Last weekend I went to a wedding. It was the first of my college friends to get married (actually, I think it may be the first of my friends that are my age to get married). I arrive in St. Louis, the first time setting foot in Missouri since leaving KC two years ago, and get my car and head to the Cheshire Lodge to meet up with friends.

This place was a throwback to another era. Don’t get me wrong, it was very clean, fairly nice, just odd. My friends were staying in a room that had a “Tally Ho!” plaque on the front door. The tv set was a nice 13 inch from the 70s, and the room had fake stained glass windows. In the bathroom, there was a bottle opener attached to the vanity — one of the kind that screw into the marble and is there permanently.

Downstairs was Mr. Bear that you see pictured above. The place was rather surreal. I almost wish I had stayed just a little longer in St. Louis to warrant a night in one of the fantasy suites.

I’m generally not a big fan of weddings. They’re always so formal with everyone acting wedding-ish. But this wedding was short, sweet, to-the-point, with only the parts that meant something to the couple thrown into the ceremony. Then, the rest of the time, spent enjoying friends and family.

And, the place was decorated with the couple in mind. My friend Sean is a toy freak – loves Japanese toys, robots, etc. He also loves skulls, and so, this was one of the two centerpieces:

Then, my favorite part, the bride’s love of Hello Kitty was representing:

She also had Sanrio champagne flutes for the toast. I like this girl already 🙂 And, it was a great wedding — very them, and very beautiful.

After the wedding, I was ready to get out of Missouri though. Something bad must have happened to me in a past life there. Even when I was on the plane headed for Dallas, I kept waking up thinking, “I can’t oversleep. What if I get stuck here? I can’t be stuck here!” Then I would wake up, after a few short seconds of panic I would realize I was on a plane, out of Missouri, and I was headed back home. My heart rate would slow back down as I snuggled back into my seat and pulled my eyemask back down.

This happened 3 times on the plane. Even though it was great seeing friends and catching up, I am so glad to be back home.

The happy groom:

Filed under:
Day in the Life, Observances by Courtney

I enjoy spirits of all kinds. It’s one of the few themes I can see throughout my work. Spirit in all of its definitions though.

Spirits of the alcoholic kind, spirits that like to haunt, “religious” spirit, the spirit that exists inside of all objects. Capturing spirits on film is my specialty — well, most times on film. Sometimes on a memory card.

Memory card just doesn’t sound quite as alluring as film.

Filed under:
Observances by Courtney

I’m not sure how I would feel about a fish watching me while I eat caviar and sashimi. Would he be judging me? I see you eating my brothers!! What possesses someone to even come up with such a display? And wonder how long these fish live? How many times a day do they witness their own being eaten? Is he traumatized by this? What if he ends up belly up by the end of the meal? Do I just eat him too? Is he served to the next customer? Or is he supposed to be uber-fresh sashimi, slippery-slidy down my throat?

I stumbled upon this entree on Tsar Nicoulai Caviar’s website. I probably would order this, though. 1) Just to see if I can answer my questions above, and 2) I love ahi tuna sashimi and, 3) Ginger Infused Whitefish Caviar sounds delicious.

Filed under:
Observances by Courtney

It was another movie night for me, with another classic – The Wizard of Oz. I love the movie, and I love the book. I just wish they had put the china-land into the movie. If I ever continue with the postcards series, that will be the next image.

Again, as I watched the movie, I couldn’t help but think how it would have been so different today. I guess I just wonder if any of the movies that are made today will become classics. I doubt it – very few at least.

If The Wizard of Oz were made today, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion couldn’t have just gotten along. One of them would have had to be the outcast that the others made smarmy comments to. Toto would have worn a t-shirt with “Bitch” on it, or some other tongue-and-cheek saying. Instead of the opening scene in Oz being plastic flowers and painted backgrounds, it would have been a multi-million dollar background complete with computer-generated effects, that in the end would have been the focus instead of leaving it on Judy Garland. And munchkins — well, that would have been politically incorrect or insensitive I’m sure. I’m not sure how that would have changed, but I’m sure it would have.

Sometimes simpler is better.

Filed under:
Observances by Courtney

I hadn’t realized it until lately, but apparently I’m really into lily pads and the flowers that go with. You can see them here, here, here, and here (okay, that was just the one above again).

Maybe I’ll find another water lily for your viewing pleasure tomorrow.

Filed under:
just a picture, Observances by Courtney