Tuesday 27 September 2011

San Francisco, California.


A long time ago a magical doll was delivered to my desk.  I  wanted to take her all around San Francisco but the weather, in typical San Francisco fashion, didn't cooperate.  Most of her time in city was spent indoors and eating a various local restaurants.  We did manage to escape the house for a bit to see the murals in the Mission and hike up Bernal Hill.


As a special treat we drove down to Palo Alto and spent time in one of the many science labs at Stanford University.  Ada got to play around with a bunch of chemicals and the bacterias, and I'm pretty sure she is responsible for some huge scientific discovery :)  She even made friends with other dolls in between experiments! 


I never knew that you could have so much fun with a traveling doll
and I am extremely grateful for the experience.

Words & Photos by Brandi.


Monday 5 September 2011

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Lulu in Chile.



When Luciana told me she was going to spend a month in Chile, I immediately thought Ada should join her. Unfortunately, Ada couldn't make it on time, so Luciana took one of her sisters - Lulu - on this adventure and she brought us back some beautiful shots. 


The hood in Valparaiso.

The grand port of Valparaiso.

Cerro Concepción, Valparaiso. 

I found a graffiti house in Cerro Concepción, Valparaiso.

Here I am taking one of 10 working elevators in Valpo. 
The elevators are almost extinct due to bureaucracy!

This beautiful Church of San Pedro de Atacama was built around 1745.

Trippy tree in San Pedro

Cuevas de Chulacao,
these formations make a cracking sound if you listen carefully.

Visiting the Santa Cruz vineyard in Colchagua valley.  


Puerta del sol, 
replica of an ancient monument of Tiwanaku, a pre-Columbian Andean city.

Llamas and me

Harepaenga Rapa Nui


End of tour Santa Cruz vineyard

La Moneda, government building in Santiago


Photos & words by Luciana.



Thursday 30 June 2011

Chicago, Illinois.






As soon as Ada arrived I had to take a "welcome!" picture right away; because finally Ada had come to Chicago!! Now I live a little outside Chicago, so for a few days Ada spent time relaxing out here in my backyard with my dog Cookie. As you can see, it's really hard to capture my dog's face. Then she spent sometime frolicking amongst flowers, climbing trees, crossing little red bridges, standing next to cars, and looking out to the distance; waiting for the day we could make it to downtown Chicago. 

First we visited the Art Institute of Chicago, known for its iconic lions that guard the front entrance. She saw many cool art pieces including Grant Wood's "American Gothic." Then we headed towards Millenium Park, where the Bean is, and purple flower gardens abound. We spent sometime there people watching, and taking pictures against the skyline. We also walked over to the Roman memorial columns, just to check them out, and saw Oprah Winfrey's name inscribed on it! It was a beautiful and sunny summer day in Chicago. Of course I had to take one photo with Ada and me before she left! I guess there was too much sun that day, since it came out so bright. Anyway she soon had to leave, so I made her a little flower scarf that she used to keep warm as she looked out the window on the last rainy day. Ada loved Chicago, and I hope she comes back one day!











Monday 23 May 2011

Washington, D.C. & Alexandria, Virginia.



Ada goes to Washington


I had been waiting for Ada’s arrival since June 2010. I followed her travels closely and was even a bit jealous when she got to meet some of my blog friends before me.

I think it was the color that first drew me to Ada... Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a cheery red doll?


Ada and the Washington Monument

Ada blurry


Since I live so close to America’s capital city, visiting friends are always insisting on the tour... White House, Washington Monument, Union Station, etc. We headed out early with Ada to take in the sights, but I could tell she got bored fast.


Ada and the white house

New Friends


And here is the great thing about Ada - she is not one of those friends that visits and insists on being entertained. No, Ada is the friend you can simply take to your favorite coffee shop and enjoy time together.

So, with this new understanding, we left D.C. and headed to my favorite part of Virginia, Old Town Alexandria.


Ada's new sparkly friend

Ada and the red door

Ada and the flowers

Ada and the USA


Living so close to a big city, people aren’t especially warm and friendly. People keep their eyes averted, concentrating on iPhones or street signs.

The day we went out with Ada, Jeremy and I had a ball. We laughed when White House security guards came over to monitor the suspicious behavior of a 6’ 2” man climbing up the gate of the White House holding a plastic doll over his head. I yelled when Jer thought it was a good idea to set Ada on a windy peer, precariously close to the water. “How will I explain that we lost Ada in the Potomac River to Adeline?!”

We were so wrapped up, that we were shocked every time someone stopped us to say...

“What a pretty doll!”

“May I ask what you are doing?”

“Is this for a special art show?”

“Would you like a photo of the three of you?”

“Ok. I came over because I just know there is a story here!”

In all seriousness, isn’t that what we all want? Someone to genuinely want to hear our story?

If there is a lesson that Miss Ada left me, it’s this - live your life so that you are wrapped up in the enjoyment of it, and you will be surprised by the people that are drawn to you.

So, thanks, Ada, for showing me that people in D.C. can be nice (hopefully those few people weren’t just tourists from Idaho). ;)


Ada is apart of the fam

Ada and Heels


That is all.