years ago this past week, I became an Auntie for the second time!

"Having Down's syndrome is like being born normal. I am just like you and you are just like me. We are all born in different ways, that is the way I can describe it. I have a normal life."- Chris Burke

Another girl! She was so tiny and beautiful, but wait, let me back up a minute.

Uma was born 4 weeks before she was due. A home birth that happened so fast that the Doula caught her, the midwife didn’t have time to make it! Uma was born! 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 blue eyes….  Hooray! Another healthy baby girl.. life is awesome.

The next morning came crashing down on our happy parade.

The next morning Gena thought Uma looked off. Her color was funny and she called her midwife. She came over immediately listened to Uma’s heart and said we need to go to the  children’s hospital now. They were received in the ER. They had no idea what was happening. My sister and brother in-law where given their own private waiting room. Gena said that she didn’t want her own room, she knew if they were told to wait in the regular room then everything would be okay. But they got their own room. Finally a doctor came in and said that the good news was that after an echocardiogram was performed they discovered that Uma’s heart was fine. My sister asked why wouldn’t her heart be fine. Then the doctor said with a tear in her eye, “We strongly suspect that Uma has Down’s Syndrome. Gena said she felt like in that moment someone pushed her off a cliff. “She needs some testing”…. the testing for Down’s Syndrome takes over 5 days to get a result. They didn’t know what type of Down’s Syndrome it was. Was is it Trisomy 18, 21? Could the baby be Mosaic? Maybe the doctors were wrong? “Oh please let the doctors be wrong.” That’s all my sister could think. She was given Genetic Counseling and sat in semi-catatonic trance, and waited.  The testing revealed the results that Uma did indeed have Trisomy 21, a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome, AKA Downs Syndrome. We were stunned.

SInce Uma was 4 weeks early, her birthday fell on the day of my sisters would be shower. Having been at the hospital since early morning, my sister came to her shower (reluctantly)  to tell her close friends and family about Uma.

The guests arrived and touched my sisters belly with delight and guesses of how big baby would be…. not knowing that she had just given birth 24 hours prior. After everyone had settled in, my sister began her story of Umas’ arrival. Faces gasped, some cried softly, some just stared with compassion and understanding at my sister. We went around the table and all the women blessed my sister with their wise words and love for this new baby and mother. One of her friends (who also happened to be her Doula) stood up and read this poem to my sister… I will never forget it.

“When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

Poem by Emily Perl Kingsley 

After the baby-shower we went back to the hospital to see little Uma. Hooked up to monitors and machines, it was so hard to keep it together.

I couldn’t even imagine what my sister and brother-in -law were going through. They appeared as solid as a rock on the outside, but I could see their pain and confusion running through their minds because it was going through mine too.

Even six years later I am ashamed at myself for thinking such thoughts of ..Why? And how could this happen? and Why us? sigh…knowing what I know now about Uma and Down’s Syndrome I feel foolish for ever thinking such things, but I did.

I cried like a baby that day in the hallway of chidrens hospital as I held a pamphlet that read like a car manual . I stared at this sheet of paper in my hand describing what to be ready for….but more tears streamed down my face as all the stepping stones of her life flashed through my mind. They would be different. Would she be teased? Would she be ok?? … and then a beautiful thought transformed in my head! I had been a  Winter Special Olympics coach in high school. Those kids were so awesome, full of love and hope and I could still feel their hugs! Some even skied better than me! I cried happy tears as I knew little Uma would be just fine and that there would be even more love in our family! How right I was! Uma has changed our family and lives for the better.

I’m not gonna lie and say everyday has  been peachy-keen these past 6 years. Somedays are hard, some days are really hard ,but most are the sweetest moments when she holds your hand and looks up at you with her arms out because she wants to hug you!

“A hug is the perfect gift; one size fits all, and nobody minds if you exchange it.”

I will say that we are so blessed that Uma has no heart conditions to speak of, her eye sight is looking great and she so incredibly smart. Uma is intergrated into a “regular” class most of her day at school.  She can be a bit demanding at times or what I like to call ” DIVA-maintennce”

She is quite the singer!

