Ilia's Expecting!

I'm always happy to hear from former brides and I was was absolutely delighted when Ilia asked me to take her maternity photos.  Next month Ilia will be welcoming a new family member into her beautiful home in Ranch Santa Fe.  She's renovating the property in the late months of her term - and she's not quite sure whether  the baby or the completed baby's room will come first.  But this lady is one of the strongest, most independent women I've met.  Whether or not the house is done in time, it's a beautiful place to bring home a new baby boy and Ilia will be a great mommy.

Ilia's mom had the fantastic idea for Ilia's sister, Alexa, to join in on the photos.  As it turns out, Alexis is also expecting!

We took a short walk down to the barn to play with the dog and take a few more photos.

Ilia - it was a lot of fun photographing you in your beautiful home.  I truly admire your strength.  I hope that I can come back one day to photograph your expanded family and see your finished property.

A Tuscan Dinner in San Diego

Last night Mike and Christina had a few friends over for a "Tuscan dinner".  Dick and I often have dinners with these two and they always have a way of making even the most simple meals special.  I think it's the love they put into cooking for their guests.  Anyway - as soon as I knew that this dinner would have such an Italian theme, I suspected that the experience would look like a spread out of Sunset Magazine.  I wasn't disappointed!

 
Italian wine.  And are those crustinis on the way?

So delicious!

"Guiltless" cookie dough spread.  So how does one make cookie dough spread "guiltless" you ask?  Garbonzo beans!!  I kid you not.  And I swear, if you hadn't been told you wouldn't guess it.  Way too yummy.

 

Dick enjoys some crustini.

Thank you again Mike and Christina for a delicious and delightful evening.  It was great to meet some new people and enjoy such tasty food.

Ottawa in Summertime

Once in a while, I take trips to Ottawa, Canada for work.  I rarely get a chance to get out and enjoy the surroundings of what is really a gorgeous city.  This time, my friend Kat brought me out to a few of the local landmarks for an afternoon shoot.  Thanks Kat!

Our first stop was the MacKenzie King Estate.  MacKinzie King was Canada's tenth  Prime Minister (in the 1920's-1940's).  He owned some stunning property in the Gatineu Hills.  Half of the grounds were shut down for repairs, but we still had the opportunity to explore a little and take a few photos of the grounds surrounding the Moorside Tearoom.

The next stop was the Museum of Civilization, where we got some photos of Parliament from across the river, before the sun went down.  Just LOVE the architecture of this site.

A view of Parliament

Later that evening

a short trip to London

I spent a week working in the UK.  I stayed at an airport Marriott and commuted daily to an office building in Woking, part of Surrey.  Being completely jet-lagged when I arrived Saturday, I didn't have the energy to get out of the hotel room and venture into London.  But Sunday, knowing it would be my last chance, I braved the Tube and made my way into the city, where I joined a short walking tour of the Westminster area.  The trip barely whet my appetite and I can hardly wait to go again on my own time so I can sit and enjoy a few beers in a pub with friends.

Here are some of the photos I took while I was there.