A Day in Central Park

Last week's Fall Mini Session left me inspired to shoot more of this glorious Fall weather before everything becomes bare and brittle. Did I mention frigid? We lucked out yet again today, here in New York City, with 70°F+ temps. So, with my rollerblades intact and MaQ by my side, I ventured the nearly 3 mile-trip uptown to Central Park. The workout wasn't exactly easy, given the backpack I was carrying which included my camera, a change of clothes, my boots, treats, a large bottle of water, his ball, and then some! Phew! I would say it was about an extra 20 pounds on my back during the trek! To say the least, we did it and it was totally worth it!

Isn't that just a spectacular view?! I was so glad to visit there today. It reminded me why I live here again. The hustle & bustle of the streets; the competition, the raw honesty in it's purest form; the smells of every kind of food you can imagine; the beauty within the park; and those wondrous skyscrapers that can't help but make you dream big. Live big. Love big. This is my city and I'm so proud to call New York my home. It ain't always pretty, but it's undeniably f*cking real to me! So is life.

When we first entered the park, MaQ was really excited about the horses! I remember when my husband and I got married in Strawberry Fields he totally went bananas over 'em and desperately wanted to make friends. Regardless, he's quite the stud muffin, isn't he? Plus, Fall makes for the best pictures! And trust me when I say this folks, the foliage is looking pretty groovy at this point! Y'all need to go for a stroll before all the beautiful colors are gone!

I really wanted to do a nice Fall portrait with the both of us, so I brought my little remote and snapped away. The light is a little harsh, but I only have my distraction to blame from the magnificent beauty Central Park holds! It just makes you think you have all the time in the world, I almost forgot I wanted to photograph us! Ha ha ha!

I tried to take several shots in many forms of light. The park is perfect for that, at some point, (being a hardcore perfectionist) I wasn't ready to leave because it was just too enjoyable! But there are only 24 hours in a day and I only have a zillion things to do! I love the little lens flare from the light in the shot above. He looks like Rainbow Brite! Plus I'm still that young rebel who doesn't like to follow the rules so yeah, I like to shoot against the light sometimes. ;)

MaQ is adored everywhere he goes, like today when I was right in the middle of shooting (on a non-sturdy rock of all places) and this sweet maybe 12-year old Eastern European kid bravely walked up to me, and shamelessly asked if he could pet my dog. At first, I was kind of annoyed since he didn't seem to care that I was in the middle of trying to take a shot (of MaQ unleashed all the while), but when I looked into his piercing blue eyes, there was something so familiar and peaceful at the same time, I couldn't help but say yes. I wanted him to meet MaQ. And it made him so very happy, where it, in return, made me so happy!

We also visited The Pond, which is also where the first crime scene takes place in my debut novel, 'The Fisherman's Lily'. It's nice to go back to places where you've researched, and this being one of the very first chapters I wrote in the very beginnings of writing my book, I of course had to stop by and pay homage to my special place. I took a shot of MaQ on the bridge (right above The Pond) to encapsulate the feelings I had with the initials ideas of writing fiction many, many years ago.

Toward the very end of our photo taking, we played a long, rewarding game of fetch. We played out in an open field, and it was such a pleasure to watch him at full speed. I think the day completely wiped him out because he's been asleep for the past 5 hours! He really did a lot, so it's good he's resting. I seriously had the best time up there today! I wish we lived closer to Central Park, because we'd go there everyday!

We hope you enjoyed in taking a glimpse into our adventures! We love sharing them with you and the world. Would you like to do a Fall photo of some kind in the park? Please feel free to contact me about any inquiries you may have!

Thanks so much for reading! Please pass on & share! Happy Thursday! ♡

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

25 Random Facts About Me

 

Let's Get Personal

I've been back blogging now for a couple of weeks and wanted to help you all get to know maQ and I a little better. I love blogs that help me immerse in their world with photos and videos, but I always like to know more about the person behind all the imagery.

So, I've compiled a list of random facts about myself, including my doggy, maQ. We hope you enjoy reading about us!

Have a great start to your week!

Love + xx's,

maQ + suz

1. My middle name is Sunny. Yes, my first, middle and last name all start with the letter S.

2. I’m half-Korean and half-Polish. So, I’m Eurasian :)

3. Music, like words, is the air I breathe. Music has helped me on so many different levels. My choice in music ranges all the way from Classical to Rap. I love everything (yes, gospel, teen pop, country, original soundtracks) except for heavy metal and jazz. I know Jazz is like a God to many of you, but with me, I'm sorry. #icant

4. Most of you know I have a German Shepherd named maQ, but what most you may not know is his formal name is McQueen. He was named after Steve McQueen for his handsome looks, his style, and of course, his charm. I even share the same birthday as Steve, March 24th!

5. I smoked cigarettes for nearly ten years, but am proud to say I haven’t had one in over 3 years.

6. My first love was David Duchovny. When I was 15, I literally cried when I discovered he married Tea Leoni. I can’t believe I’m telling you all this!

7. I would love to say I’ve inherited my mother’s green thumb, but for the most part, I can’t keep a plant around to save my life! What’s interesting though, in the past few months, I’ve managed to keep (most) alive and some have even grown. I know it’s sounds cheesy, but I feel like I’ve grown with those plants.

8. If I was on a deserted island with only one choice of food to survive off of, it would, hands down, without question, be mashed potatoes.

9. I’m not fashion-obsessed, but I am into style. I would have say, like many women, one of my staple style icons is definitely Kate Moss.

10. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve really been into video games. I love GTA, Borderlands, Left 4 Dead, and arcade classics like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and of course I can’t leave out Zelda, Mario, Tetris and Double Dragon yo! If you know Double Dragon, let’s be friends. Extra points if you know the brothers' names right off the bat. I also love Words with Friends on the phone. WARNING: I'm HIGHLY competitive.