She knows the words and loves to Dance to West Side Story with her sisters. She will tell you the ways of Master Shifu of Kung -Fu Panda, verbatim  She will melt your heart with her ferocious hugs and gentle kisses that will help make you feel better. Even her “Goo-Mo-Nings” brighten your day!  If you ever get to meet Uma you will be forever changed, I know I am.

Being Auntie is the best!

Did you know that it’s called “Down’s” because it is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. What if his last name would have been Up? Would people look at it differently?  Would people still frown at the mention of Up syndrome? How could you not smile at UP’s syndrome

I’ve come across several people who have given me a sad face when I tell them Uma has Down’s.  I think children with Down’s are  blessed with happiness.  There is always a smile to greet you, a hug to hold you and a soft touch to heal your heart.

“So don’t be Down, be Up! -”

There were so many images of Uma it was hard to narrow it “Up”

Happy 6th Birthday my Umie Zoomie! I promise to watch you grow into a more beautiful person and guide you when you want my help. I know you are feisty like your mama and stubborn like your grandpa, but I will always be your Auntie to hold you like a baby! You have shown me a side of life that I may have missed had you not come into mine. I am grateful that you picked us to be your family, that you are here with us. I wouldn’t change you for the world.

"I hope to have as many friends as all the stars in the sky. I think that I am getting very close to my wish." ~ Annie Forts

"I can't change that I have Down's syndrome, but one thing I would change is how people think of me. I'd tell them: Judge me as a whole person, not just the person you see. Treat me with respect, and accept me for who I am. Most important, just be my friend. After all, I would do the same for you."

"I'll give you a chance if you give me one too!" ~

Uma loves to sing and play guitar

She likes to pose for her Auntie

She loves the Wind on her face

Uma loves the swings like any 6 year old

I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful. ~Author Unknown

She loves to play pretend!

LIVESTRONG Marathon, Mariachis and More with sabrina bean photography

I don’t run. I take that back, I don’t run for fun. I tried years ago and I will say it did make me feel wonderful afterwards, but my knees..not so much. So I gave up my ishuffle ( rather, I lost it)  and threw out my running shoes…(donated)

I truly admire those who run for fun and exercise, those who run for awesome charities like the Livestrong foundation and those who set goals for themselves to prove they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.  Running clears your mind, running feels invigorating when your heart is pumping, you feel what it means to be alive!, I get it, I do. I’m pretty sure that’s why so many people are doing it these days!

"That's fine; we runners are, after all, up for a challenge.” Bill Rodgers

Which is why I attended the LIVESTRONG Marathon in downtown Austin the other day.

When I first moved to Austin a year and half ago, I came across a magazine that had a similar picture of the marathon, and I thought to myself.. ( I want to photograph that one of these days! -I stared at the picture and was amazed at how many people there were, all running for a cause, all trying to make a difference! It made me feel like there was hope, that Austin was going to be the city where people got things done, where community was vital and people were inspiring.) Austin is that city! 

Taken from the 56th floor. The highest shadow on the right is the Austonian

As the race date was approaching I decided I wanted the shot of all the runners going down Congress Avenue in my portfolio. I made a few phone calls and was pleased to hear back from The Austonian. The highest building in Austin,TX with 56 floors.  It is also the highest residential building in the U.S West of the Mississippi and in my opinion the classiest. It also happens to be right on Congress.

The Austonian

I was so excited the morning of the race, I barely slept the night before. (and I wasn’t even going to be running!)  I arrived at The Austonian a bit early to make sure I had the right angle for the shot. They were so generous to let me shoot from the 40th floor with a beautiful balcony view of the Capitol, but when the race started they didn’t come down Congress they went around it instead. I quickly left the 40th floor and headed down to the 10th floor, but not before I took some shots from this height.

Not too shabby to see this from your living room.

I was eye level with Frost Tower and the helicopters that were flying by.. I felt like a bird.

The Sunrise was spectacular

I was in awe.  It was pretty cool just to be up there, good thing I’m not afraid of heights.

Eye level with Frost Tower. wow.

