the bridge to nowhere

After a day at the beach, we took a sunset bike ride to "the bridge to no where." From what I gathered, it was a project left unfinished once funds ran out. We took advantage of the abandoned bridge and sat along the railing to sip $3-buck-chuck (don't get me started) and look out onto the marshes.

We sat well past sunset and continued to eat beets, goat cheese, bread, and even more wine in the dark. Once we finished, we took a joyride through downtown Charleston-- stopping every once in a while to refill the plastic cups we'd been toting around and reusing.

The small, quiet streets felt like an eerie ghost town that only came to life as we rampantly rode through. The night was young and unexpecting, but the bridge to nowhere was just the beginning.

sullivan's island

I'm in the midst of my first trip to the South and am in Charleston, South Carolina. Within the first 24 hours, I've had fried green tomatoes, been bit at least 10 times, and heard "y'all" more times than I can count. It's cute (minus the mosquito bites).

Savannah and Rebecca took me out to Sullivan's Island and we floated along the sandbars in perfect, late summer weather. I don't remember my hair ever being so salty and tangled (quite mermaid-esque) but my first time dipping my toes in the Atlantic was the warmest of welcomes.

the saturday market

Saturday morning at the Portland Farmers Market was one of my favorite mornings to date. Coley and I decided to go on a whim and having made "plans in passing" with friends before, I wasn't expecting to actually make it.

I think my heart fluttered when I found it. It's enormous and full of joy. Every basket, every crate, every table was art. I even ordered biscuits and mushroom gravy serendipitously named "The Moneyball." I'm not sure what else to say, but I hope the colors speak for themselves.

Photos half by Coley, half by me.

3

This babygirl is 3 years old today. I still remember when I made this video with her.

I love that she's adventurous. Her mom calls her "the terror," but I think she's just curious. I hope I never forget how she always insisted on wearing a tutu, and how that tutu has turned into a princess dress. That she calls me "Tita Les" because "Celeste" is too long. And that the second I walk through the door she screams my name at the top of her lungs. It's a great feeling.

It's weird loving someone else's kids this much but it's nice to see how your heart can grow.

Happy Birthday, sweet samu-Raiza. Disney princesses (and Carly Rae Jepsen) have nothing on you.

scenes from chicago

Big thanks to friends, new and old, for making Chicago what it was. Most of all to sweet Hiyabel, for hosting me and being the reason for this trip. See you soon, Chicago.

Music by BOY.

a letter from last year

I woke up this morning and found this letter in my inbox. It was from me, one year ago today. Having launched my photography site yesterday, and seeing as I'm in Portland right now for work, I wish I could write back saying, "you've come a long way."

___

Dear FutureMe, 

I have no idea where you're supposed to be right now. Did you ever apply for a Fulbright? Did you just finish applying? Do you have a full time job? None of the above? 

It's pretty scary on this end... not knowing what to do or where to go. Or what's ahead. 

I hope your heart is strong. That you're still taking photos. Learning new things and trying to find out what YOU'RE good at. Not what you think you're supposed to be good at. 

Today you went on a four mile hike with David, Kyle and Melanie. I don't want to make you think that this is something you regularly do, but it is something you're proud of-- at least for today. 

From what I can tell, that's what it's about. Being proud of the small accomplishments, one day at a time, up until they make up something even greater. 

Love, 
Celeste

celestenoche.com

It's finally here.

Ever since Kim recommended 4ormat (you know, way back in October), I've been working on this site. I'd add photos, switch them, edit again, forget about them for a month, etc.

And then I met Leela (more on this later), and I decided it was time to just do it. So, after a full gestation period, my photography portfolio was born. My favorite part of this whole thing is capturing people and places I love, and showing them off as my best work.

Visit here.

mindy's hot chocolate

I popped into Mindy's on a whim while I was killing time in Wicker Park. The kitchen was still prepping and the entire place felt empty because of it. I sat back and waited, half enjoying the uniformity of the tables and half wondering how good my mint chocolate shake would be.

I can't say much for the menu since I was in and out, but the simplicity and design of the space clearly left an impression.

(For the record, the shake and cookies were amazing. And their head pastry chef is a James Beard Award winner.)

spacca napoli

Confession: I don't really like deep dish pizza. There, I said it. I'm sorry, Chicago! I prefer my pizza to be saturated with basil and garlic-- not cheese. I like the pizza-oven-smokiness from thin crust. And I like that it's acceptable (and standard) for one person to eat the entire pizza by herself.


Enter: Spacca Napoli. I don't think any of the pizzas on the menu had more than 4 ingredients (we shared a marinara and a mushroom truffle oil pizza bianca). I loved that the pizzas came unsliced, that wine was served in tiny, flat glasses, and that I almost completely forgot that cheese belonged on pizzas during this meal.

No bad, Chicago. Not bad.

a lakeside picnic

It's wonderful to see how something as simple as a picnic can brighten up a day.

It wasn't much, when you think about it: strawberries and figs, pretzel and seed-filled breads, chilled lambrusco, and a tiny chocolate fondue set.

It was something we were looking forward to since it'd been planned. When the time came, there was something special about knowing that we were exactly where we wanted to be.



Plus, we got some sweet cityscaped-silhouette shots.