11. I’m a writer, and earlier this year debuted my first crime thriller novel to the world. It’s about a manic-depressive, rough-around-the-edges, female Asian detective who’s hunting for a serial killer in New York that’s targeting other Asian women like herself. Let’s just say the ending left a few people in tears and completely in shock. Check it out on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, The Fisherman’s Lily.

12. My favorite authors, in no particular order, are Stephen King, Jeffrey Deaver, Agatha Christie, Tana French, James Ellroy, Haruki Murakami, Thomas Harris, Kyung-sook Shin and John Steinbeck.

13. I’m a die-hard Lakers fan. Take me to a basketball game and I’m one happy gal!

14. Frida Kahlo, Michelle Kwan and my mother, or rather what I called her my whole life, 'my ma', are my super women. I worship and adore each of these extraordinary ladies for several reasons. They've left me inspired and empowered, giving me courage and strength through many hardships in life. They've all kept my boat afloat. And forevermore grateful.

15. I’m a huge foodie and really love to eat and more especially, cook. However, there are two items I really detest and cannot be bothered with. One: coconut flakes. Bleh! There’s something about the texture I can’t get past. I love the flavor of coconut, but no Almond Joy’s or German chocolate cake for me. Two: anything orange flavored. No candy or liquor could change my mind. I love the fruit and orange juice though, but when trying to concoct it with something else, my taste buds go, "yuck!"

16. My favorite restaurant in New York is Indochine. French-Vietnamese cuisine. And the entire waitstaff are drop dead gorgeous. Need I say more? A recent close runner-up: Estela. I’m still dreaming about those ricotta dumplings.

17. I’ve been with a French man for nearly a decade and still can’t speak fluent French! Don’t get me wrong, I know more than I like to admit. I can completely follow conversations and read fairly well, but when it comes to verbal communication I get stage fright. I don't think learning Spanish first helped any either. I tend to roll those R's and L's when I'm not supposed to!

18. I live for peach pie. Speaking of which, I should make a couple more soon before the season comes to an end! New food blog post coming up? Hint hint!

19. Horses are my nemesis. We do not agree. Every time I’ve ever gotten on one, they’ve either taken off or bucked me off. It’s my nerves. They can feel the fear. I find them to be such beautiful, remarkable creatures, but once I get on them I am immediately aware of their strength and power and don’t feel in control. That’s when the fun starts to happen! Giddy up, Suz!

20. One of my favorite things to do is people-watch. Call it trolling, stalking or just plain ole' observing, what can I say, it's the writer in me. I think everyone's got a story to tell. All I want to do is listen, watch and see.

“They motivate us to play, be affectionate, seek adventure and be loyal.”

— Tom Hayden

21. maQ's favorite toys are his plush stuffed animals. We've created the identification game, where he can literally go and ID each and every one of them by certain, specified names. (e.g.; "Where's your monkey? Go get me your crocodile. Can I have your octopus? What about sharky?") Yes, my GSD is hella smart. Who wants to see a vlog about this? :)

22. I have the craziest numeric memory. I still remember my childhood friends' home phone numbers by heart! I can even recall my father's old business numbers too. Give me any number and I'll be able to remember it. It's freaky.

23. I'm an active person. I love to do anything outdoors with my pooch. We love to go running and rollerblading, even if it's just running errands, if I can take maQ with me you won't be surprised to see him with me.

24. Some of my ultimate favorite TV shows are LOST, True Detective (first season), The Leftovers, The Killing, Broadchurch, Damages, Homeland, Game of Thrones, and Californication.

25. If I could be anywhere in the world right now, it'd be a toss up between Santorini and Jeju Island. Definite bucket listings.

Wednesday: Boudoir Sneak Peek

WEARING: NOTHING BUT TULLE. LOTS OF TULLE.

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Happy Hump Day! We've made it halfway, phew! This week has been going supremely well! Blogging again has put a new pep in my step. I can't wait to get up the next day just to share with you all another piece of me! It has been a lot of fun and I'm so happy doing it! Today's blog post is talking about boudoir!

When I graduated from college I was approached by a photographer to do a boudoir shoot, unfortunately to my dismay, it was NOT a very good experience. It made swear off these types of shoots because the photographer made me uncomfortable. I felt exposed. A few months ago, I took a mini-retreat up to Sherman, Connecticut and stayed at my dear friend Agnes's magical tree house for some much-needed R & R.  Agnes is a wonderful, talented NYC photographer and a close, personal friend. She had been asking to work on a shoot together for the longest time and when she presented me with the opportunity, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and to get jiggy with it! I'm a firm believer in whatever you are in fear of, face it and then you will conquer it. And I did just that!

I felt the overall experience was empowering, uplifting and joyful. She made me feel 100% woman and completely confident and secure, which is not at all how I feel about myself. I actually couldn't believe how carefree I felt throughout the entire shoot! Below are few sneak peek shots from our shoot. Kudos to you, my lady! You made me feel like an enchanting fairy! I cannot wait to see the other shots! Thank you for your friendship, love, and support through the years. I hold a very special place in my heart for my favorite Hungarian photographer! If you'd like to see more of Agnes's work, feel free to check out her website, Yellow Brick Collective.

Now, I'm not saying boudoir is a risk to take or that it's for everyone, but it should be light, fun, engaging and most of all, trusting. If you don't feel right about it, trust your gut! Don't do it if you think you'll be more a deer in headlights than anything else. I'm so grateful to be able to have done this with such a close friend, it just made it that much more meaningful and personal!

Enjoy the rest of your day, my beautiful peeps! Take care of each other and yourselves.

LOVE & XX'S

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