While in the lobby waiting to be taken to the pool, I  met a very nice resident who guided me to the ’10th floor residential exterior’ (the pool area)   A perfect view of the runners running down South Congress “as far as the eye can see.” ( always wanted use that in my blog

“I want to run until I can't run.” Bill Rodgers

WOW! I love when I’ve thought about a particular shot for so long and then it comes to fruition…. it makes me appreciate what I do even more! I am so blessed to share my passion with others!

"Run hard, be strong, think big! "-Percy Cerutty

I am so proud of each and every single person who ran, jogged, walked…entered! 20, 000 people ran in this marathon! That number astounds me! What’s even more astounding was that at one point of the marathon, 1,000 people passed by per-minute! The vibe of all those thousands of people was exhilarating, intoxicating and very inspiring. ( I even tried the treadmill when I got home)

Everyone in life is looking for a certain rush. Racing is where I get mine. -John Trautmann

"If marathoners finish they win." -Dr. George Sheehan

There can't be two identical photographs in this world. Not even if it is from the same photographer. - Anonymous

"Remember the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running." -Sarah Condor

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." -William Faulkner

What really got to me and made me get all misty and say out loud “I love Austin” was that they had a Mariachi band playing for the runners. People singing along and cheering on the runners from the sidewalks. The “gritos” that came from runners, the smiles it put on their faces, the encouragement was so up-lifiting.  I stayed at that mile marker for awhile to hear and feel the love from all around.

I spy a Mariachi band!

Methinks that the moment my legs began to move, my thoughts began to flow." - Henry David Thoreau

“Music is an outburst of the soul.” Frederick Delius

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A different kind of Valentines Day session with sabrina bean photography

This Valentines I decided to hang out with a mom and daughter duo that is part hilarious and part whacky which happens to =  awesome!  Yes, I happen to be related to them, but that’s what made it even more fun. Since they are both used to my camera (they forget I’m taking pictures most of the time) they really gave me some candid shots of them being the silliest mom and daughter I know…just being themselves.

My sister wanted to take her daughter to a cute little coffee/lounge in downtown Austin called Halcyon.

When she told me that they were doing a Valetnines special for two where you can roast your smores right on the table,  I was sold! Both Gena and Ava had a great time getting hyped up on sugar ( a rare occasion for my niece) so the pictures  got even sillier when they were done with their sugar sandwiches on a stick !;)

Sugar. kicking. in

My sister doesn’t always get to hang-out  with her oldest daughter “alone” since there are two more little ones at home, but since Ava is the oldest, and is always Moms’s lil helper,  it made for a very special Valentines for her to hang out with mom and eat sugar.

I remember my dad sending me a dozen roses to my classroom when I was  six years  old with a stuffed heart with arms stretched out wide that said “I love you this much!” My teacher mistook them for herself… it was awesome!  That was so special to me that I still remember 26 years later like it happened yesterday! I’m sure Ava will remember this Valentines with her mom for years to come, especially since Auntie was there to capture every minute. Happy Valentines my bean fans!

kisses for mom

goofy goober

Flames on the Table!

Valentines is not just for couples

laughter is good for the soul

sugar

showing Ava the ropes of proper roasting

Hurry blow it out!

looks like a mask over her eyes, she's Marshmallow girl!best friends

Serious Fun!

Girl can give attitude! Fierce!

Mom- Is he cute Ava? Ava- Yes.

Can't believe we found a pay-phone!

Happy Valentines Day! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AVA! I LOVE YOUSO MUCH MOM!

Fashion Speaks to sabrina bean photography

Like most people out there in the social networking world you either love Facebook or you despise the whole debacle of people telling you what they ate for breakfast or that they are working out at the gym while on the treadmill…ok, i’m guilty of that one  I do however love Facebook for its actual purpose…networking. I have met some of the most talented and passionate people through this social site. I was introduced to Emily Hallman through another incredibly talented young entrepreneur by the name of Nicole Marett of Radiant Cosmetics. ( that’s a whole other blog)

Nicole had invited me to a trunk show for Emily Hallman Designs. Unfortunately I could not attend, but I managed to find her on FB and when I did I lost my mind! Her clothes were so incredible! It was like she was making these clothes just for me! I have always loved the fashion of the 40′s and 50′s. Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Lana Turner, Betti Davis.. you get where I’m going. Her designs are so classy, timeless, chic and feminine, I had to meet her!

So finally a few weeks ago I emailed Emily and told her I wanted to work with her somehow. She responded quickly and we met for coffee at a local cafe. It was as if we had known each other like old friends. What I thought maybe would be a cup of coffee turned into a five-hour interview and a lot of caffeine

SBP-      What inspires you when you start a collection?

EH- Anything! Fabrics, history, art, shapes, colors, textures, silhouettes—you name it! Typically, every collection I design incorporates inspiration from any number of things, not just one thing.

SBP-  Your style is so classic, have you always been drawn to that 40′s look?

EH- I’ve always loved classic design, but I do especially love silhouettes and designs from the 1940s and 1950s. There’s just something about the clothes from that time that you don’t see today—the attention to detail is just remarkable.

SBP-   You put so much passion into your work, what do want your fans to know most about what you do?

EH-More than anything else, I hope the Emily Hallman brand helps bring back a desire and appreciation for quality, classic design that is sadly missing from the mass-produced, sometimes ill-fitting options currently in stores. I also hope to raise awareness for garments made in America.

SBP- How long does it take you to create a collection from initial thought to final product?

EH- The design process is considerably longer than you might imagine–for me, it’s between 4 and 5 months.  I approach each collection with ideas already in mind about specific looks I want to incorporate. I do an incredible amount of research and source my fabrics, sketch, re-sketch, edit, draft new ideas, and tweak the overall collection prior to drafting the patterns or sewing the samples. I then spend weeks drafting each pattern and test the design, fit and comfort before final design approval. Finally, I spend the last weeks before the collection launches sewing every single sample garment.

SBP- Which Fashion trends do you follow, if any?

I follow all of the trends, but only because it’s important that I know what’s going on in fashion. Trends come and go and history always repeats itself, so as a designer—and lover of fashion history—it’s interesting to watch the fashion cycles and keep current on the trends. Good designers are able to incorporate a trend here or there (or better yet, introduce one), but they do so while maintaining their own aesthetic.

SBP- Who are some of your favorite designers?

EH-Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Victoria Beckham, Tom Ford, and Valentino are the designers whose collections I’m always excited to see.

SBP-  When did you first know you wanted to be a fashion designer?

 EH-I have known for most of my life that I have certain creative talents. It took a few years, however, to hone in on exactly what those talents were and how best to execute them. My love for clothing truly began at age 8 when I made a suit for my younger brother using only copy paper and staples. When I discovered that I could actually study fashion and build a career around it, I jumped at the opportunity. Since I graduated from college, not a day has gone by that I haven’t sketched, researched, created patterns, or sewn something.

SBP- What is your favorite thing to wear out?

EH-Because I spend so much time in the studio it’s rare that I go out anywhere that requires better clothing than my sweats! J In the event that I have an event to host or trunk show to put together I will wear a dress from one of my collections with a cardigan and heels. That’s probably my go-to outfit because it always looks flattering and put together, and it’s comfortable.

SBP- One last question… Why do your designs have names? 

Naming the designs is not only fun, but gives each garment its own personality and identity. Also, it’s easier for me to keep track of everything!

After hours of chatting about fashion, life, love and everything in between we knew we were meant to meet each other and work together. Emily and I will be collaborating on her spring collection, as in I will be photographing her new line. YEAH!!!!

I could not be more thrilled to work with such a gifted designer!! As you may have read in some of my other blogs I love and appreciate anything that is made with love and appreciation. Emily Hallman design is that and so much more. Her detail shows in each piece she creates and each piece is made by her talented hands, not some factory overseas. I got to hang out with her and her adorable pup  Harrison (yes he’s a pup) and watch her create her collection. We will be working together over the next couple of weeks, stay tuned for our collaboration around the first day of Spring.

Emily is meticulous with each step of her designs

Beauty and inspiration is everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and your mind.

“It's all about good taste” Giorgio Armani

“I design for real people. I think of our customers all the time. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothing or accessories that are not practical.” Giorgio Armani

Harrison loves to play with fabric

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” Coco Chanel

"The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!” Coco Chanel

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” Coco Chanel

Kitty gets to Indulge with sabrina bean photography

So the other day my sister Gena came over my house to hang out and have some coffee since we rarely get any time to just hang out together. Mainly because she’s a mom of three gorgeous girls, wifey-mc wifey, a radio personality, a TV Host and of course an amazing Doula. Needless to say she’s kinda busy. So sister time is rare.

When she came over in her mom jeans (sorry sister) and her sweater that I have seen her in for the millionth time, I shook my head and told her that she and I were going to hang out and have fun… damn-it! So I told her wash her face…

scrub scrub scrub

I did her make-up and hair and even let her borrow my new Anthropologie dress I haven’t even worn yet. (That’s what sisters do, right?!) I bought it with her in mind anyway

GET OFF YOUR PHONE!

Bailey wanted to see what all the hub bub was about

We decided to head to our favorite place where we love to brunch. Yes we brunch, but this has only happened twice in the past three months. It’s a treat for us to spend time together away from the chillins and just be silly sisters. We may be several years apart, but get us together and we are like a couple of kids laughing till our sides hurt.

While having coffee and reading the latest Vanity Fair she gave me, I had an idea to give her The Proust Smackdown and ask her a few questions since she’s the one usually doing the questioning?

•  What is your idea of perfect happiness? Lying in bed with the girls
• What is your greatest fear? Losing one of my children
• Which living person do you most admire? Anyone who gives up everything for the needy and the poor.  
• What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Procrastination
• What is your greatest extravagance? An afternoon Alone by myself at Bar Lamar having champagne and cheese…A L O N E with a book…
• What is your favorite journey? Driving to a birth
• What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Patience
• On what occasion do you lie? Right now?…. 
• Which living person do you despise the most? People who refuse to think
• Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Right?!
• What is your greatest regret? Not having another baby due to not having “enough money”
• When and where were you happiest? Lying in bed with Craig (husband) at a resort in Carmel with nothing to do
• Which talent would you most like to have? play the piano
• What is your current state of mind? Busy
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Nothing, I’m awesome
• If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?  Appreciate one another more
• If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be? A baby. Right?
• If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A Unicorn, prove ‘em all wrong!
• What is your most treasured possession? Free Will
• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?  Regret
• Where would you like to live?  San Cristobal, Mexico
• What is your most marked characteristic? Sense of humor
• What is the quality you most like in a man? Humor
• What is the quality you most like in a woman? Humor
• What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty
• Who are your favorite writers? Vonnegut, Orwell, Mark Twain, Sarah Vowel, Robbie Davis Floyd, Naomi Wolf, Suzanne Arms, Tina Fey…
• Who is your favorite fictional character? Stephen Colbert
• Who are your heros in real life? Courageous People that speak truth to power
• What are your favorite names? Ava, Uma, Charlie, Steve
• What is it that you most dislike? Women being mean to other women
• How would you like to die? A thousand years from now on Jupiter
• How do you want people to remember you? As someone who tried to make a difference
• What is your motto? Of course! 

After wiping away tears of laughter from her responses and finishing up our Americanos we figured it was picture time. I love photographing my sis. It’s the only time she does what I tell her to do

ie:   If i tell her to go ask a bunch of construction workers to stare and whistle at her while she walks by.. she does it. If I tell her to pretend she’s getting into her BMW, she does it. Yes, being a photographer is that awesome! She lets me do whatever cause she knows I’m going to make her look good and feel good. That’s what an indulgence session is all about. Just because you happen to have three kids and a super busy life does not mean you can’t enjoy it and do the things in life that make you smile. Having coffee, dressing up and being silly, yep that’s what I love to do with my sister. Hope you had as much fun as I did G! I love you!

Nice Ride

Espionage work

Lounging in the study is hard work

so chic

so many records, so little time

A good book and a cozy chair to curl up in is so sexy

even a good stretch can be sexy

Is it happy hour yet?

Holy Smokes

I love this one!

hee hee- fun with sister

Super Star!

NO PAPARAZZI !!!

For More photos from our Indulgence session, visit my Fb page at https://www.facebook.com/sabrinabeanphoto